{"product_id":"convergance-series-bundle-6-paranormal-romance-books-ggsp-ebook-2026","title":"Convergance Series Bundle – 6 Fantasy Romance Books + Free Goblin General (ebooks) — Instant Delivery · Read on Any Device · Secure Checkout 🔒","description":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e✨ \u003cstrong\u003eTHE CONVERGENCE SERIES – Six  Fantasy Romance Adventures\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003eMagic collides with Earth in this clean paranormal romance series full of fae politics, monster‑hunting, found family, and second‑chance heroes. Get all six books in one immersive bundle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch1 style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e⭐ \u003cstrong\u003e📚 WHAT’S INCLUDED\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003eYou’ll receive all six ebooks in the Convergence Series:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBramble Burn (Book 1)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBreaker's Ruin (Book 2)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBlack Hound (Book 3)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Ice Giant's Housekeeper (Book 4)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWinter Frost (Book 5)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMonster Queen Alpha (Book 6)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch1 style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e⭐ \u003cstrong\u003e🌍 WELCOME TO THE POST‑CONVERGENCE WORLD\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003eThirty years ago, the dimensions aligned and the Convergence occurred—merging Earth with the magical world of Underhill.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003eElven castles sprouted in vacant lots. Ancient ruins fused with modern buildings. Roads twisted into new shapes. After the chaos of riots, starvation, and collapse, a new society emerged—one built on \u003cstrong\u003ehuman technology and elven magic\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003eNow:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ecell phones coexist with frost giants\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003erace cars share the road with elven steeds\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003edragons soar through skies monitored by satellites\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ea joint elven‑human government struggles to keep order\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003eInfrastructure, communications, and manufacturing revolve around \u003cstrong\u003emonster control\u003c\/strong\u003e, with meat and animal products strictly rationed. WW2‑style posters encourage citizens to “grow your own” and “have a monster garden.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003eAnd everywhere… monsters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch1 style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e⭐ \u003cstrong\u003e🔥 BOOK 1 SPOTLIGHT: BRAMBLE BURN\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003eTree mage Juniper is a child of the new generation. When she discovers a buried source of wild magic in an abandoned park, she strikes a dangerous deal with the city:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStabilize the park’s magic, and she can own it—if she survives.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003eNow she must:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ebattle magic‑spawned monsters\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003efend off a persistent werewolf suitor\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eoutwit her bloodthirsty dragon uncle\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003etame a park that wants to eat her\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003eShe’ll have to dig deep to subdue Bramble Burn Park.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch1 style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003ch1 style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e⭐ \u003cstrong\u003e💖 PERFECT FOR FANS OF…\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eslow‑burn romantic fantasy\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eclean romance with high emotional payoff\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003efae courts \u0026amp; magical politics\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eoutlaw shifters\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003efound family\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003emonster‑hunting\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ecozy‑epic worldbuilding\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eheroines who refuse to break\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch1 style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003ch1 style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e⭐ \u003cstrong\u003e📲 HOW TO READ\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePurchase the ebook bundle\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReceive download links via email from BookFunnel\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSend to your preferred reading device \u0026amp; enjoy!\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003eWorks on:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKindle\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKobo\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNook\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eApple Books\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePhones, tablets, and computers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch1 style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003ch1 style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e⭐ \u003cstrong\u003e⚠️ CONTENT NOTES\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cul style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClean romance\u003c\/strong\u003e (no graphic love scenes)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAction‑heavy\u003c\/strong\u003e with reasonable amounts of monster‑related gore\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStrong heroines, protective heroes, and HEA\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch1 style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003ch1 style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e⭐\u003cstrong\u003e✨ Begin the adventure. Fall into a world where magic reshaped Earth — and love reshapes everything.\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e✨\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRead a sample of Bramble Burn now:\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 class=\"western\"\u003eChapter 1\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"You're a fool, girl.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJuniper Rose stared at the blasted, twisted wreckage of the former park and contemplated her mother's words. She might have a point.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe kicked the dirt with her worn work boot, her sky blue eyes surveying the scorched, salted soil. Broken glass glittered in the late afternoon light and she smelled motor oil and threadbare tires warmed by the June sun. Trash caught on the burnt skeletons of trees and old cars, and she could smell something rotten, probably carrion. The local gangs probably dumped bodies here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBramble Park had once been a cute little park in an upscale neighborhood, five blocks long by two blocks wide. After the Convergence, a well of wild magic had opened, spawning monsters. The panicked neighbors tried to burn it, hoping to stop the critters from eating their children, and the army had used explosives. The park kept growing, quadrupling, spawning nightmares. Finally it was quarantined, the once prosperous neighborhood now a slum. The remaining residents installed bars on windows and doors and invested in guns; there were no pacifists here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt had been thirty years since the Convergence, when the dimensions aligned and combined Earth and the world of Gwyllon, known in human mythology as \"Underhill\". Elven castles and random buildings sprouted in vacant lots, on major highways; merging with existing buildings, twisting into completely new structures; the courthouse had merged with an Elven government building. Roads and rail systems reformed, and after the rioting, starvation and death, agriculture sorted itself out and food began to flow. A new government formed of elves and men had arisen, a society of human tech and elven magic. Cell phones and frost giants, race cars and elven steeds, dungeons and dragons…\u003cbr\u003eAnd everywhere, monsters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJuniper was twenty-three, a child of the new generation of small farmers. Her grandfather was Tylwyth Teg, an elf of the forest. Her father had been mostly normal, or pretended to be, but Juniper had her grandfather's hunger for growing things. He'd tolerated her visiting his woods as long as he could, but there could be only one Forest Lord. He'd told her kindly but firmly to find her own wood. She could not go back, or he'd kill her.