ILONA ANDREWS

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Chapter 2 Part 2

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The lavender was dying. Elara surveyed the wilted stalks, with drooping leaves and sagging buds. There were five main causes of lavender wilt: overwatering, underwatering, poor drainage, not enough light, and too much heat. None of it applied. They had grown lavender in this greenhouse for years.

Next to her Jean Bradshaw twisted her hands. A plump, middle-aged woman, with golden skin and a gathering of freckles on her nose, Jean was the aromatics master. Basil, mint, rosemary, all of it was her domain.

Behind Jean three of her gardeners waited, their expressions pinched.

“It isn’t anything you did,” Elara told her.

“I’ve tried everything. Nothing works.” Jean rubbed her face and pressed her hands, palms together, to her lips, as if praying.

They both knew what this meant. They were going to lose this lavender harvest.

Lavender was a staple. It wasn’t exciting, rare, or expensive, but they used it constantly in all sorts of ways. It was a go-to aromatic for cosmetics and bath products. It soothed headaches, calmed nerves, prevented the formation of scars, and it was slightly antiseptic. It was employed in child blessing rituals and for sun invocations. Magic users who meditated bought it by the sack. A big chunk of their income depended on lavender. There was a reason why they grew it year around.

Elara resisted the urge to rock back and forth. Why was this happening? Why?

“And the thing is, the lavender in the Red Greenhouse is perfectly fine,” Jean said. “Same soil, same watering schedule, same light conditions… The two greenhouses are next to each other. You’d think if one went bad, the other would too, but no, it’s this one and the Blue and the Yellow. And the Yellow is almost fifty yards away.”

An idea tugged on Elara. She turned and strode out of the greenhouse into the gardens. The fall air mugged her, dry and cool after the humid warmth of the greenhouse.

The Red Greenhouse with its perfectly healthy lavender was to the left and behind her, about twenty yards down the path. The Blue Greenhouse, full of dying mint, stood about twenty yards in front of her and to the right. Then the Yellow Greenhouse, where oregano had turned to near dust, was all the way to the left and forward…

Ismael came running down the path, flying as fast as his ten-year-old legs could carry him. He crashed to a stop in front of her and struggled to catch a breath.

“Take your time,” she told him.

“People from Aberdine are here,” he announced.

What now? “Did anyone send a word to the Preceptor?”

Ismael nodded frantically.

Ever since Hugh took his Iron Dogs and saved Aberdine, they treated him with a respect bordering on reverence. She had been supplying them with beer, medicine, and cosmetics for years, and none of that mattered compared with Hugh riding in to save the day in his black armor. She provided them with necessities, and he had given them a hero. A big strong man in black armor on a giant pale horse.

In some regards, it was a proof of her success. She’d done her best to appear as a good, reliable, non-threatening neighbor. They had no idea how scary she could truly be. They would never see her as a possible savior. But Hugh? Oh yes. When that man wanted to, he could be damn impressive.

Individuals were complicated, but people were simple. Hugh understood that. He knew by some uncanny instinct what people needed him to be and then he became that to get what he wanted. Even now, she had no idea if the Hugh she saw every day was truly who he was or if he’d just assumed the role for some secret gain.

One thing for sure – Hugh could turn on a dime, and when that mask came off, he unleashed shocking brutality and he did it without hesitation or doubt. If Aberdine was very unlucky, it would learn that today.

“Where are they now?” she asked.

“Johan put them into the visitor room. They are beat up.”

“The Aberdine people?”

Ismael nodded.

Beat up Aberdine people was the last thing she needed right this second.

“Johan gave them drinks and sandwiches.”

“Go back and tell Johan to keep them occupied. Then go to the wall by the front gate and wait until Hugh comes back. Come and get me as soon as you see him ride out of the woods.”

Ismael nodded again, turned around, and took off like a deer back up the road toward Baile.

“Maybe it’s him,” Jean said.

“Who?”

Jean hesitated. “The Preceptor.”

“What about him?”

Jean paused.

“Say what’s on your mind,” Elara prompted.

“The herbs started dying after the Iron Dogs showed up.”

The three gardeners went very still.  Clearly, this theory had been discussed. By now it had probably spread all through the gardener crew.

