Chapter 12

Fishing in the river was fun, but playing in the shallows was even better. Violet splashed water at Zaknafein, then shrieked and plunged away from him as he lunged toward her, arms outstretched.

He caught her shoulders and dunked her, then pulled her up, laughing.

Violet caught her breath and grinned, then launched herself backward, kicking a spray of water over him with both feet.

"Hey!" Zak turned away and spluttered. "All right, we're even. Race you to that birch tree?" He pointed, and they swam.

Zak beat her, but only by an arm's length. They hung onto the overhanging tree trunk, catching their breath. Zaknafein shivered in a sudden breeze and looked down the shoreline. "We should make a raft. I'd rather be on the water than in it."

Violet grinned. "It doesn't seem as cold as yesterday when I was two."

Zak smirked. "That's because it's afternoon this time." Then he furrowed his brow. "Wait, you remember?"

She shrugged and looked down at the water, her face feeling hot. "Sort of." A few things were coming back to her.

Zak rolled his eyes. "Well, I, for one, am glad you're back to normal. Although I will say you were pretty cute—when you weren't being annoying."

"Hey!" She shied water at him with one hand.

Zak just grinned. "Don't look now, but there's a caterpillar on the tree."

Violet shrieked and let go of her handhold, splashing back into the river.

Zaknafein's laughter followed her as she swam for the shore. "Come on, shy magpie, it's not following you."

Violet put her feet down in the silt and looked over her shoulder with a shudder. "Do caterpillars swim?"

Zaknafein's mouth quirked. He raised a knowing eyebrow and leaned toward her. "I'll bet they—"

Violet bit her lip. She splashed toward the shore as fast as she could.

"Violet!" Zak caught up with her and grabbed her arm. "They don't swim. Sorry."

She glared at him, eyes stinging. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

Violet sighed.

Zak nudged her with his elbow. "But seriously, we should make a raft."

Violet grinned. "Yeah."

They worked on it till suppertime, but they only managed to cut three logs by then. Still, it felt good to see their project taking shape.

Violet felt kind of sorry for their parents. Mum took an afternoon nap, and Kel'nar went through a scimitar routine in the grassy meadow while she and Zak had fun. Then again, maybe that counted as fun for grown-ups.

When they got back to their campsite from the riverside, Violet was thirsty. She drank long from the dipper at the water pail, then frowned. It didn't taste as good as their spring water back home.

Mum was slicing potatoes into a pan on the endgate.

Violet hung up the dipper. "Mum, can we at least make tea for supper? I could try to find enough berries to make it yummier."

Mum glanced up at her. "I saw some wild spearmint by the tree line. You could make mint tea."

Violet frowned. "I just want something fruity." She looked toward the distant moorlands. "Something that tastes like that potion I drank. It was so—"

A hand on her shoulder made her stop and turn. Kel'nar stood behind her, a plate of floured trout fillets in one hand and a stern glint in his eyes. He set the fish down and looked over at Zaknafein, who was poking a stick into the campfire. "You remember how to fry fish, Zak?"

Wordlessly, Zak nodded.

"Good. Then you can help Mum with it." His hand was still on Violet's shoulder, and he looked down at her. "Violet, come with me."

Violet's heart pounded in her chest as she followed Kel'nar to the tree line and beyond. Finally she found her voice. "Kel'nar, am I in trouble?" He hadn't taken a wooden spoon with him the way Mum did, but then again, Kel'nar never did. He had no problem finding a handy green branch. Or a smooth piece of kindling from the woodshed in winter.

Kel'nar didn't say anything, and Violet swallowed hard.

They emerged from the trees and continued on toward the stream. Maybe that was a good sign. No green branches there. Just green grass and wild flowers.

Finally, Kel'nar stopped and turned. "We need to have a talk, Violet, and I didn't want you to be embarrassed."

She looked up at his serious eyes. "Just a talk?"

Kel'nar nodded, and the corner of his mouth twitched. "You were expecting something else?"

Violet let out a breath. "Well, I remember more stuff about what happened now. I probably deserve a spanking for … for something."

Kel'nar raised an eyebrow. "Seems to me you got one from Mum." He gestured to the grass by the little stream that flowed down to empty into the river. "Let's sit."