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Be sure to write, let me know how you're doing,\" he'd said, and meant it. After all, they were family.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer mother paced the farmhouse while Juniper packed. Juniper had her light brown hair and lanky body, but they couldn't be more different. \"I don't know what's gotten into you! You don't see your sister or cousins leaving. Cities are dirty and dangerous, and if you were sensible, you'd get your head out of the clouds and stay here.\" She couldn't hear the call of wild magic and had dismissed Juniper's reasons for leaving. If she didn't like something, it was a bad idea, and reason wouldn't sway her.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJuniper patted her Black Adder mount, Twix, and rummaged in his saddlebags. A mix of horse and Kudu, it had a kudu tail and long spiral horns, a broad deer's head, fast horse body and horse hooves. Its bite was mildly venomous and it liked to dine on hay, bracken and small rodents. He was tireless and cheaper than a car, because gas was expensive. Convergence caused magical pulses that played havoc with geology, and magic was needed to reinforce oil wells and mines. The dark elves had cornered the market on the technology, and it wasn't cheap.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA mist rose, obscuring rusting cars, a crashed airplane and blackened ground. Parts of it had been salted, as if salt could contain magical monsters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer hand brushed aside the deed to Bramble Park, aka Bramble Burn. She'd made a deal with the city of Spokane and gotten it cheap, on the condition that she stop the expansion. She had a year to do what no one else had done and no time to waste. She couldn't afford a hotel if she wanted to buy supplies, and she wouldn't survive a night in the open. A group of rough men openly watched her, and shadows slinked in the Bramble. Her rifle could only do so much to protect her.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe pulled out her seed collection and chose an acorn. Time to move in.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Keep an eye out, Twix.\" She moved a bit deeper into the park and gently breathed on the acorn, the way one would blow on dice before a throw. She didn't believe in luck, but it helped calm her nerves. This was a big moment, and she didn't want to screw it up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe placed the acorn on the ground and mentally plunged into the magic of Bramble Burn. A thrill chilled her. There was a river of power here, waiting to be tapped. It tested her, a wild current eager to drown her like it had done to so many others, but she knew how to tame wild magic. She channeled the magic and anchored it to the acorn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGleeful to have a target, it grabbed the acorn and pulled it under the soil. A sprout emerged, rippling the ground with its rapid growth. A normal oak grew a hundred feet tall and four feet wide. This one widened until it was the girth of a house and soared thirty stories, as tall as a redwood. The leaves spread over the ruined park, forming a huge canopy of green.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDeep in her trance, Juniper stepped inside the hollow tree, followed by Twix, and sealed the door. Dusk was approaching, and they needed solid walls between them and the Bramble, but they also needed light. Narrow windows of thick amber formed beside the door, acting like one-way mirrors. More dotted the trunk, forming an amber spiral, and her eyes slowly adjusted to the gloom.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJuniper breathed deeply of fresh green oak, feeling the exertion. She formed a box stall with a sandy floor and took a break to remove Twix's tack. She taught the tree to draw water into a basin for him and made one for her own use across the way, adding a drain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe was trembling, so she quickly formed a crude toilet and called it a night. Exhausted, she washed and ate jerky and trail mix.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe floor was hard under her sleeping bag, but it was solid and she was safe. She slept like a log.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tree screeched in her mind, jolting her awake. Twix paced his stall, frantic with the smell of smoke.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat the garbage? Was someone trying to smoke them out? Fuzzy with sleep, Juniper tapped into the tree to see what the problem was and flinched. There were things crawling on the limbs, burrowing into the bark. They were infested with mutant squirrels!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tree groaned in pain as another blast of fire seared the bark. She peered cautiously through the amber windows and saw a pack of giant hedgehogs breathing fire, having a squirrel barbecue. They were milling in excitement at the all-they-could-eat buffet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlrighty then.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe was already dressed, so she sat on her bedroll in a lotus position and focused on the tree. \"Time to exterminate some pests.\" She let the tree feel her outrage, the need to protect and avenge. She fed it power and limbs suddenly became limber, swatting and squeezing Rottweiler-sized saber-toothed squirrels into jelly. It flung carcasses at the hedgehogs, bowling them over. While they were distracted, the roots and branches snared the hogs, binding and crushing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe magic built, and Juniper grew lightheaded. She directed the tap roots to draw on the aquifer, pulling up massive amounts of water to quench the fire ravaging her branches. Dots peppered her vision, and she strained to rein in the energy. It resisted, testing her. She dug deep and hauled up hard, forcing it to spin until it stopped fighting. Roots burrowed into the ground with a sigh and blackened limbs hardened.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSirens split the night. Dizzy, she staggered to the door and peered out the narrow window. Fire trucks and armored police vehicles screeched to a halt next to smoking carcasses. Making sure the tree was quiet, she cracked the door, her vision watery. She flinched at the glare of headlights and reached for the wall, but the light grew and punched her in the face.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe must have fainted, because when she came to, she was lying on a stretcher with a flashlight beam in her eyes. She turned her head and tried to sit up, but that made the world flare white. She gave up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"She's awake. I can't find any injuries,\" an elven EMT reported.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Jus' tired,\" Juniper slurred. \"How's Twix? He bites.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA head blocked her view and resolved into a man's grim face. \"My name is Lt. Bjorn. I'm with Fire and Rescue. Can you make a statement?\" He had dark eyes and short dark hair and might be in his late twenties. Judging from his black Kevlar and the rifle over his shoulder, he was the Rescue. If there was mayhem, soldiers were deployed along with fire crews. They were empowered to make arrests, though mostly they shot things until they stopped twitching.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Sure. My tree was attacked by mutant squirrels. I need to make some adjustments.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe scowled. \"I should arrest you for disturbing the peace and trespassing.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJuniper gulped the sweet, salty drink the EMT handed her and was able to sit up. \"I bought the park from the city. I have the deed, so it's not trespassing.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"I'd like to see this deed.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Sure. Please bring me my pack.\" She nodded to the tree, which emergency personnel and assorted gawkers were giving a wide berth. \"She'll behave.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe looked doubtful, but approached the door. The warning snort inside made him pause.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Twix, come here,\" Juniper called, summoning the beast. He'd never let the soldier in without her.