A semicircle of trees rimmed the property: oak, ash, rowan, birch, alder, willow, hazel, holly, and hawthorn. Though not all native to Maine, his uncle had cultivated the nine sacred trees on his property. Nathan would need some of each to maximize the effectiveness of his Bel-fire and gain the favor of the fire god, Belenos. He got off the ATV and untied the sickle from behind the seat.

He collected two thin branches from the first eight species and bundled them together with nylon cording. Standing before a small stand of rowan, or mountain ash, Nathan snipped a half dozen narrow limbs from the sturdy trees. The most sacred of all should have the most impact. He carefully dug up a rowan seedling sprouting near the base of the tree. Cradling the tiny root ball, he placed it lovingly in a burlap sack.

He secured his cargo behind the seat and got on. Darkness inhibited his speed. More than an hour passed before he reached the edge of town. Nathan concealed the vehicle in a stand of evergreens and traversed the last mile into town on foot. He carried a short piece of rowan, along with the contents of his special bag. A few blocks from the inn, he took care to keep to the shadows. He touched the knife in the sheath at his waist. The town’s one remaining policeman wasn’t much of a threat, but a missing or dead cop would bring unwanted attention to the town and ruin Nathan’s plans.

He only had one shot at a new life for him and his son. All of his acquisitions must be attributable to accident or misadventure.

Still, tonight’s activity was risky. But Mandy must be claimed as his. She mustn’t be allowed to forget about him. From the darkness beneath the mature maple in the inn’s rear yard, Nathan gazed up at the house.

She was inside. His May Queen. The pure maiden who would give him life anew once the disease inside him was destroyed. Emotions surged in Nathan’s veins. Love, gratitude, and anger swirled into a heady cocktail that energized him more than sleep ever could. No man would come between them. Danny Sullivan must be stopped.

Nathan stole soundlessly across the grass, the dewy blades dampening the toes of his boots and the hem of his pants. He left his gift on the back porch: a small cauldron depicting the god who would grant Nathan salvation, Belenos. In the pot, Nathan had included hardy plants to signify new life. They were Mandy’s favorites. Small but strong flowers that belied their name and bloomed right through a spring snowfall. The perfect flower for the perfect woman.

Thus, nature could give Mandy the message that Nathan was unable to verbalize.

With twine, he affixed the rowan branch above her doorway to protect her from evil spirits.