“This mortar and pestle aren’t that good,” I muttered.

“Are you surprised?” Lily asked flying beside me.

“No, not really. They aren’t that bad though.”

“Were you thinking of using them instead of the lab stuff?”

“I was considering it,” I admitted.

“You like getting your hands dirty so to speak,” Lily concluded.

“Yeah.”

“Jase, hold up. I have someone I want you to meet,” Ama called out as I pulled the hand cart toward the gate.

“She’s looking very smug,” Lily muttered.

“You can say that again,” I replied.

“She’s looking very smug,” Lily repeated. I looked at my familiar and noticed the huge grin on her face.

“Ha-ha.”

“You asked for it. And you know you love it too,” Lily replied. I returned the grin instead of answering.

“Jase, this is Trinity Doggette. Trinity is Stonecroft’s new alchemist,” Ama introduced the young, small, caramel skinned woman beside her. “Trinity, this is Jase Fisher.”

“Ah. He’s the one I’m replacing?” Trinity asked Ama.

“Yes,” Ama answered looking around. Lily grinned, waved, and blew a kiss when the woman’s gaze spotted her. Ama scowled.

Trinity turned her attention my way and sized me up. She smiled. I didn’t think the smile was entirely friendly or unfriendly. In fact, I would term it as playful and mocking all at once. I wasn’t sure how she managed that at all since she didn’t look any older than me and wished I could do it too.

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Trinity said to me.

“It’s nice meeting you as well,” I replied, offering a hand.

Trinity looked at it for a moment and then gingerly shook my hand. The shake didn’t last more than a second or two. My parents would not have been impressed by the handshake, but my mother would have been interested in egging me on to asking the new alchemist on a date since Trinity was an attractive woman.

“It’s a good thing your mother is many miles away at the coast and not here with us then, isn’t it?” Lily asked. Of course, she had picked up on my thoughts and feelings.

“Indeed,” I replied as a ferret run over and clambered up Trinity until it settled on her shoulders. She cooed at it for a moment. “Her familiar?”

“Yep,” Lily replied.

“This is Rikki, my familiar,” Trinity said introducing her ferret.

“Like Rikki Tikki Tavi?” I asked.

Trinity smiled. “Yes.”

“That’s neat,” I said. I held out a hand and Lily landed on it. “This is Lily. She’s my…”

“Pest,” Ama hissed interrupting me.

“Familiar,” I corrected.

“I’ve never even heard of a pixie being a familiar before,” Trinity said.

“I hadn’t either, until it happened to me,” I replied with a shrug of my shoulders and a smile directed at Lily, who had turned to face me. She smiled back.

“Trinity, I need to introduce you to the other elders,” Ama said.

“Of course. Jase, perhaps we can exchange notes at some point.”

“Maybe,” I replied shrugging my shoulders again. The two women walked off without another word. “I’m not sure about her.”

“I don’t like her.”

“Oh?”

“Anyone that would bond with a ferret is not to be trusted.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Ferrets will try to eat us!” Lily said. “Didn’t you notice the gleam in its beady eyes?”

“No, I didn’t notice the gleam.”

“You need to start paying more attention,” Lily replied taking flight once more.

“Perhaps,” I agreed picking up the cart’s handle. I started walking out of the village again. “Yeah, I probably should pay more attention to what is going on around me.”

*

“You’ve returned,” Trillium said by way of greeting when we got home.

“Elder, it’s good to see you again,” Lily and I greeted the older pixie. This made Trillium laugh.

“Elder, do you need anything?”

“No, I do not. I’ve decided to show you two a secret. That is why I am here.”

“Why now?” Lily asked.

“Because this secret will help your human,” Trillium replied. “Lily, we must also discuss this guest you have invited to our domain.”

“What guest?” I asked as Lily blushed.

“A protector,” Lily replied. Trillium snorted.

“Protector is not what I would call it.”

I racked my brain to think of who or what the pixies could be talking about. I snapped my fingers as a thought occurred to me. “You mean Sara!”

“Yes,” Lily admitted. “I invited Sara to come here to live and protect us.”

“Why do we need protection?” I asked.

“And did you consider the reactions of the other humans to a mutated or genetically modified cougar living so near their village?” Trillium asked. “Or even that I should have been informed and approved it before you extended such an invitation?”

“I apologize elder! But we need the protection from other predators and from the villagers once the new alchemist finds out how abundant the claimed land is with herbs and other useful plants,” Lily replied. “As for the villagers’ and their concern, I don’t care. Jase is the only one I love and care for. As long as they respect the deal we made, they’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure this Sara will agree to that?” Trillium asked.

“I am. There is more than enough game for her here and that’s not even counting the cows,” Lilly answered. I sent as much love as I could through our link to my familiar.

“I think having Sara around would be a good thing,” I said into the silence.

“That’s good because I agree with both of you,” Trillium replied.

“You do?” Lily and I asked at the same time.

“Yes. Once I show you the secret, you’ll understand why.”

“The secret is some rare plant, isn’t it?” I asked. Trillium laughed.

“Follow me and see.”

*

“There once was a man named Joe that lived between Blowing Rock and Asheville,” Trillium said. “This was long before familiars existed.”

“More secret pixie knowledge?” I asked.

“Not so much. This is all but forgotten history,” the pixie elder corrected me. I nodded my understanding. “This Joe was one of the most learned and experienced gardeners in the world at that time. He specialized in Chinese medicinal herbs, though Joe also grew a lot of the herbs and plants you find naturally in these lands.”

“Chinese?” I asked.

“An ancient nation on the other side of the world,” Lily answered. Trillium nodded her head in approval of Lily’s knowledge. “Their medicine centered around the use of herbs, plants, animals, and other things that your ancestors considered pseudoscience or even just myths.”

“China was also old before most of your ancestors formed their first kingdoms, so their knowledge of herbs should never have been dismissed, but that is a tale for another time,” Trillium said as we entered a densely packed grove of trees. “Look around this grove. How many of these plants do you recognize?”

I did as the elder instructed. I knew maybe five plants at a glance. The rest, I had no idea of what they were. I admitted as much.

“The network will help with identifying the plants and what they can be used for,” Lily said.

“That’s true,” Trillium agreed. “I can also help identify some of them.”

“How did these plants get here?” I asked.

“Some of Joe’s apprentices planted them in different areas after he died. Others were moved along as nature took its course.”

“Seeds were eaten and pooped out by birds and such like that,” Lily said.

“Lily!” Trillium warned.

“What? It’s the truth.”

I laughed. “I know how nature works.”

“Just making sure,” Lily replied grinning at Trillium and me.

“Not all of these plants are medicinal in nature. Some are just edible,” Trillium said.

“Even so, this is amazing!” I gushed.

“And you see why I agreed it needs protecting,” Lily added.

“I do. Trillium, was this Joe an alchemist?”

“No child. Joe was an herbalist and what Stonecroft’s chieftain’s ancestors would have called a medicine man,” Trillium replied. “In fact, neither you nor any of the other so-called alchemists are truly alchemists.”

“We’re not?”

“No. Most that claim they have potions or can turn lead to gold are charlatans. Those like yourself would be like Joe and herbalists or medicine men and women.”

“Medicine man? I think I like that a lot,” I said. Both pixies smiled.