She had to nip this in the bud, or it would fester.

“When do you think the first wilt happened?” she asked mildly.

“Jimsonweed field,” Jean said.  “A month after they came.”

Elara shook her head. “You’re thinking in terms of fields and greenhouses. Think before that, to something much smaller. What was the first batch of plants that died just like the lavender?”

Jean pondered it, frowned, looked at the sky, and turned to her. “The kitchen garden!”

Elara nodded. The cooks maintained a small herb garden for the Baile’s kitchens, a few rows of onion, garlic, dill, and parsley. One day it had simply withered.

“When did it die?” she asked.

“The end of July,” Jean said. “We thought the fertilizer had been contaminated with something.”

“And the second wilt? Who can tell me?”

Caro, one of the gardeners, raised his hand. “The raspberry bushes. They died on the fifth of August. I remember this because it was Savannah’s birthday.”

The patch of raspberry bushes had sprung up by the castle walls completely on its own.  They didn’t know if someone planted it or if some raspberries had been discarded there.  In any case, the bushes grew wild until one day they wilted to nothing.

“Hugh d’Ambray didn’t even know we existed until September,” Elara said.

Jean opened her mouth and closed it.

“The Iron Dogs fought and died for us,” Elara said. “This is their home. The Preceptor has no power over plants, and even if he did, why would he interfere with our herbs? The Iron Dogs depend on us for their shelter, food, and equipment. They’ve been salvaging metal from the forest to help us offset the costs. What would they gain from causing us to lose money?”

Silence answered.

“I need the four of you to go back to the people you gossiped with and let them know what I said,” she told them. “There is no more us and them. We stand as one. Do you understand?”

Heads bowed. 

“Yes, my lady,” Jean told her.

“Thank you. Now let’s see the other greenhouses.”

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Comments

  7. Elara is a better strategist than Hugh on many levels. I love her!

    Hughday is my favorite day of the week!

  9. Elara had a thought about something… I can’t wait to see what! Honestly, one of my most favorite scenes in any HA book is Hugh and Elara’s wedding vows. Their relationship makes me giggle. I am happily anticipating publication of this book. But I want to read Maggie, too.

    Still, tend to your health and other important things, HA, please. I’d love to have you around for a good long time to provide me with entertainment through your writing.

  10. Thank you, a very nice ending to a long day of traveling and traffic. I’m in the Philippines now, the traffic is horrible, and it’s time to sleep, I’ve been up since 2 AM, it’s now close to midnight.

  16. My first thought was the woman from the first book who got it on with Hugh and thought that made her more important than Elara. The plants started dying before the first book, though. It could still be her, but she’s lower on my target list.

      • I agree, it is 100% connected to the tunnels! The foreshadowing was right there in the first book book.

      • The first thing to go was the kitchen garden. Surely that’s closer to the house than the green houses. So, spreading out from the castle kitchen garden and the castle wall (raspberry bushes). So that can’t be the woman who left and does seem like something moving out of castle along the tunnels. Stuff dying as whatever passes. So that seems like something slow moving. Interesting that it went around the Red greenhouse, or its passing didn’t hurt the Red Greenhouse. So whatever makes the Red greenhouse different might be used as a cure or antidote, hopefully.

    • I think it has something to do with the bad druid. Like they’re draining all the life out of them. 🤷‍♀️

    • Just a reminder- She left the castle after Hugh made it clear he’d never choose her over Elara and Elara called her out on her poor work performance.

  17. Thank you for the snippet. I needed it today.
    I’m glad that unlike Hugh I didn’t ride up to Elara’s fortress with next to nothing. I’m glad I’m not building a new Keep and moving folks. But I’m packing and moving us- and it’s a lot. Purging, packing, planning, paying …(I’m sure I could come up with some more P words if I tried 🤪) A glimpse into Hugh and Elara’sworld and dying plants (I am death to plants) somehow makes packing the next box easier.
    One whole box of books is IA 😊 Maybe next move there will be two boxes of IA books.

    • I hope your running off to a new adventure!

      Even the smoothest move is exhausting. Take a big breath; it will all be okay.

    • Best wishes to you on your new start! Exciting, and of course exhausting as well. I like your priorities!

