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It was Briar’s turn to nod "I had the two X’s onbarnacles until it killed ?" she asked, confused In Cha Takaht he was a takaistrate had orders to give hi Circle in E was thirsty work, so Briar got them each an apple As Evvy bit into hers he could see she wasthe rest "It’s northwest of here, on the Pebbled Sea That’s where I moved in with Rosethorn, and her friend Lark" He went on to tell her of the three girls who had also coirls had learned that their poere so well hidden, so ic was the showiest of all, had been passed over by otherover his tale of the last of Tris’s ani crow to fly without ever having flown herself, as they reached the house Rosethorn was up on the roof, carefully urging the beans, corn, and clover plants into another growth cycle Of all the gardeners in the lands around the Pebbled Sea, Rosethorn was the most successful with these new crops, discovered in the unknown lands on the far side of the Endless Ocean Briar and Evvy climbed up to join her

"Hoere the far on his heels beside Rosethorn Evvy perched on the bench

"The sah the sack of corn seed she had already coaxed out of the plants "This land is so tired They’ve farmed it for twelve centuries The farmers do their best to reduce the acid that builds up with too enerations and can’t afford what’s needed to turn the land around" A single tear oozed out of the corner of each eye She rubbed it away impatiently "It disheartens me, to handle dirt that’s so tired"

"But these will help," Briar reminded her "You said the beans and the clover will build up the soil" Get in here, Briar urged some of the nearby plants She needs you To hi obvious like move plants closer to her

The plants stretched until they could rest against her Briar had seen her worse off, but he still liked to ensure that when she was eth was restored quickly After her death and revival three years ago, just the thought that she lanced at Evvy: the girl stared at Rosethorn, reenery on the move before, between the plants who comforted and the plants Rosethorn tended as they went frorowth under her hands Of course, how many ever watched to see if plants s, without needs or instincts of their own Even when hu patch of earth, would die, or that another would take over, forcing every other plant out, they still refused to accept that plants were living creatures

After a while, just as Briar was starting to think of a nap, Rosethorn asked, "How did your talk with Stoneslicer go?"

Briar sighed "We had to change our plans" He told Rosethorn about the day’s work, keeping the story short She didn’t care how different people talked or behaved Only the girls and Lark enjoyed that part of stories

When he finished, Rosethorn sat down on the roof carefully, ordering the plants back to their proper places When they let go of her she turned so she could look at Evvy "So you won’t visit the palace, eh?" she asked She spoke more slowly than she did to Briar Some people found her speech, with its hint of a slur, hard to follow "I can’t say that I blame you Palaces are cold and unfriendly, as a whole" Evvy nodded vigorously Rosethorn looked at Briar "Well, you’d better ride up there and talk to hiet her a teacher quickly enough" She looked at the western sky "It’s too late now That’s for to And when are you supposed to sell trees in Golden House?"

Briar grimaced "Day after touing with ue back," Rosethorn ordered him with a smile "You’re welcoirl shook her head "I have cats," she explained

Rosethorn smiled "And they must be fed But you’ll come here tomorrow -- around noon, perhaps? We’ll knohen you canBriar wonder if she would come back He hoped that she would, after today, but he could tell she wasn’t resigned to an unknown teacher If she didn’t come, he would sihts

The girl started to climb over the wall, then she stopped, and turned back "I better geta wrinkle fro Tunnel like this, they’ll think I have ht of thatthe way into the house Rosethorn had folded Evvy’s grayish tunic and trousers and placed them on a stool in the workroo Briar diplomatically lifted first the tunic and then the trousers, stirring the folds until the herbs dropped to the floor He left Evvy there to change When he returned she was gone, her new clothes folded almost neatly and left on the stool Her sandals lay on top of the pile