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe crowd moved back warily as he walked out of the tree. Black Adders weren't known to cotton to strangers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe lieutenant brought her pack. She rummaged in it and found the deed so he could look at it. \"I'm surprised Fire and Rescue was called out for Bramble Burn.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"You grew a tree as tall as a skyscraper and set it on fire. It could be seen for miles, and you're surprised anyone noticed?\" he said dryly. \"Sheer curiosity would have gotten us called out, if nothing else.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"That's me, drama queen.\" Her poor tree. She couldn't see around the lieutenant's broad shoulders, and the spotlights were blinding. She tried to access her magic to check the tree for damage and nearly blacked out. Spots danced before her eyes and she quickly lay back. She felt like puking. Clearly, she'd used up her reserves.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Your blood pressure's low,\" the medic reported. \"We need to take you to the hospital for observation.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Nope, too expensive. I'll be fine tomorrow.\" Juniper struggled to sit up, but the medic placed a hand on her shoulder and pointed to the smoldering tree. Smoking corpses littered the ground, and splintered holes gaped in the hollow trunk. \"Were you planning to stay there?\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJuniper sighed in defeat. There was no way she could patch it up, not tonight, but a hospital stay was out of the question. \"I just need food and rest. Any chance you could drop me at a hotel on the way back?\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLt. Bjorn exchanged a look with the medic. \"Look, we have room at the station. You can bunk there tonight. We have medics on staff who can keep an eye on you.\" At her doubtful look, he added, \"Or I could arrest you and toss you a cell for a few hours. It's not pretty, but you'll get some sleep without becoming a chipmunk snack.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot much of a choice, and she was weak as wet paper. \"Fine. I accept your hospitality. Appreciate it.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"My pleasure. Now I won't have to come back later for your body.\" He left to help with cleanup.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat a grouch.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"You really bought Bramble Burn?\" The medic chatted while Juniper was loaded into the ambulance for the ride to the station. \"You do things like that often?\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"First time for everything,\" Juniper mumbled. She was so tired. Maybe she'd been overconfident. Obviously she needed to tweak a few things. If she wanted to anchor the park, she'd need a safe place to crawl home to at night and a way to keep from draining her energy. She couldn't afford to be weak, or the Burn would eat her.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe station was a stark brick building on a city lot. It was clean inside and furnished with Government Issue furniture and castoffs. She walked in under her own steam and nearly fell into one of the kitchen chairs. The pair of F\u0026amp;R guys with kitchen duty looked at her uncertainly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"She needs to eat and crash,\" Bjorn said, placing a bowl of steaming stew in front of her. \"It was that or arrest her so she wouldn't get killed in the Burn.\" He had the handsome soldier thing down, but his harsh tone was off-putting. Did he resent saving her? Maybe he'd rather be home watching football.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJuniper ignored him. The stew fortified her enough that she could coax Twix into a box stall, calming his furious protests. He'd followed the ambulance, but they wouldn't let him hang out on the street, scaring pedestrians.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Quit, old man. They aren't going to eat us,\" she muttered, rubbing his neck. She was tempted to lie down in the hay, but Lt. Bjorn was watching. If she looked too weak, he might decide the hospital was the place for her.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe showered, but it took all she had. The bunk in the women's dorm was clean, and she collapsed on it gratefully. She had a thousand things to do tomorrow, and she couldn't wait to start the day.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 class=\"western\"\u003eChapter 2\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"What did you do to the bed?\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJuniper opened her eyes and peered at the frowning woman. It took a moment to remember the attack, fire and rescue. She sat up and looked at the bunk bed, then hopped off for a better look. \"Holy cow!\" The bedposts had sprouted into saplings, rooting into the floor as she slept. The branches formed a canopy over the top bunk, shielding her as she slept. The only thing missing was a flock of little birdies.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe looked at the fire fighter, dumbfounded. \"That never happened before.\" Did it have something to do with Bramble Burn? She could sense the park, even from here. Had the tree done something to tune her senses to the park's power? The tree was supposed to anchor the magic, to be the first of many \"fence posts\". She'd never dreamed that the wild energy might change her, too.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe woman snorted. \"The guys are never going to believe this. Come on, let's get breakfast.\" She waited while Juniper brushed her hair and changed into jeans and a t-shirt, then led the way downstairs, chatting as she went. \"I'm Mia, by the way. Word has it Kjetil picked you up from Bramble Park. You know, we were on the roof yesterday with binoculars watching that tree of yours grow. You're the talk of the town. No one knew if it was some kind of new monster.\" Mia had short, straight black hair and was built small but sturdy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Cher-til? Is that Lt. Bjorn's first name?\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Yep. He's one of the Norse wolves. The local pack likes to keep an eye on the city, and wolves like action, so we've got a couple on staff. Hope you like cinnamon rolls.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMia handed her a plate and introduced the day crew. There were four on duty, plus Mia, and all of them had questions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"How did you grow a tree that big, that fast?\" a large black man, Karl, wanted to know. He was responsible for the cinnamon rolls, and he had a southern drawl.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Did you know you were on the news?\" Faolán, an Irishman with black hair and a neatly trimmed goatee, wanted to know. He waved a hand at the TV. \"Not many tree mages out there.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"I'm not a mage,\" Juniper protested. \"More like a farmer.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"That's a bloody big tree, farm girl,\" Faolán remarked. \"But you can't mean to go back there?\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"I do, yes. I need to fix my tree.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Now that's crazy talk,\" Karl said. He set his coffee aside and leaned closer. \"You'll ruin all of Bjorn's hard work. What are you going to do the next time a mutant woodchuck sets your tree on fire? You can't count on rescue every time.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJuniper nodded. \"Good point. May I have some paper? I need to add it to the list.\" She took a pencil and sketched a rough tree diagram. \"You're an expert on safety. What do I need to plan for?\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMia peered at her sketch. \"For starters, you need to plan for fire. Second, you need something stronger than wood to keep the critters out. You've already proven they think of giant trees as chew toys.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJuniper drew a picture of a tree burning and stick figures running around, arms in the air. She drew a slash through it. \"Tougher skin. I can do that.\" She thought about the junk cars and made scales on the trunk. She had plenty of metal to work with. She sketched rain water collection tanks that would be hidden in the walls of the tree and added a greenhouse on top.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"What's that?\" Karl asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Greenhouse. I need to grow herbs and stuff,\" she said absently.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"What kind of herbs?\" he asked suspiciously.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe laughed. \"The legal kind, like saffron and chocolate. I need to make money, and I need to eat. A garden won't be safe on the ground right now.