  19. I needed this snippet today of all days. Thank you!

    Elara has Hugh pegged all the way down to his toes and horse. 😀

    The mystery of the dying plants continues…

  21. thank you so much!
    this day has been rotten so far and this is a perfect distraction!
    hope you have a good weekend

  23. Hughday!

    Thx for the snippet. Even through your own troubles— health, editing, etc — you take care of the BDH.

  27. Yay, Hap-Hap-Happy Friday!!!

    Fantastic, what a start to the weekend. 4 45pm and I’m now going to re-read all the snippets.

    Thank you and hope you all have a gun weekend

  29. Wild thought – where are the underground tunnels in relation to the wilting? Those tunnels have bothered me since they were first mentioned. And why did Nez want Baile so much? Or was it Roland that wanted Baile?

    So many unresolved threads.

      • Your answer Mod R reminded me of the conversation between Landon Nez, Curran, and Kate when they were heading to the Swan Palance in Magic Breaks.

        Nez wanted Hugh to get rid of so bad. Then Neg’s troops came and decimated Nez’s troops trying to get Hugh out of the castle. So much for getting rid of the Preceptor.

      • Just checked in chapter 2 of Iron & Magic (paraphrasing)

        “Some druids and witches (in Kentucky)need protection.”
        “Why do they need protection?”
        “Because Landon Nez is after their land… Roland wants it.”

        • Yes, that was my joke. Roland wanted the land. Nez has been hounding Hugh and his people, and has a personal vendetta however 🙂

    • It was Roland, when then Iron dogs were looking for a base it was explicitly mentioned in the book: “Why do they need protection?”
      “Landon Nez is after their land. There is some sort of magically saturated spot on it Roland wants.”

      Good idea about the tunnels, it seems to be somehow connected to the location or positions of the greenhouses but it could be anything at this point 😄

  30. I cannot wait to buy this book! Of course, i will wait and with patience for the overlords to work their magic. Happy Friday!

  32. I don’t know if these snippets are good for me or not. i love them but then Im also like I WANTS THE BOOK! It is just a testament to you excellent story telling skills. Thank you!!

  35. Wheeee, Hughday is the bestest! I have an idea what Elara came up with as an explanation for the dying herbs….let’s see if I got it right. This book can’t be released fast enough for me. Iron and Magic is one of my favorite IA books and I need more, so much more.

  36. Thank you for this gift today. I am struggling today as a federal hiring manager possibly having to fire people that I don’t want to fire. on Valentine’s Day too. It’s a sucky day and I am grateful for every bit of light I can.

    • Thinking of you! It’ll be a hard year for Federal Employees – including my son.
      Take care and your employees know it’s not your fault, but it’s still hard.
      Read IA to get away for awhile – if possible.

      Sending love, hugs and prayers.

    • You have the empathy and support of this fed, too. May we all have grace and empathy for each other in difficult times.

    • Former fed, daughter and granddaughter of former feds who joined civil service after their military service. US civil service is the biggest employer of former military service members outside the active military. In 2014, 32% of new civil service hires -basically one out of three – were military veterans. Thanks to all of you, civil and military, for your service.

      • thank you everyone for the really lovely messages of support. BDH is the best and fluffiest of hordes.

  37. Thank you for the chapter!! 📚
    I have absolutely no gardening skills, so the next best thing is admiring the gardens, of all types, of the people who have the gardening gift!! 💐

  44. Happy Hughday!

    Thank you for the visit to the castle. Fun as always – and a real incentive to be ready when the book hits. Looking forward to the book – someday.

    Also, Happy Valentine’s Day to those who celebrate it. Have fun…

  47. I didn’t get a valentine so I’m using this as my valentine treat this year!! Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!! Xoxo

  49. It is tooo painful. I am reading away, forget it is a snippit and then just like that it is gone.

  53. Thank you for the snippet! This was a bright spot in a day that needed it. I appreciate you being so generous and sharing your work with us!

    Happy Valentine’s Day! 💌💖💗🍫🍪🍰🫖🤗

  54. I’m now very excited about this book. I can hardly wait!

    I read a lot of books, and something about the way you write makes it the best. I can’t quantify it, but I love it!

