Briar's Book (24 page)

The day that had changed him for all time, that had marked the turning from Roach to Briar, had been a day he’d come to this same roof. He’d been lazing, watching clouds, and thinking of nothing, when his contemplation had been interrupted….

“Come on, boy!” a gleeful voice cried from the garden below. “You’re wasting daylight!”

It was the same voice that called to him now. He got to his feet with a sigh, but the truth was, he didn’t want to waste the light either. You never knew when you’d need it and not have it.

“What’s the chore today?” he yelled down to Rosethorn.

“Weeding!” she called back. “It’s summer, isn’t it? So it’s always weeding!”

Her speech was a little slurred and might always be. Still, she could speak clearly. Better yet, her mind was as sharp as ever.

She had called to him to come down and work in her garden the day after his arrival at Discipline, the twentieth day of Goose Moon – which was tomorrow. The girls would be vexed at getting so little time to prepare, but they would adjust. They would know, as he did, that his life began when Rosethorn had invited him into her world.

“Briar!” she called.

“It ain’t running away without us!” he yelled in reply, and climbed back into the house.