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"You can grow chocolate?\" Mia asked with interest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"It doesn't matter. It will be too vulnerable. You'll have giant grasshoppers trying to break in,\" Karl warned.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Bullet proof glass and protective shutters,\" Juniper added to her list.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"What's to stop something from eating you when you leave your tree?\" Faolán wanted to know. \"That's when you'll be most vulnerable.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Defenses, very important.\" Juniper drew a ring of thorns around the tree and studied the picture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Bramble Burn is in the middle of a tough neighborhood,\" Mia said seriously. \"You can be mugged or worse.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJuniper met her eyes. \"I could be. Twix is dangerous, but he could be shot. I could be shot. I'll have to take steps to prevent that.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Kevlar,\" Faolán suggested.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Bodyguards,\" Karl grumped.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJuniper cocked her head. \"Tenants,\" she said thoughtfully.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKarl guffawed. \"You think you're going to get renters in Bramble Burn? You're crazy, girl.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJuniper smiled. \"Could be. Anyway, thank you for breakfast. Is there anything I can do to thank you before I go?\" She looked at Mia. \"I'm sorry about the bed. I'm afraid I can't \"ungrow\" a tree, but I can pay for damages.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"What's up with the bed?\" Faolán wanted to know.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMia grinned. \"Go see for yourself. Don't worry about it, girl. It's a conversation piece. But if you're serious about helping out, maybe you could look at the back yard. It's a sorry bit of concrete, and we could use a tree or something for shade when we grill.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJuniper followed her outside and surveyed the back lot. It was cracked concrete with weedy cracks and a couple of rickety wooden tables and lawn chairs, surrounded by a battered wooden fence. She nodded. \"I can do something with this. Did you have anything particular in mind?\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe crew looked at each other. \"Nothing high maintenance,\" Karl suggested. \"Maybe a tree and some grass.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Can you plant herbs? I love rosemary,\" Mia added.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"No problem. Let me get my seeds. You can go about your work while I do this, and I'll show you what I've done when it's finished.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe was saddling Twix when Lt. Bjorn entered the stable. Thankfully the crew had grabbed her tack and saddlebags when they finished with her tree last night, or she'd be riding bareback. It was less than a mile to the park, but a saddle was welcome.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"You did the back yard,\" he said with a tinge of admiration. His eyes swept over her, as if seeing something new. \"I had no idea it could look so good.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe smiled. It hadn't been hard to line the lot with hedges and sprout a climbing oak. It had a branch that would be perfect for a porch swing, and she'd made a bench extend from the trunk for extra seating. The lot was lined with a sturdy hazelnut hedge and she'd used the roots to break up the concrete into pavers. Irish moss grew thick and green in the cracks. She'd planted an herb garden and cherry tree, too. \"It was my pleasure.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"You could make a fortune in the landscape business. Why put your life in danger over a burned out park?\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe sounded like her mother. \"You wouldn't get it.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Try me,\" he challenged.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe sighed and petted Twix over the stall wall, swatting when he tried to nibble. \"I'm not like your average Jill. I need to feed, and I need to grow things. Big things. Without them, I wither and die. Bramble Park has what I need to thrive.\" She struggled for words. \"It has the right…current.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe didn't look impressed. \"What were your other options?\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAffordable forest sites didn't grow on trees. She scowled and opened the stall door to tack up. \"Why? Trying to run me off?\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"I'm trying to save your life. Bramble Burn spawns monsters the way bunnies pop out babies. You'll fight every day you live there, and the gangs will eat you alive.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe didn't answer, because he was right. To tame Bramble Burn, she'd need every ounce of power and divine grace she could muster. She bridled Twix and led him from the stall. \"I appreciate the hospitality.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"You're leaving?\" He walked her out of the stable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Yes. I need to get to work.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe was silent for a moment. \"Karl said you had some ideas to make the tree safer.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Yes.\" She hesitated. \"The first steps are still dangerous, but I have to start somewhere.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Do you think you can do it?\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Yep.\" She mounted up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe looked her over thoughtfully, his eyes still dark. Was he worried about her? \"Will the tree be done today?\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe shook her head. \"It will be two days at least, but it will be easy to close the holes today. I'll have some protection while I work.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"I see. Do me a favor; sleep here tonight. I'd rather not be called out to the Burn again.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe looked away, considering it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"You more than earned it with the yard work. Beside, you've given the crew something to talk about, and you already marked your bunk.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHis smile made her heart beat faster, but she didn't need romance right now; too much to do. She tried to sound casual. \"Okay. Just for tonight. I won't need it after that. I appreciate the offer.\" It would be good to have a place to rest tonight, and she would be dog tired.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Cool. See you then.\" He stepped back and let her ride away.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe gangs watched her as she trotted up to the Burn, and this time the neighbors stared, too. She kept an eye on them, but her senses were busy on the tree and the immediate vicinity. The tree rustled with pleasure at her approach and assured her there were no monsters inside. She hurried past the burned carcasses and into the tree, sealing the door. The first thing she did was help the tree repair the bark so she could work safely, though she wouldn't take that safety for granted. The Bramble had taught her an important lesson, and she would watch her back.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe settled Twix in his sandy stall and helped the tree \"breathe\" away the smoke stink. She didn't want to be distracted while she worked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe next bit was harder. She stood in the center of the floor and thought about her battery. She knew the theory of how to make one, but she'd never had access to a power source like Bramble Burn. It took a river of power to make, and it was dangerous. If she got cocky, the battery could explode, taking her, the tree and Twix with it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJuniper took a breath and centered herself. The well of power was there, eager to play. It wanted a job to do, and Juniper taught it exciting things. It jumped to do her bidding with the subtly of a runaway train, and she had to coax it to pay attention. She wanted to show it something intricate, but it fought to run wild, showing her images of monsters and crazy carnivorous plants. She ignored the suggestions and waited like a patient teacher, slowly building a matrix to contain the energy. A staff rose from the tree's heart like an exotic stalk, formed of oak heartwood. Amber \"fuel cells\" twined around the staff, sinking deep to form beautiful designs. The cells hardened, accepting a carbon infusion that made the staff three times harder than steel, nearly unbreakable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJuniper gently grasped the staff and detached it from the tree's heart. When not in use, it would appear to be ordinary wood with dull brown markings; no sense advertising its value. Not that just anyone could use it: only someone who could harness the power of Bramble Burn could wield the staff.