    • “something about the way you write makes it the best. I can’t quantify it, but I love it!”

      That is exactly how I feel about IA books!

  55. Thank you very much, rubbing my hands at the anticipation of the book release day 😊💕💕💕💕

  57. I’m so enjoying this. Thank you! I really hoped for a new section, but honestly didn’t expect it. Your lives are getting complicated again. Still keeping fingers crossed for Gordon’s shoulder and your hands. Hang in there and so many thanks for brightening the day!

  58. Love how Elara stomped on the baseless scapegoating *and* ordered the record correction! She’s a role model.

  61. ooohhhh yes exciting book book please grabby hands pleated soon please 🥺❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ but will wait thank you

  63. As always . Thank you for this gift. It is wonderful. It makes my happy when Hugh Day occurs.

  68. I am one of the few people who abhor the scent of lavender. It smells chemical not natural to me.
    I love this story. Thank you

    • Right there with you. The fact that it’s ubiquitous in relaxation and sleep aids is really inconvenient, because the scent always turned my stomach, like gasoline. The aesthetic is very pleasing though.

    • Ha, I’m not alone! A third lavender disliker here, specifically English Lavender.

      Oddly enough, I don’t have any trouble with Spanish Lavender … “Lavandula stoechas.”

      There seems to be a large difference in the oil production between the two species, among others.

    • I absolutely hated the smell of lavender for years, then suddenly, about two years ago, I started liking it and I have no idea why.

  71. What do those plants have in common? First I was going with them all being Greek then I went to European and maybe the ground rejecting them as invaders but the jimsonweed is native to the Americas so not that……
    I love these types of puzzles. Thank you.
    And I hope you have a wonderful day

  75. I’m so glad ur back on Hugh! I hate unresolved stories. The only thing better would be an inkeeper story with Maud involved. Thanks!

  77. Thank you so very much House Andrews for more wonderful words strung together in such a manner that makes my heart so happy. Something in your writing style stirs my soul and helps me paint pictures in my mind.

    So grateful you continue to share your gift with us!

    Sending peace, health and safety to House Andrews and the Horde and those we love !

  79. Ohhh thank you! Elara is learning too and I love it. I am really really enjoying that this is picking up where the 1st book left off. We are getting to see their relationship developing. Happy Hugh Day and Happy Valentine’s day to everyone

  82. I love the snippets but it’s like a toxic relationship
    I told myself I won’t be back to check up the book hits the shelf but here I AM 😅

  85. A HughDay 🤺 for Valentines Day ❤️💕
    Our kind and benevolent leaders do love us!!! 🥰

  86. I feel like we’ve got a rogue Druid. One that has been causing the plants to wither by taking power from them or something. They started small with the kitchen garden and then raspberry bushes, and has moved onto the greenhouses. I’m excited to find out if I’m right!

  87. Thank you for this snippet. Iron Dogs 2 is going to really rock based on what you have given us. Write On!!!

  89. Busy busy day (week/month) here: making meals, buying food to make more meals, do dishes, buy more food, make more meals, do more dishes, do some other tasks and errands, Happy Valentines shopping, Happy Valentines celebrating etc etc etc….it just never ends, does it? 😔

    But then, this snippet came just in the nick of time and it helped save the day! 😃 Thank you so much…here’s wishing Happy Valentines Day to HA, Mod R, and all of the BDH!
    💕💕💕💕

  91. Omg such a great excerpt.

    On a side note, anyone else reading the comments and thinking things like, “oh I bet that person is team Dushegub,” and “this person is clearly on team Facts are King.”

  92. Thanks for the latest edition. I really like Elara.I am wondering if there is a connection between Aberdeen and the bad Druid.

  93. Hughday! Yea! Thanks so much HA! I wonder what happens to growing plants if all the magic is sucked out of the land upon which they’re growing? I’d forgotten about the tunnels-now I’m wondering if the dead plants r above the tunnels. Or maybe the greenhouse with the unaffected lavender is over the tunnels, somehow protected by them? And with weird unknown druids leaving odd sites in the neighborhood u have to think that’s connected to dying plants.

    Does happy Hughday dance to music only I can hear. Someone much more musically inclined that I am needs to come up with a Hughday song of joy. We can all sing it together!

