CHAPTER 1
LEANNA
Leanna Dowen was in debt. Or rather, her father was in debt and graciously left behind his poor choices in life to her.
Leanna sighed, trudging down the pebbled walkway she used to traverse as a child on her way to school.
Now she traversed it as a young woman on her way home from a ten-hour shift as a laundress.
Feet dragging in the dirt, red hair all askew, she couldn’t contain the yawn that came from deep within her. An endless well of exhaustion.
As she neared her humble home she heard familiar barking and smiled wide.
“Thorn! Here sweet!” she yelled, knowing the dog wouldn’t dare leave her yard without her permission, but the moment that was given the pup barreled down the drive and into her arms.
The animal was a sleek black all over, save for the chocolate brown of her eyes that made Leanna think of her warmth and comfort.
And because Thorn was a dog and could not speak, the animal was the perfect confidant.
Leanna’s life was not sad. It was under construction.
Picking up her pace, she rounded the neighbor’s yard of her childhood nemesis, Edward Lowen. The grand house was larger than her family home, larger and more foreboding, unwelcoming in its glory.
Much like Edward Lowen himself.
Leanna still remembered the day she’d met the evil little snipe.
His dark curls had shone ebony in the early morning sun as he walked over with his parents, who looked perfectly in love and perfectly happy.
She remem bered noting it even at nine years old, mostly due to never seeing her parents look at each other in such a way, and it had occurred to her then that married people were meant to like one another.
Her parents had very clearly been uninformed of this.
But regardless, Leanna didn’t know many children in the area her age and she’d been excited to meet the boy moving into the house with the most beautiful garden of flowers the kingdom of Marigold Lane had ever seen.
“They have money coming out their ears!” her father had barked in their kitchen while her mother made a ‘welcome to the neighborhood’ pie, as was her custom. “To be able to afford such a garden.”
“It’s family money, from what I understand. You wouldn’t know of such things,” her mother had snapped, slamming the oven shut and stalking for the windowsill to allow the pie to cool.
Leanna had observed this as she had all her parents’ volatile interactions, quietly.
Magical flowers were the currency of the realm. A garden full of them may as well have been a mountain of gold coin, and was guarded as such when her family had made their way up the drive.
“One of those flowers would feed us for a year,” Leanna’s father had grumbled, straightening his shoulders when the Lowens had come out to greet them.
Her father had always been a proud man, wanting more than life had given him, but Leanna had known even then that he did not do much to get more out of life.
He preferred to complain about it instead.
“Hello there!” Francis Lowen was a tall man with a handsome smile and ebony-colored hair.
Her mother put on her most practiced and preening smile, the one Leanna had seen her use at the butcher’s to fetch a more finely cut piece of meat.
“Good morning, sir. My husband and I have come to welcome you and your lovely family to the neighborhood. I’m Regina, and this is my husband Robert.
And of course our only daughter, Leanna. ”
Leanna had a bow in her hair, and a tear in her tights from climbing a tree earlier that morning; she tugged her skirt down to hide it when the older gentleman gave her a courtly bow.
“Well, aren’t you a lovely little rose. Our Edward will be thrilled to have a playmate so nearby. Edward, say hello.”
And there he was. The bane of her existence.
She couldn’t have known it then – in fact she’d admired the boy, even thought him handsome in his fancy attire.
He was a few years older than her and it showed in the confident way he carried himself, his dark locks flopping over his brow, making his entrance, looking at her with skepticism that made Leanna nervous.
“Hello. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.” He had such pretty manners, as he took a bow, delighting her mother no end.
Leanna kicked the gravel with her foot in response to the pomp and pretense, and her mother pinched her arm hard enough for it to hurt, to bruise. Leanna winced, shrinking back, and Edward advanced, green eyes sharpening.
“Leanna, do not be impolite. Greet him.” Her mother nudged her forward and Leanna rolled her eyes, dipping into the most uncommitted curtsy.
“Hello Mr. Lowen,” Leanna said, chafing when Edward grinned as if he found something about her obstinance amusing. It angered her.
Leanna had too many things in her life that caused such reactions, and she certainly did not need another.
Her hope of befriending the boy had dwindled, her short temper burning it to ashes.