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe was lightheaded when she finished, so she sat and ate the cinnamon rolls and bacon Karl had packed for her. She admired the staff, stroking the smooth surface. She'd need to make a saddle sheath so she could ride with it. It would be awkward, but she couldn't leave it lying around. Besides, the staff wasn't just a tool, it was a weapon, and she needed all the help she could get.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe was ready to head to the station when the tree sensed a disturbance. She looked out the one-way glass and frowned. Why was there an elf on her doorstep?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe stepped outside, leading a saddled Twix, and carefully looked the boy over. In his late teens and lean, with short dark hair, the kid looked cautious, but hopeful. His worn t-shirt and jeans were clean and he wore beat up sneakers. He was armed with twin machetes, a cheap but effective weapon, and very necessary in this neighborhood. If he had a gun, it wasn't in plain sight. Tucked in his waistband, maybe?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"What do you want?\" She saw no reason to be friendly yet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"My name is Grigori. I'm looking for a job. I heard you might need protection.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Is this a shakedown?\" she demanded, temper rising. She wasn't paying the local gangs a dime, and they would regret asking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"No! I'm looking for honest work.\" He glanced at the park. \"You've got a lot of heavy lifting to do.\" He looked her over quickly, as if gauging her strength. \"I'm not afraid of dirty jobs.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe considered him. Up close, she could tell he was only half elf; his shoulders promised to be too wide and he was a bit short for an elf. Also, his ears were pointy, but he had broad features, attractive, but not pretty. \"You want to work in Bramble Burn.\" Times were hard, true, but was he crazy? Her eyes narrowed. Maybe he was a felon or a user and couldn't find work. \"Are you high?\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"I don't use.\" A muscle jumped in his jaw. \"I'm clean.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe gestured with her staff. \"I don't have any money.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe nodded to the abandoned cars. \"You have tons of scrap metal. I know a guy. What if I sell it for you, get it towed? Would you split the money?\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe raised a brow. If he could do it, it would save her a lot of trouble and earn badly needed cash. \"Maybe. You got any references?\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe shifted. \"My mother works at a salon. You can ask her boss about me; I've done some odd jobs for her…look out!\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe spun to see what put the look of panic on his face and cried out as Twix shied and knocked her over. She rolled with the impact so she wouldn't land on her staff and hissed as broken glass cut her shoulder. This was no place to roll in the clover.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwix screamed in anger, twisting as he tried to throw off the huge saber tooth house cat clinging to his rump. Before she could rise to help, an orange striped tabby jumped for her ankle, jaws gaping. A machete swished, and the cat fell on her leg, spurting blood.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJuniper swore and scrambled up, ready to beat a cat to death with her staff, but Grigori stabbed the last one with a lightning fast thrust. A frantic glance showed Twix stomping the one who'd played rodeo to paste. Warm, wet blood soaked through her boot and jeans as she surveyed the dead mutant cats, each as big as a bobcat. She shuddered, knowing it had been close.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrigori wiped his machetes on a corpse, looking smug. \"That could have been bad.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer eyes narrowed as she considered whether he might have sicced the cats on her to prove a point, but she couldn't see how. He looked like a typical cocky teen, proud of his prowess.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnfortunately, the incidence proved a point. \"You're likely to see a lot of more of that and very little money, working for me. But you're hired.\" She checked Twix and decided to treat his cuts at the station. It was best not to ride him now, when he was hurting, or she'd risk worsening the injury. She started walking. \"I can always fire you if you annoy me.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"What about the bodies? They'll attract scavengers,\" Grigori pointed out.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"Ugh, right! Give me a minute.\" She was exhausted, but her \"employee\" could use a demonstration that she wasn't a complete dud. The staff helped a lot, and the amber glowed as she told the oak to pull last night's bodies, as well as today's fresh kills, into the ground for compost.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrigori took a respectful step back, warily watching the ground.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe smirked, feeling better, and led Twix away.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrigori matched her stride. \"I'll try to get the tow truck out here tomorrow. We might have to check the cars for varmints, though. Maybe we should smoke them out.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe shrugged. “Whatever. Just don’t burn down the park.” Her sock squelched, and she grimaced at the tacky feeling of drying blood. “Where did you learn to do that?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe shrugged. “Dad took off, so we learned to defend the house ourselves. No loss.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Who’s ‘we’?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Mom, two brothers, two sisters. I’m oldest.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You got a trade in mind?” she asked.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe looked at her. “I’m working on it. I want my own salvage yard someday, maybe a welding shop.” He said it defiantly, as if he’d been mocked for it before.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe laughed. “Yeah? I’ve got lots of junk. Knock yourself out.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe made it to the station at dusk and waved goodbye to Grigori. She still didn’t trust him, but time would tell.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You made it back,” Lt. Bjorn observed. He was stirring gravy in a pan, the brisk motion doing excellent things to his biceps. He wore his black military pants and a black t-shirt that stretched over his carved chest. He had to be fit for his job, and it looked good on him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe turned off the burner and looked her over. “I smell blood.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Yep. I was attacked by a mutant kitty. Fortunately, my teenage sidekick reduced it to sashimi. He’s half elf, and he likes junk cars.” She rambled when she was tired, and today had been a heck of day.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You’re bleeding, too.” He breathed deeply and walked around to look at her shoulder with disapproval. “May I?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Sure. I already glued Twix back together.” Coming from a farm, she had lots of experience cleaning and treating wounded animals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe grimaced as he gently peeled back the sticky cotton to examine the cut. “It stings, but I don’t think it’s too bad.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Take a shower and rinse it out, and I’ll get the unicorn glue,” he said gruffly. Named for miraculous unicorn flower and made of natural botanical ingredients, the glue had amazing healing properties and numbing agents.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwenty minutes later, Juniper sat at the table with a cup of cocoa while he dug the remaining glass fragments out of her shoulder. It sucked getting dressed, but at least the tank top and jeans were clean. “I appreciate this, Bjorn.” He smelled good, and despite his grouchy demeanor, he had a gentle touch. She had to work hard to remain casual.