  95. My heart….i just struggle to wait for this every week…let alone when I will have the book in my hand.

  99. I have a question that is only tangentially related.

    Was there a snippet or maybe it was in a spoiler section of a release party transcript of another Barrett/Kate interaction from the yet to be written Willimington 3?

    how is this related?
    I was thinking about Hugh so I read Magic Tides (great cameo!) so I read Magic Claims and loved the scene with Barrett and I imagined him finding out who Kate really is and I vaguely remembered maybe a snippet about that or was it my imagination so I searched the website for Barrett but didn’t find it.

  100. Yay Hughday! I love snippets. So many questions and theories. It is hard to w**t. I was thinking witchery may be at work. Some pattern Elara recognizes from her childhood?

    Has there ever been a discussion on publishing a e-version the HA books with no recaps or known character backstory additions? A version for readers who devour IA books and are consuming for the thrill of all the new goodness? And rereading for comfort and to help with w**ting.
    It is my very small pet peeve. Every book of HA ends up trying to fill in the gaps like the reader has never picked up the other books in the same world. I suspect it is a publisher requirement because they are not BDH.

    • Hi Susie,

      You probably have an excellent memory and you probably reread often. But not everyone does. There are dedicated members of BDH who read 50 books a year. It’s hard to keep track especially if the books are released with a long break between them. Mod R will confirm that we get questions like, “Who is Mahon again?” or “There was that one guy and I forgot his name but he got killed with frozen champagne.” And then there are people who pick up books based on the cover and description not realizing that they are not starting at the beginning of the series.

      The recaps help existing readers orient themselves and allow new readers to find their footing.

      • Thank you, Ilona, for understanding that we are loyal but not exclusive. 😉

        I’ve only read 4 novels so far this year, but that’s because one was 1329 pages that had me running to the wiki 3 times an hour to remind myself who the characters were and what they’d done before.

  104. Hear, hear! Yay❣️❣️❣️and thank you so much for sharing. (Hope winter gloom, illness, and woes are dissipating quickly at HA.)

  109. Love Elara and Hugh! 💖 Thank you!

    Enjoyed this very much. Also re recaps: I’ve read most of the books more than once, the first time out of order (!) and the recaps are well written and brief. I’ve always appreciated them.

    I’m so looking forward to the next installment, but no pressure, etc. 😊

  112. I’m sorry, but I must come to the aid of lavender lovers everywhere. My grandmother and aunt grew English lavender in their kitchen garden. As a young lass, my job was to strip the dried lavender from the harvested stems and spoon them into hand-made linen sachets. My payment? Sugar cookies the size of a saucer AND a five-dollar bill. Best job ever!

  114. Thank you. I know you are doing this because of the political unrest but I need it for personal reasons. MS an auto accident that caused a slipped disk and a thyroid that has gone on the fritz the depression has been severe. So thank you very much

  116. I’m reading, I get completely invested and forget it’s not a book, then “oh no!”, that’s all??? It’s just so good I get greedy for more. 😔

  121. I am anxiously awaiting the next installment and the publication of this book! Your books are my go to getaway.

  123. Thank you so much.

    I had forgotten about the tunnels, it’s interesting.

    I think that Aberdine might be unrelated and they will have to deal with several problems at the same time.

  125. “…There is no more us and them. We stand as one..” Thank you so much. At this time I so much needed to see this written by someone I admire.

  128. oMG. Another claim!

    I have been dealing with nothing but plant/cutting claims (plus a few weird requests (Artemisia pallens? Clerodendron philippinum?)) for the past 3 weeks!
    Frozen plants. Or Arrived Dead/Rotten.

    sigh

  129. I just finished, for the second time, the Iron Covenants first book – audiobook. I absolutely loved it, just as I have loved all your books, and the narrator was fantastic. But I have been waiting a really really long time for a book 2. Do you think it will ever come about?
    Also, I have read every single one of your books, never miss them and always love them!!

    • Hi Laura,

      You are commenting on the post containing Chapter 2 of Hugh’s book 2 🙂

      So yes, your answer is that the book will come about. Currently, the authors are very generously sharing snippets from it and it is in the works 🙂 .

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