Page 2 of A Rose Among Snakes (Gardens of Ruin and Revival)

Chapter One

“ S o, you’re really going to do it?” Taz’s deep-blue eyes fixed on mine. Her brows were crumpled in disbelief, tan arms crossed over her chest.

I glanced around and kept my voice steady despite the twinge of guilt in my gut.

“I am.”

Taz continued to hold my stare, sipping wine from a clay goblet, as if testing my resolve. When I didn’t cave, a smile spread across her face. “Well, it’s about time, honestly. When do you leave?”

I shushed her. “Keep your voice down. I haven’t told anyone yet.” I grabbed her by the elbow and steered her away from the open field toward the deserted tree line.

“Alright, ease up, Mihrra. I get it.”

I released my grip and sighed. It wasn’t her fault I was so wound up. Besides, in all the years I’d known Taz, she had never once revealed any of my secrets. We stood in silence, watching the revelry of the celebration following my younger sister’s nuptials. The villagers of Roben were unveiling the dishes they brought to share, placing them on the long, wooden tables standing in the grass. The scent of roasted meats, herbed vegetables, pies, and cakes wafted through the spring air, mingling with Roben’s usual aromas of freshly tilled earth and livestock to create a perplexing bouquet for my nose. I could hear the rhythmic pounding of a drum accompanied by fiddles and a flute, guiding our guests through a dance that rotated around the besotted bride and groom.

Taz brushed a hand down the front of her rose-colored gown. “Remind me again what exactly it is you’ll be doing?”

“I accepted a position as Lady’s Maid for Kezara Blaise.”

Taz’s head snapped up, her rich brown hair swaying. “I beg your pardon?”

I furrowed my brow in confusion, unsure how to respond, and opted for a sip of wine instead.

“Did you say Kezara Blaise ?”

A morsel of impatience crept into my tone. “Yes?”

“Mihrra, do you have any idea what you’ve stumbled upon?” Her eyes were nearly popping out of her head.

“Should I?”

Taz threw her free arm up in exasperation. “I forget you’ve never left Roben.”

I frowned, fully irritated now. “Not true. I’ve been to Frommhelm.”

“The neighboring village does not count. Mihrra, the Blaise family made Port Deering what it is today. They are practically royalty. ”

I contemplated the new information, a sinking feeling settling in my belly. Taz was right, I’d never left home; who did I think I was, applying for such a lofty position? I had spent the last six years as a Lady’s Maid to an elderly woman in Frommhelm. However, a month ago she told me she had run out of funds and was moving to live with her son in Clavo, the capital city of Terrune. The close proximity of her home and her dwindling funds allowed me to sleep at home every night. My days were spent tending to her every need, but she was just a woman, not a prominent member of society.

I swallowed my doubt and flung my heavy, golden braid behind my shoulder. This new position was worth a shot if only for the generous wage offered, and I wasn’t going to let insecurities take that from me.

“I’m up for the challenge.”

“Oh, I’m sure you are.” Taz gave me a lopsided grin. “Rumor has it Kezara Blaise is quite the spirited young lady.”

“It’s a shame that raising four younger siblings hasn’t given me any experience in that area,” I said with a sardonic twist of my lips.

Taz snorted. “No, Jem hasn’t given you any trouble whatsoever.”

“I don’t want to talk about Jem.” I rolled my eyes and took another sip of wine. “Since you are such a world traveler and seem to know exponentially more than I, what else do I need to be prepared for? ”

“Well, since you asked, rumor also has it Kezara’s older brother is quite handsome. A bachelor, too.”

“And?” I asked drily.

“ And which one of your many life experiences have prepared you for that?”

“What is there to prepare for? I’m sure we’ll never interact.”

“Maybe not, but you never know,” Taz said in a sing-song voice.

“We can’t all have every man falling at our feet like you do, Taz.”

“No, but you certainly could if you gave any the time of day.”

“There’s no time for silly romantic dalliances when you have a family to provide for. You know that,” I added, a tad reproachful.

Taz frowned, looking appropriately shamed. “I’m sorry, Mihrra, you’re right. I do know that.” She gestured with a hand to the celebrating villagers. “Look at your family, though. Look at the joy on all their faces.”

I did see it; my younger sister, Ambrelle, was twirling around in the arms of her new husband, Kersen. My mother stood off to the side, hands clasped in front of her beautiful face, eyes crinkled with a glorious smile. The twins, Savine and Sashir, were all of ten years old, but they were dancing their hearts out like they only had hours left to live. And Jehiam…

I narrowed my eyes, scanning the field for my brother’s shaggy, golden head. The last time I’d seen him was when he jumped out of his seat the moment the ceremony ended. Being too preoccupied with my conflicting feelings of joy for my sister and embarrassment that I was not the first to marry, I did not see where it was he had disappeared to.

“Do you see Jem?” I asked.

