116. The First Blue Flower

Tarin came running from the cucumber bed before Cosmic sent the revised offer.

"Rowan!"

Rowan dropped the charcoal beside the vegetable row and turned.

"What happened?"

"The marked vine changed. We did not touch it."

Carlos reached the protected bed behind Rowan. Mira followed more slowly, while one Hearthkeeper remained in the kitchen with the unfinished meals.

All twenty cucumber vines had climbed farther along their frames. Small yellow flowers had opened between the leaves.

One flower on the blue-marked vine was different.

A thin blue line ran through each yellow petal. A clear drop rested in its centre even though Tarin and Sela had not watered the bed recently. Blue floated to Carlos's side.

"No Mana Water," he reminded it.

Blue nodded and stayed outside the plot while the four Slimes behind her stopped as well.