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Call me Kjetil. I think we’re well enough acquainted now,” he said dryly, dropping a glass fragment in the bowl next to him. He set the tweezers aside and put a towel under the gash as he rinsed it with saline. “I don’t think you’ll scar; the glue is good stuff.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe almost shrugged, but thought better of it. “It doesn’t matter; I don’t see my shoulder.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Don’t be in a hurry to collect battle scars; you live in Bramble Burn now. There’s plenty of time to build a collection.” He applied the glue and cleaned up his mess. “I work hard to keep the damsels out of distress. You give macho types like me the vapors.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe grinned. “I’ll keep smelling salts on hand.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe snorted and went back to making dinner. “Why Bramble Burn? With a talent like yours, you could live anywhere. Why the most dangerous place in the city?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I’m not trying to prove anything, if that’s what you’re wondering.” She didn’t want him to think she was a nut. “I’m a quarter elf, and there’s some weirdness in my father’s line. My grandfather and I have a thing for plants; we need them like you need food. A garden’s not enough, and the farm wasn’t big enough. I need my own space, my own trees, and the Burn called to me.” She’d felt it for years, the need growing until it was a compulsion. Her mother never understood, didn’t want to understand, so she’d stopped trying to explain. “We need each other, the Burn and I.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe looked into space, imagining her dream. “You’ve seen what I can do. Imagine a park filled with trees like the oak. I can make things you’ve never dreamed of.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe didn’t say anything as he set two plates on the table, waving her to sit when she would have helped. He placed a pot of rice and a pan of green beans, sweet potatoes and ham in gravy between them. “The others are on call, so we might as well dig in.” He took a bite and said, “The guys said you were beefing up security on your tree.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Tomorrow,” she affirmed. “This is good.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe nodded. “I’d like to see what you’ve done. I’m curious about your tree; it’s not every day I meet a tree mage.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I’m more of a farmer,” she demurred. “What’s it like being a werewolf?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe frowned. “That’s a bit off topic.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“And off limits?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“No, but you should learn subtly if you want to change the subject.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Okay, new subject. Let’s talk about you. If I let you into my tree, I’m inviting a member of the pack, which isn’t the same as inviting the nice F\u0026amp;R guy who let me stay the night. I don’t know what the pack would do with the information.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe blinked. “We already have a good idea. You’re not exactly subtle.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe shrugged. “I’m a private person. Territorial, even.” Maybe not as bad as her grandfather, who sometimes let trees eat trespassers, but strangers and crowds were difficult. Her mom forced her to attend all kinds of functions as a kid, thinking she’d outgrown it, but she never had. Parties were noisy, which hurt her ears, and there was too much stimuli. Also, people’s body language often didn’t match their words, and that made her leery. She didn’t know how to play with kids her age, and adults often talked about shallow, unimportant stuff.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a kid she couldn’t explain it; as an adult, she understood it was normal for a highly gifted, very intelligent person. Her brain was different, hungry, and that was fine. Despite her mother’s worries, she was perfectly normal for who she was.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat was another reason she needed Bramble Burn; a book and a sunny garden were hard to beat. That was the end goal, but having a challenge to keep her mind busy was priceless.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I don’t think anyone’s going to fight you for the Burn, but fine. I like being a wolf.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWerewolves didn’t turn into wolves, although they could communicate with them. They became man-wolf hybrids with superior reflexes and strength. They couldn’t speak in the hybrid form, so they used sign language. They’d been on Earth long before the worlds merged, hiding among the human population. Since the world was already in chaos, it seemed like a good time to reveal their race.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe knew all that, and she didn’t have anything against them. She admitted she was irritable that the attraction she felt wouldn’t go anywhere. They could reproduce with elves but not humans, though they usually married within their species. Besides, inter-species dating could be complicated.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFool that she was, she knew all that and still baited him. “I don’t mind letting you run through the woods when I’m finished, but the tree is for me. Maybe a man, if I have one someday.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe raised his brows. “How very wolf-like of you.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe shook her head. “I told you, my line is odd. I’ve made peace with it.” She washed their dishes as he silently cleaned the kitchen. He was probably mad, which was for the best. She was very, very busy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe was deep in meditation the next day, working on her tree, when Grigori showed up. He’d caught a ride with a tow truck driver, guiding the nervous looking man to the closest junk car. The driver stayed put as Grigori hopped out to check the car.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJuniper sighed and disconnected. She was dreamy, in no state for company, but a deal was a deal. She joined the men, nodding to the skittish driver. “Hi. Checking for varmints?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Yeah. He won’t pay us until he’s sure there’s nothing alive in there.” Grigori picked up a rock, presumably to chuck it at the car.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe held up a hand. “I’ve got this.” Still deeply connected to the tree, she sent a pulse through the staff. Oak roots pushed from the soil, lifting the car and slowly rotating. They shook the car upside down, causing a clatter of old cans, trash and a family of ordinary mice to rain down. Satisfied, she put the car back down and looked at the slack jawed driver. “Money?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe guy shut his mouth and fished cash from his flannel shirt pocket.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Pleasure doing business with you,” she said, giving Grigori half. “I’ll see you tomorrow; I’m busy today.” She turned away.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Are you high?” Grigori called.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“What?” she asked irritably.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Your eyes are dilated,” he said smugly, no doubt enjoying throwing her comment back in her face.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe shook her head in disgust. “You interrupted my meditation, kid. Scram! I have a tree to remodel.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You added on,” he commented, nodding to the aerial roots that formed a bump out.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Twix needed a stable,” she said, offhand. She was itching to finish her project and in no mood to chat, so she hurried inside and sealed the door.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrigori and the driver hooked up the car, working fast. The driver didn’t want to linger, and he suddenly stiffened and stared. “What the…?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrigori blinked as tree roots snaked over an old army truck. The roots glowed green and the truck shrank, absorbed by the roots. Astonished, he watched the gray sheen of metal crawl up the trunk, slowly coating the bark.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe driver thumbed his dirty ball cap back and shook his head. “Kid, the money’s good, but this place is weirder than granny on crack. You’re going to have to find another driver from here on out.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrigori shook his head. “No guts, no glory.