So, when the adults retreated inside for a piece of pie, Leanna was left alone with the green-eyed boy gentleman.
“Does your mother pinch you a lot?” Edward asked, bluntly.
Leanna flinched, appalled. “ That’s an impolite question. Or do you only fake manners for the adults?”
Edward frowned. “They’re not fake.”
Leanna rolled her eyes again, walking down the gravel drive, tearing the red bow from her hair as she went and tossing it behind her.
“Wait!” Edward called, catching up to her as she stalked back to her home. This boy was irritating and if she had to speak to him any longer, she was going to lose her mind. “Where are you going?”
“Away from you,” Leanna said, pertly sticking her nose in the air as she quickened her pace. “And away from your perfect family.”
Edward smirked, folding his arms, walking backwards in front of her so she could still see his face. “You sound jealous. I’ll share them with you, if you give me something in return.”
Leanna halted and so did Edward. “I don’t want your family, and I have nothing you’d want.” The final part was said with a bitterness she didn’t like. It wasn’t the annoying boy’s fault her family was so broken, but reminding her of it was unnecessary and cruel.
“Give me a kiss.” Edward’s green eyes glinted with pure evil as he tapped his cheek. “Right here.”
Leanna had schooled her features into curiosity. “Alright.”
Edward gaped, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. “What? You— What?”
“Close your eyes,” Leanna ordered, waving a hand at him, giving the impression she was irritated he hadn’t done it already.
Edward’s eyes drifted shut and Leanna drifted closer.
Pulling back her fist and swinging with all her might into his cheek.
Edward stumbled to the ground, falling flat on his bum with the most hysterical expression on his face; so hysterical Leanna could not contain the laugh that burst out of her.
“You witch!” Edward glared, leaping to his feet and rubbing at the red spot blooming on his face. “And to think I felt sorry for you.”
Leanna pulled back her shoulders, indignance fueling her as she poked a finger against his chest. “Well now you know better, proper boy.”
From that day forward, Leanna Dowen and Edward Lowen had become bitter enemies.
Over the years they’d avoided each other…
that is, when they weren’t playing nasty pranks.
Leanna had once bought a magical tonic from the local apothecary with all the coins in her piggy bank that turned Edward’s hair bright pink for a month.
Edward had retaliated by slamming a tree branch against her bedroom window, making her believe a ghost was haunting her, and the high jinks continued, on and on… until Edward went off to school.
Leanna remembered the day she snuck into their yard to put a rodent in his bedroom, one that talked, when she’d seen the empty made-up bed; the normally disheveled bedroom, perfectly clean and perfectly untouched.
She didn’t know why, but it had upset her more than any prank Edward had ever played.
It felt thrice as cruel.
But that was twelve years ago and Edward Lowen was now just a bitter childhood memory.
Leanna was twenty-six now, she had real problems, and one of them was the loan shark standing at her front door, peeking through the windows with the meanest-looking mug she’d ever seen. Slowly backing up the drive, Leanna made to run, but the large man had already spotted her.
“Oye!” he yelled. “Get back here, you cheat!”
Leanna gasped, breaking into a sprint, picking up her skirts to ease her escape, but she didn’t make it far before the man grabbed her from behind, hoisting her up into his arms. “Get off me!” she screamed, flailing madly, kicking out her legs until she slammed a heel into the goon’s shin.
He dropped her hard. Leanna hit the ground with a cry, the setting sun’s burst of colors an unfit background for such terror, as she crawled, the sharp gravel cutting her palms. “Where’s my money?
Witch!” The word was horrid coming from the man and it reminded Leanna that it was not the mischievous taunt of Edward Lowen.
“It isn’t me that owes you,” she said, backing up slowly. Her red hair that had darkened to auburn with age had loosened from its pins, cascading down her back in waves. “It was my father.”
“The fool got himself killed in a gambling hall.” The goon sneered. “You’re about to get yourself killed if you don’t come up with every penny he owed me.” Her mother wouldn’t be held accountable, she’d escaped not a year after the Lowens moved in, running off with the butcher.
Leanna had never heard from her mother again and she couldn’t even find it in herself to blame the woman.