Violet nodded and sank down beside him, not meeting his eyes. "For disobeying her after she said not to throw a cup, and I did it anyway."

"Ah." Kel'nar looked at her with a sidelong smile. "Now that you're seven again, you already know how important it is to obey, and I'm glad. Mum and I want to keep you and Zaknafein safe. We want you to grow up to be good people. But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about."

Violet wrapped her arms around her drawn-up knees. "All right, Kel'nar, but …" She let the words trail off.

Kel'nar put a gentle hand on her back. "Is something bothering you, d'anthe uss?"

Violet didn't say anything, just yanked a scraggly weed from the sandy soil near the stream's bank.

Kel'nar just waited. "It might feel better to get it off your chest," he offered at last.

Violet wrinkled her forehead. "Off my chest?"

He nodded. "It means no longer carrying a burden. Or some secret. You tell someone, and you feel better."

"Oh." Violet watched an ant struggle by, carrying a dead beetle that was probably ten times its size. "Well, I did something else that probably deserves a spanking. Just … I don't want one."

He chuckled. "You mean when you were small?"

She nodded.

Kel'nar smiled and rubbed her back. "We can let that go, Violet. If it's bothering you, I think the lesson has been learned."

She sighed. "Thanks, Kel'nar."

He nodded. "Do you want to tell me about it?"

Violet looked out across the stream. "When you told me not to touch the coal in the fire, I was going to do it anyway when you weren't looking."

"Ah." He tipped up his chin. "Well, I'm glad you didn't, d'anthe uss. What stopped you?"

She smiled wryly. "I got big for a moment and realized what I was doing."

He smiled too. "I'm glad."

Violet pressed her lips together. Something was still bothering her. "You said you wouldn't warn me again. If … if I would've burned my hand, would you have spanked me?"

Kel'nar's eyes widened, and he shook his head. "I'd have gotten your hand into cold water as quickly as possible." He took her hand and traced his fingers over her unmarred palm. "A burn is a natural consequence, Violet, but one I never want you to experience."

Violet's shoulders relaxed. "What if you'd seen me reaching for a hot coal again?"

He nodded seriously, lavender eyes meeting hers. "I'd have grabbed your wrist and stopped you as fast as I could. And then, yes, a spanking. Better to have your backside sting for a few seconds to teach you not to touch the fire than to have your hand hurt for days."

"Yeah." Violet dug a furrow in the sand with her bare heel. "I'm glad I'm not two anymore."

"Me too." Kel'nar tousled her hair and smiled. "Anyway, d'anthe uss, I brought you here to talk about not just drinking from any bottle you find."

"Oh." Violet squinted at him. "But there was a stopper in it, and it smelled good."

He nodded seriously. "There are some poisons that smell good, Violet. Sweet."

Her eyes widened.

His intent gaze burned into hers. "I thank Mielikki you're alive. Things could've turned out far differently." He touched the unicorn pendant.

Violet's eyes stung. "Oh. Kel'nar, I never thought about … I didn't know."

He nodded and put a hand on her shoulder. "Which is why I'm telling you now. And I want to be very clear. You do not drink an unknown substance no matter how it smells. It could be poison, a dangerous potion, or any manner of foul thing. Something tainted or rotten or who knows what. So, don't ever drink something if you don't know what it is, be it in a stoppered bottle, a cup, or even a beautiful diamond flask. If you're not sure, don't. Or bring it to me or Mum and ask. Or Grandpa Bruenor. You understand?"

Violet's lower lip was trembling. "I—I didn't know it was so dangerous, Kel'nar."

He pulled her into a hug. "Do you understand now, Violet?"

She nodded against his chest. "Yes."

"Good." He squeezed her shoulder. After a moment, he got to his feet and offered his hand. "You hungry?" His voice wasn't stern anymore.

Violet's shoulders relaxed, and she took his hand, letting Kel'nar pull her to her feet. "Starving."

He grinned. "Me too."

They headed back to the campsite, and he stopped to point out some service berries. "Maybe later we can pick enough to make a fruity drink."

Violet smiled.

A/N: d'anthe uss = dear one