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“Of course, Bunny.”

I led him to the small shed where I kept my seeds.

“We can plant a few more beans. What do you think?”

“Oh, yeah. Sounds like fun.” I picked one of the jars I had gotten from a recycling bin on the edge of the village behind the labyrinth.

“Where did you get these?” Nikolai gave me a conspiratorial grin.

“I sometimes venture out into the world,” I admitted.

“Ha, gotcha.” He bumped his elbow against mine. “I thought you did.”

“Yes?”

“Yeah. That or you’re the only person in Upper Franconia who grows their own coffee.”

I didn’t know what to say to that. We left the shed, and I picked one of the raised beds for the beans.

“If you ever need me to pick up anything for you, let me know, okay?”

“You would do that?”

“Of course I’d do that for you.” Bunny gave me a half smile.

Warmth spread through my body. I couldn’t remember the last time I had felt this happy to be alive.

Nikolai and I worked in near silence for a couple of hours, had lunch, and pottered around the garden some more. He helped me muck out the chicken coop, and it made me weirdly content to do mundane chores with him.

“I think I’ll have to leave soon,” Bunny told me when the afternoon sun slowly faded away. “Training starts at seven thirty tomorrow.”

“Oh, yes, of course. Come on, I’ll show you where you can wash your hands. Do you want me to walk with you to the archway?”

“Yeah, please. I think I could find it on my own but I’m not sure. Don’t want to get lost.”

No, I wouldn’t want that, either.

“I’ll be back next week, okay? I promise,” Nikolai said when we arrived at the crumbling stone arch. He smiled at me in that half smile my brain had filed away under his signature expressions.

“Good. I will see you then, Nikolai.”

“Bye, Jules.” He dug his bright white teeth into his bottom lip, giving me a cheeky smile that made my heart flutter like an excited bird. “Take care, okay?”

“You, too, Bunny.” I reached out to touch his shoulder but changed my mind at the last moment and waved awkwardly after him.

Twenty-four

Nikolai

IwassureJuleshadbeen about to hug me.

Fuck yes!

I turned back the way I had last time to wave at him.

“See you on Saturday!” I raised my hand at him.

“Yes! I’m looking forward to it!” he called back, beaming brighter than the sun.