If she’d had the power to leave, she’d have been gone years ago.
A large hand closed around her throat and Leanna scratched at the man’s face, frantically fighting for him to release her.
Black spots appeared over her vision as she gasped for air she wasn’t getting.
A sound cracked through the air like the roar of an animal and then she was released again, collapsing to the ground, coughing and gasping, her throat raw. “I know she is rather irritating on occasion, but last I checked, murder is against the law.”
The voice was low and angry. When Leanna looked up to view her savior she felt like a brick had fallen on her head.
Edward Lowen.
Was standing between her and the goon, chest heaving, anger marring his features.
He was twelve years older than the last time she’d seen him, but Leanna knew him instantly.
He held himself with the same confidence as he always had, but it was no longer a boy who stood before her but a man; a man with broad, muscular shoulders, impeccably dressed from head to toe, a smirk tipping up his lips…
and a muted fury in the depths of his green eyes.
Leanna pushed to her knees, holding her throat, yelping when Edward hoisted her up, the gentle pressure on her arm leaving tiny ripples of feeling behind.
“Leanna?” Edward murmured, a question in his eyes, worry replacing it when she leaned against his shoulder, feeling horribly weak, not trusting her two feet as her hands reached out to grip his arm.
The goon took a step forward and Edward held out a hand. “Stay back or I will have the constable called. I’ve heard the new jail has lovely magical bars that set the cell on fire if you attempt escape.”
The thug laughed. “Aren’t you the hero.” He threw a meaty fist in Leanna’s direction and she flinched into Edward’s arm to avoid it.
She despised how weak she felt, unable to save herself, relying on proper boy of all people.
“She owes me and if it’s not money she has, I have other suggestions for payment. ”
“Leave,” Edward gritted. “Now.”
The goon shrugged. “Very well. But I’ll be back. Tomorrow is your last chance, Miss Dowen. I’ll be here by sunset a day from now.”
The loan shark made his way down the drive, looking unnatural next to the glowing magical garden on the Lowens’ estate. The roses worth thrice what Leanna’s father had owed sat there, mocking her as the loan shark passed the guards surrounding the garden, tipping his hat.
“Bastard,” Edward spat, turning to her, eyes gentling as he scanned her person. “Are you hurt?” He caught on her neck, a bruise likely already forming, and blew out an angry breath.
Taking a deep breath of her own, Leanna regained control of her senses, realizing with horror who she was talking to, and separated herself immediately. “What in the posey’s name are you doing here?”
With her adrenaline dying down, she finally took a good long look at the proper boy next door.
He was disgustingly handsome, but then she knew he would be.
His face had lost all the boyishness he’d had the last time she’d seen him, replaced with sharp-angled cheeks and a strong jaw that sported a light beard.
Horror struck her when she realized her hand had raised of its own accord to touch it.
“I was taking a walk down memory lane and found you being mauled,” he answered her sardonically, lifting a dark brow.
“I had it handled,” she said proudly, brushing a lock of auburn from her face, feeling stupidly self-conscious of her drab work dress. “It’s none of your concern.”
“Perhaps not, but a dead body in my parents’ driveway would be,” he deadpanned.
“Still stubborn as ever, I see. Glad the years haven’t shaken that particularly charming trait.
” His green eyes looked her up and down, leaving a trail of heat everywhere they touched.
It was discomfort, Leanna told herself. Nothing more.
“Apologies. Hopefully next time he’ll strangle me in my own yard.” She sneered.
Edward clicked his tongue. “Fingers crossed.”
With a frustrated growl, Leanna turned on her heel, stopping only when Edward called her name, “Leanna.” The next words dropped the pretense of irritated indifference; they were caring, concerned even. “How much money does your father owe?”
“Why do you ask? So you can mock me?”
The gravel crunched, indicating he’d moved closer. “You really think that little of me?” The question was far too vulnerable for what they’d always been to one another. She had a sudden urge to fall into his strong arms and cry while he stroked her hair.
Which either meant being choked had knocked her brain about in her skull or her loneliness was growing truly desperate.
“I don’t think of you at all, Edward.”
Without another word she broke into a near run for her front door and shut it hard behind her.