Taz was humming and swaying along to the music, a rosy flush from the wine blossoming on her cheeks. I repeated my question with an elbow to her side.

“What? Oh…” She pursed her lips. “No, I don’t.”

I groaned and dropped my chin to my chest. “I should go find him.” I picked up the several layers of my light blue skirt and turned toward the woods.

“I’ll come with you,” Taz offered.

I gave her a tight smile of appreciation, worry pricking at the back of my mind, and stepped into the bramble.

We crashed through the brush, teetering in our high-heeled boots donned especially for the wedding. Wine-induced giggles and squeals escaped our lips as we went. Taz cursed as she tripped over a root, red liquid sloshing over the rim of her goblet as she almost fell to her knees.

Breaking through the undergrowth, we reached the dirt road winding through the dark forest. It was only late afternoon, but the thick canopy of branches overhead blocked out the sun’s rays making it considerably darker. Goosebumps raced up my arms from the temperature drop.

“Alright, so when are you going to tell your family then?” Taz asked, panting slightly.

“Tomorrow. I leave in two days.”

Taz gasped .

“I know, it’s fast, but I think it will be better this way. My mother is not going to take the news well, and I didn’t think today was the best day to upset her.”

“ Or it’s actually the perfect time since she’s so happy.”

I turned toward her, my expression incredulous. “You have sorely misunderstood my mother then. There is no perfect time to tell her.”

“Think about it—Ambrelle isn’t going anywhere and your mother just gained a new son. It will give her more time to process, too.”

“Or more time to try and talk me out of it.”

Taz huffed a laugh, but stayed quiet for a moment, kicking a stone into the brush.

“One more question and I’ll stop harassing you.”

I bit back a smile. “You’re my best friend, Taz. It’s not harassment to ask me questions.”

She chewed on her lip before asking, “Are you going to Port Deering to find out what happened to your father?”

Whatever I had thought she might ask, it wasn't that. Warring feelings of defensiveness and admiration of her keen perception sent a flood of heat through my body.

I contemplated her question and said, “No,” shaking my head. Then, “Maybe?”

Behind me, Taz had stopped walking.

“Alright, fine. Yes, that is part of why I’m going, but-”

“Shhh,” Taz interrupted .

I turned around to find her frozen, a finger held against her lips and her head cocked to the side. My blood chilled as the sound of hysterical laughter echoed through the trees.

While Roben was a safe village nestled in a valley at the feet of the Kroppenish Mountains, the road through the woods saw travelers from all over the continent of Ilesand. It was the perfect place for teenagers to meet up and drink their parents’ liquor, or even worse, use Ziffem.

The vivid blue crystals of Ziffem were beautiful in appearance but extremely dangerous. Ground between two stones and then placed on the gums, users experienced a euphoric state so intense it often crossed into hysteria. Depending on the dosage, the high could last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours; but coming back down was excruciating. It felt like your body was shredding itself apart, and the only quick fix was another dose of Ziffem. It was highly addictive and became unpredictable when mixed with alcohol.

I had seen people spend every coin they had to feed their addiction, only to have their bodies waste away until death put them out of their misery. Even though it was an illegal substance, it was easy to obtain if you knew the right people. While no longer common in the village, it was easy to spot blue dust clinging to cast-aside stones in the woods.

Taz bit her lip and we exchanged a grim expression as the laughter ended in a coughing fit. I took a gulp of wine before marching toward the sound. Ziffem users were normally harmless, but they could turn violent if they were in the throes of sobering up. I kept that fact in mind as we slowly approached.

I didn’t know the names of the five teenagers who sat in a circle on the side of the road, but I vaguely recognized them from around the village. They passed a green glass bottle between them, their cheeks flushed and eyelids drooping. One girl sat back on her hands with her head tilted up toward the sky, her mouth wide open to release a howl of laughter. The sound faded as the veins in her neck bulged, her abdomen contracting as she forced every ounce of air out of her lungs. She stayed silent and my heart began to pound when I noticed her skin changing color from red to blue as the Ziffem’s grip made her forget how to breathe. A rattling gasp flew from her open mouth as her lungs inflated, causing me to take a sharp inhale of my own.

Another boy was spinning in circles with his eyes closed, arms outstretched, and oblivious to the couple sitting nose-to-nose at his feet. He stumbled over them and fell on his face, where he stayed, letting the dirt and leaves muffle his giggling.

Taz clucked her tongue and crossed her arms, resting her goblet in the crook.

“It’s utterly absurd to me that people would be willing to gamble with their lives like this.” She didn’t bother keeping her voice low. In this state, the teenagers were immune to insults.

My heart ached watching them. They were so young, and I wondered if their families knew. My eyes moved to a boy slumped against a tree, his golden hair covering his face. My heart stopped altogether as recognition sluiced through me, the goblet slipping from my hands and shattering onto the ground.

Jem.