now-forgotten bundle of fruit.
“Let me.” He tore a thin strip of banana leaf, holding it between his teeth, then reached for the flower. The pollen trembled and he held his breath. Carefully he folded the petals inward, the fringed edges weaving together, closing over the pollen-laden inner part of the flower. The large outer petals were next, and he held the flower in one hand, taking the strand of banana leaf and weaving it around the bundled flower.
Addison watched each move he made, lips parted, breath held. When he was finished, he held the small bundle out to her.
“This is yours.”
She held out her hand and he set the small bundle on her palm. It rested there like a green and white gem, glowing in the muted light beneath the trees.
Addison looked up at him. “That’s amazing. Thank you.”
He heard the rough emotion in her voice and thought he saw the glint of tears in her eyes. For the first time since he’d met her, she looked small and vulnerable, and this time he did reach out for her, leaning forward to briefly cradle the nape of her neck, kissing her softly on the forehead.
“You are welcome.”
Addison smiled, and he caught a faint blush on her cheeks. She looked back at the orchid. “I’m afraid to set it down.”
Griffin reached down for the remainder of the banana leaf. With a few swift gestures, he bent and folded the leaf, creating a small pouch. With his knife he pierced holes in the edges and wove another thin strip of leaf through the holes. He plucked the orchid from her hand, carefully set it in the pouch and then tugged the string closed. A few knots secured the opening and he dangled it in front of Addison.
“Safe and secure. Waterproof as well.”
She took the pouch, looking up at him. To his surprise, tears spilled down her face, her shoulders shaking silently. Her hand trembled and Griffin reached out for the orchid.
“Here. Let’s put this someplace safe until tomorrow.” He reached up into the tree, setting the leaf pouch into a hole in a trunk. He pulled the a few fronds of foliage over the hole, covering the opening.
“Will it be safe?” She looked from him to the tree and then back.
“It will be safe. No one wants the orchid except you. It won’t get lost or crushed, and if it rains, it will stay dry. It will be there tomorrow when we leave.”
She turned eagerly to him. “Can’t we go back tonight? We can make it almost all the way home.”
He shook his head. “No. I will not sleep in Kade’s territory. Traveling through is enough. We will eat, sleep here, and leave at first light.”
She sighed and he could sense her frustration. But then she drew a deep breath, blew it out, and tried to smile up at him. But the smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.
“I guess I can understand that. It’s just that I’ve been looking forward to this…it means so much…” She sniffled, wiping her nose on the back of her hand. “I know there’s still the journey back to the ruins, and then getting the orchid back to the Museum. It seems like this was the hardest part, but there’s still so much left to do. And I don’t even know yet if I can extract what I need to make a cure. Or even if the cure will work.” Her words came out in a rush.
“One step of the journey at a time.” Griffin reached down, picking up a few pieces of fruit. “Eat. Then rest. Tomorrow we start back. There is no other way.”
He took off his cape, laying it on the ground. “Sit.”
She hesitated, looking up at the tree where the orchid was hidden. He took her hand, pulling her down beside him. She came reluctantly, but she sat beside him.
“Sit. The orchid is no safer with you standing than it is with you sitting beneath it.” He pulled out his knife, slicing into a melon, its sweet scent filling the air.
“You think I’m being silly.” She took the melon slice he offered her, biting into it with relish. She was hungry and a wave of admiration overcame him, that she would
“Let me.” He tore a thin strip of banana leaf, holding it between his teeth, then reached for the flower. The pollen trembled and he held his breath. Carefully he folded the petals inward, the fringed edges weaving together, closing over the pollen-laden inner part of the flower. The large outer petals were next, and he held the flower in one hand, taking the strand of banana leaf and weaving it around the bundled flower.
Addison watched each move he made, lips parted, breath held. When he was finished, he held the small bundle out to her.
“This is yours.”
She held out her hand and he set the small bundle on her palm. It rested there like a green and white gem, glowing in the muted light beneath the trees.
Addison looked up at him. “That’s amazing. Thank you.”
He heard the rough emotion in her voice and thought he saw the glint of tears in her eyes. For the first time since he’d met her, she looked small and vulnerable, and this time he did reach out for her, leaning forward to briefly cradle the nape of her neck, kissing her softly on the forehead.
“You are welcome.”
Addison smiled, and he caught a faint blush on her cheeks. She looked back at the orchid. “I’m afraid to set it down.”
Griffin reached down for the remainder of the banana leaf. With a few swift gestures, he bent and folded the leaf, creating a small pouch. With his knife he pierced holes in the edges and wove another thin strip of leaf through the holes. He plucked the orchid from her hand, carefully set it in the pouch and then tugged the string closed. A few knots secured the opening and he dangled it in front of Addison.
“Safe and secure. Waterproof as well.”
She took the pouch, looking up at him. To his surprise, tears spilled down her face, her shoulders shaking silently. Her hand trembled and Griffin reached out for the orchid.
“Here. Let’s put this someplace safe until tomorrow.” He reached up into the tree, setting the leaf pouch into a hole in a trunk. He pulled the a few fronds of foliage over the hole, covering the opening.
“Will it be safe?” She looked from him to the tree and then back.
“It will be safe. No one wants the orchid except you. It won’t get lost or crushed, and if it rains, it will stay dry. It will be there tomorrow when we leave.”
She turned eagerly to him. “Can’t we go back tonight? We can make it almost all the way home.”
He shook his head. “No. I will not sleep in Kade’s territory. Traveling through is enough. We will eat, sleep here, and leave at first light.”
She sighed and he could sense her frustration. But then she drew a deep breath, blew it out, and tried to smile up at him. But the smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.
“I guess I can understand that. It’s just that I’ve been looking forward to this…it means so much…” She sniffled, wiping her nose on the back of her hand. “I know there’s still the journey back to the ruins, and then getting the orchid back to the Museum. It seems like this was the hardest part, but there’s still so much left to do. And I don’t even know yet if I can extract what I need to make a cure. Or even if the cure will work.” Her words came out in a rush.
“One step of the journey at a time.” Griffin reached down, picking up a few pieces of fruit. “Eat. Then rest. Tomorrow we start back. There is no other way.”
He took off his cape, laying it on the ground. “Sit.”
She hesitated, looking up at the tree where the orchid was hidden. He took her hand, pulling her down beside him. She came reluctantly, but she sat beside him.
“Sit. The orchid is no safer with you standing than it is with you sitting beneath it.” He pulled out his knife, slicing into a melon, its sweet scent filling the air.
“You think I’m being silly.” She took the melon slice he offered her, biting into it with relish. She was hungry and a wave of admiration overcame him, that she would
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