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“You’re nuts, kid.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIron climbed the tree until it sheathed it completely. Spectators (people as far as a mile away, some with binoculars) watched as a golden bulb sprouted on top. It slowly grew to the size of a house, developing stained glass panels supported by amber ribs. The garden themed art on the panels was translucent, but prevented anyone from seeing inside.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“What’s she thinking?” Grigori muttered. “Anything could break that glass.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs if in response, the curled sepals, or the pointy leaf things that sit under flowers to protect them before they bloom, uncurled, becoming iron shutters that covered the bulb. The iron dome looked like leaves of brushed steel. Water shot from the bulb’s top in a geyser and settled into a living fountain. It lasted a minute before drying up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrigori shut his mouth. “Oh.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDozens of vines grew from the tree, dangling within easy picking distance, each with an acorn on the end. The acorns had a flattened base and ranged in size from mug to canister. The men took a wary step back, but one of the acorns followed Grigori and swayed invitingly. The words, “Open me,” appeared on the acorn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe driver took a big step back. “It’s for you, kid.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrigori shot him a look, but reached for the nut. It easily detached from the vine, and he found the cap was a screw top. Instead of a nut, there was a buttery, semi-solid oil. On the inside of the cap, it read, “Acorn oil. Good for cooking, frying or fuel.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSince Grigori hadn’t exploded, the driver crowded in for closer look. “I’ll be danged.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn acorn swayed in front of the driver. Print appeared on it, too. “A gift. If you’re willing to return, I’ll give you more next time.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe driver accepted the acorn, but said, “Thanks. I’ll think about it.” He admired the acorn and admitted, “My girlfriend likes to collect canisters. She’ll go crazy over this one.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrigori waited until the guy left and said, “You doing okay? That was something, lady.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSilence. He waited a long moment and wove through the hanging acorns until he reached the steel-sheathed door. He banged the acorn knocker, a little worried. “Are you all right, Juniper? Answer me!”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA moment went by before the door silently opened, revealing the well-lit, airy interior. Tall, narrow stained glass windows lined the upper walls, and there was an arch leading to Twix’s stable. The floor was polished oak, and a platform bed sat in a corner. Burled wood shelves and a counter made up the otherwise bare kitchen, and the sink consisted of two sunken wooden basins with a wooden spout and knobs. A partition hid what he presumed was a bathroom, for he could see a rain-type shower fixture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJuniper slumped in the middle of the floor, her face ashen. Her staff lay next to her, a length of dull wood. Swearing, he hurried to help, supporting her when her knees tried to fold. He got her to the bed, absently noting the mattress was made of a canvas-like, buff colored fabric and filled with something oddly springy, like coconut fiber. “You overdid it, didn’t you?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Trail mix in my pack,” she whispered, and he hurried to grab it. She ate with an effort, gradually regaining color.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe handed her a canteen. “You look like crap.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe closed her eyes and lay on the naked mattress. “I miscalculated, ran out of juice. Was too much fun.” The desire to keep going made her ignore her body’s warning signals. Like a child, she played too hard and crashed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe couldn’t afford to crash in the Bramble.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe laughed without humor. “Great. Do you need a doctor?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Good question,” a dark voice said from the door. Grigori whirled, his machetes out to confront the man. “Who are you?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJuniper scowled. “Kjetil. What are doing here?” Once again the hot soldier had dropped in while she was at her worst. Would it kill him to wait until she was on her feet? She might not be interested in pursuing him, but she had a normal woman’s vanity. She didn’t want him to see her as weak.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe ignored the question and came closer. “Relax. I want to check her pulse.” He looked at Juniper with displeasure. “Before she tries to die on me again.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I’m not dying,” she protested. Everyone was a drama queen. “I work hard, that’s all.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe guys exchanged glances, and Grigori sheathed his blades.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKjetil checked her wrist and looked at her eyes. “There’s probably a news team on the way. You’re headline news tonight…again.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe sighed. “I’ll lock the door.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe frowned. “You aren’t staying by yourself.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I’m too tired to argue. What’s the point of making a fortress if I don’t use it?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I hate to agree with him, but he’s right. Like I said, you look like crap,” Grigori said helpfully. “I should stay with you.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKjetil stared at him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I’m working for her,” Grigori said defensively.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKjetil looked at her, and she suddenly remembered telling him that the only one who would get inside her tree was “her man”. She scowled. “I’m employing him, but nobody needs to stay. Did you see what I did? I’m no lightweight.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Maybe when you’re healthy,” Kjetil said calmly. “Did you wonder why I’m here? I got called out to check on the “disturbance”. My superiors want to know what’s going on with this tree, and they aren’t the only ones who’ll wonder if you’re a threat. My team’s outside.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe groaned. “I have a headache. Can we talk about this tomorrow?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“The elves sent investigators, too. Should I tell my team let them in?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“What do you want?” she growled, recognizing blackmail when she heard it. She was tapped, but she had enough juice to eject him and seal the door if she had to. After all, he was trespassing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Sleep at the station tonight, and you can come back tomorrow.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“No.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I can stay,” Grigori offered.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Let Mia stay,” Kjetil countered. “You know her. She won’t mind, and I’ll stop bothering you.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe flung an arm over her face. So much for privacy. “Fine! Whatever. But nobody else.” It was her property and apparently horticulture was frowned on. What next? Was the city going to charge her with building code violations? Her head pounded in protest when she tried to ponder the implications, so she gave up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrigori waited until Kjetil left to make arrangements. “So, you want me to come back tomorrow?” He sounded miffed. He probably thought she should have let him stay, but really, how well did she know him?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOf course, she barely knew Mia, but she picked her battles. “Fine, but I don’t know what you’ll do yet.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe shrugged. “I can get another car, maybe.” His eyes narrowed in calculation. “Or maybe I can find a way to sell your acorn oil. How much do you want for it?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe sighed. Somebody save her from teenagers with work ethics. “Check the stores, see what cooking oil is going for.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe left, deep in thought; probably going over marketing strategies.