Chapter 39

“Pine needle tea.”

“Mmm.” It was delicious, the taste reminding me of the scent of the young white pine needles. “Did you make it yourself?”

He nodded.

“What’s it good for?”

“It’s full of antioxidants and vitamin C. It helps focus my mind. Brings clarity to my thoughts.”

“Just what I need.” I drank some more. I was in awe of Jackson’s knowledge about everything growing in our forest. No matter what it was, he knew of a use for it, or when to steer clear of something. I’d learned a long time ago to go to him if I had a headache or a cold; his remedies were vastly better than anything I could find in a drugstore.

Sometimes, I wished I was patient enough to learn from him. But on the other hand, I could name every species of fish in our lake, so I figured we all had our different strengths.

“Couldn’t sleep?” Jackson asked.

I shook my head.

“Nervous?”

“A little. Anxious. What if they change their minds?”