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Hello, Juniper! I hear we’re having a girl’s night. I hope you don’t mind, but I ordered takeout. It’s Korean, but we can get pizza if you prefer.” Mia shut the door, put her jump bag on the kitchen floor and her big gun on the counter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJuniper opened one eye. “Korean is fine. Are we heading into a gunfight?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMia grinned. “I’d rather have one and not need it, than need it and not have it. Nice digs. The guys are green that I get to see your tree and they don’t. There are reporters outside, by the way.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I heard. Maybe the squirrels will eat them.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“We can only hope. Mind if I look around?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe couldn’t get into the greenhouse; the floor was sealed, and there were no valuable plants yet. Even if she did, she probably wouldn’t know saffron from safflower, and she wouldn’t see anything important on this floor. “Fine.” Juniper rolled over and drifted, not quite napping. She was too exhausted for sleep, but she still jumped when Mia announced dinner. Blurry, she sat up as Mia put a takeout container in her lap.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“They had bottled juice; I remembered you like apple, and you could use the electrolytes.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Thanks.” Juniper wolfed down the daikon salad and shredded potatoes, then tucked into the pot stickers and fried lotus root.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“If I’d known you liked the sides, I would have ordered more,” Mia commented. She ate a bite of bulgogi and chased it with kimchee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Sorry. I should have left you some,” Juniper said guiltily. “Thanks for getting it.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“No worries. I bought plenty, and I don’t see a fridge here.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“There isn’t one yet. I planned on getting a cooler.” She blinked. “I suppose I can make an old-school ice box and buy enchanted dry ice, too. I haven’t had time to think about cooking gear.” The elves said magic was another kind of science, but that hadn’t impressed most humans. Magic was a good word for things people didn’t understand. All most people knew was that elvish dry ice lasted weeks and kept steak cold.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnfortunately, meat and ice cost money. She’d have to be careful to budget what she had, and steak was out of the question.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“No wonder. You realize this is incredible, right? You even have running water.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJuniper shrugged. “Thanks. If I’d known it would invite hordes of gawkers, I might have done something smaller.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Really?” Mia looked skeptical.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJuniper grinned. “Okay, maybe not.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“I always thought it would be cool to live in a tree,” Mia mused. “Even the elves build houses. I’ve never heard of anyone who could do this.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJuniper went to the counter and dished some noodles, slurping them expertly with disposable wooden chopsticks. She didn’t have much silverware, so maybe she’d make some of these and save money. For that matter, she could shape spoons, too. “Yep. Now I just have to do it a hundred times or so.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“What! That’s crazy. This tree nearly killed you twice. Why would you try again?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe food was helping, but Juniper was still exhausted. “That’s how I’ll keep the Bramble from expanding. I’m going to pin it with trees. The roots should anchor the magic, keep it confined to the park.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Should?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJuniper shrugged. She wouldn’t know until she tried. “None of the other trees will be as elaborate, and they won’t all be houses. This one had to be strong.” She didn’t want to become monster chow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It’s still dangerous. So much can go wrong, and there’s no guarantee you won’t push too far again. You need someone to watch you, or an alarm or something.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJuniper tilted her head thoughtfully. “I don’t think a person could tell when I was running low on juice, but there might be a monitor of some kind. Not that I could pay for it.” She didn’t have a trash can, so she gathered the empty cartons and took them to the wooden toilet. She tossed them in and told the tree to mulch them as it would any waste. Presto! It turned the paper into rich, odor free earth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMia followed her, carrying an empty drink carton. “That’s incredible! Can I try?” She tossed the paper in and grinned when it mulched. “I’ve never been impressed by a toilet before.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJuniper smirked and showed her a slot in the wall that produced a steady stream of soft, buff colored paper. “Then you’ll love the endless toilet paper. No more being trapped on the throne without a shred of dignity.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMia laughed. “That’s genius! Too bad you couldn’t market it.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePleased, Juniper returned to the bed and gestured for Mia to seat herself on the end, since she didn’t have chairs. “Like I said, the money will be in stuff like ginseng and truffles. Do you know what truffles cost? Luckily, I can manipulate fungi and accelerate plant growth. I just have to find a market.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMia sat Indian style and listened intently. “So you really are a farmer.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Pretty much.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMia looked around, admiring the living walls and one-way window “glass”. “I guess you can grow any food you like. That will help the grocery bill.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJuniper stifled a yawn. “Yeah, but I like bacon. Besides, grain needs to be cut, threshed and ground, and you have to bake the bread. I want to buy my bread, because I don’t have time to cook if I’m growing trees. I’m a businesswoman, not a pioneer.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“That makes sense. So it’s not ‘Bramble Burn, then world domination’?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJuniper snorted. “You can keep the city. I’m a perfectionist, and trying to manage a city full of people would drive me crazy.” She suspected her answers would go further than Mia, and that was fine. Everything she said was true.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe was replaying the conversation as she drifted off, so it was on her mind when she sat up with a jolt at the tree’s alarm. At first she thought the city council might be after her, and she pictured men in suits waving papers, and her system flooded with dread. After a moment she realized something was burrowing under the roots.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShe sagged in relief. Thank God, it was only a monster! Lawyers scared her.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMia must have been a light sleeper, for she woke when Juniper sat up. She sounded surprisingly coherent for the wee hours. “What is it?”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Something’s under the tree. Just a minute.” Juniper focused on the roots and found a large grub burrowing toward the floor. With a thought, she instructed the tree to squish it, and any of its friends that might visit. She lay back. “We’re good. I took care of it.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSince the windows were shuttered, it was pitch black, so she couldn’t see Mia’s face, but she heard the rustle and presumed Mia settled down. Juniper was awake now, and she thought about what small thing she could work on to help her sleep, something that would make the tree safer. She tinkered a bit, and smiled as she drifted off. Some people counted sheep; she played with magic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Autumn Dawn","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48900561600740,"sku":"Bundle6BrambleBurn+GGSP_Ebook2026","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0661\/9771\/7220\/files\/Bramble_Burn_Series_2026_3a3e390b-8f75-470b-89d3-079bf3f9267b.jpg?v=1771366078","url":"https:\/\/www.autumndawn.com\/products\/convergance-series-bundle-6-paranormal-romance-books-ggsp-ebook-2026","provider":"Autumn Dawn","version":"1.0","type":"link"}