Chapter 5

Pulling the piece of notepaper Sylvie had given him out of his pocket, Gale once again checked the address before pulling his car up to the side of the road.

Usually he wouldn’t have any trouble remembering something like an address, but firstly, this wasn’t just any address – this is the home of my mate! – and secondly, he’d been awake for practically half the night, tossing and turning, his head filled with thoughts of Sylvie.

My mate. She’s my mate. And I’ve finally found her…

Gale hadn’t given much thought to finding his mate before now. He’d been busy exploring the world outside the small, unicorns-only town he’d grown up in, moving from city to city, working different jobs, telling himself that there was more to existence than staying in the one place for the whole of his life. But recently, he couldn’t deny he’d been having thoughts of wanting something more settled.

He’d been yearning for something… more.

Is this why you’ve been making my powers go so crazy?he’d asked his unicorn as he’d driven away from Sylvie’s bakery yesterday. Because you wanted me to find my mate?

It is what is right and proper, to search for our mate,the unicorn had told him loftily, with a haughty shake of its head.

Well, you could have just told me that, Gale had said, shaking his head. What do I have to do to get you to communicate in words?

The unicorn had merely snorted at that. Would you have listened? Didn’t you understand the feeling of loneliness that was growing inside you?

Gale swallowed.

No, of course you didn’t, the unicorn said, sounding somewhat smug. So of course I had to resort to more drastic measures.

Gale had found it was hard to argue that point. It was true he’d felt restless, lonely, like he should move on almost as soon as he’d arrive at a new place. He’d just thought he wanted a new scene. But now he realized it had been his unicorn, urging him to find his mate.

But now I’ve found her,he thought, looking out of his car window at the neat little house he’d pulled up outside of. Does that mean you’re going to behave yourself?

The irritated twitch of the unicorn’s tail did not fill him with confidence.

After all,Gale realized, I still haven’t actually told her yet.

That was a conversation he wasn’t yet sure how to start.

He touched his fingers to the fork in his jacket pocket as he got out of the car. He hadn’t wanted to take it with him – and he’d always had the intention to return it – but he couldn’t leave it sitting there on the table with its green leaves and white flowers either.

Maybe I could show it to her, Gale thought as he walked up the stone path to Sylvie’s front door. That at least would prove to her right away that I’m not lying.

Still, the thought of revealing himself to her left a cold, hard knot of tension in his stomach. It was part of the reason unicorns tended to keep themselves to themselves: Gale knew perfectly well that humans would find the idea of shifters in general and mythical shifters in particular kind of hard to believe.

She will believe us,his unicorn said. She is our mate. She may not know it, but she has been waiting for us too. She will sense that what we say is the truth.

Gale wished he felt as certain as the unicorn sounded.

Sylvie’s front garden was a little bare, Gale thought – but then, she had said she wasn’t a great gardener. Her house was very cute, though: a little stucco cottage with an arched, blue-painted front door and leadlight windows.

It’s just like her,Gale thought, charmed. Gorgeous and adorable.

Without giving himself an opportunity to have any second thoughts, Gale walked up the stone steps that led to her front door and raised his hand to knock.

The door opened before his knuckles touched the wood, however, and Sylvie appeared, looking a little flustered.

“Oh – sorry if I startled you,” she said. “It’s just I saw you walking up the path, so I thought… well, not that I was looking out for you or anything, but I guess I was expecting you since it’s just on ten now, and…” Sylvie trailed off, shaking her head. “Well, I guess I made this awkward right from the get-go.” She looked up at him a little sheepishly from behind her bangs.

“Not at all,” Gale said, as his heart sped up. Her eyes were just as green as he remembered them, her lips just as full and red, and the embarrassed flush that was now creeping over her cheeks was just as cute. “It’s not awkward at all. I mean, I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t been counting down the hours.”

He may as well be honest about how much he’d been looking forward to seeing her again. He wasn’t sure he could have held back, at any rate – his unicorn was prancing within him like a foal, ecstatic at the sight of Sylvie.

Our mate! She’s perfect! We must tell her exactly what she is to us, right now!

Hold your horses! Gale told it, as he felt his mouth opening to do just that. I need to at least try to explain things to her first!

The unicorn, displeased at the delay, tossed its head and snorted, but at least it didn’t try to force him to blurt out anything like I’m a unicorn and you’re my mate! right away.

“Oh! Well, I… I guess that’s how I’ve been feeling too,” Sylvie said with a light laugh, though her eyes were wide with surprise.

Gale’s heart clenched. He opened his mouth, about to say… well, something, anyway, when he was distracted by something solid brushing against his leg.

Looking down, he was mildly surprised to see the largest, fluffiest, most marmalade-colored cat he’d ever seen in his life winding its way around his ankles.

“Oh,” he said, as the cat gazed up at him with large yellow eyes. “Hello there.”

“Brioche!” Sylvie said, sounding surprised. “What’re you doing here?” She looked up at Gale. “You’re not allergic, are you? I didn’t think to ask.”

“Not at all.” Gale shook his head. “I love cats. Well, animals in general. But this one here seems quite friendly.”

“Usually he’s not,” Sylvie said, her tone a little mystified, as she reached down to scoop the enormous cat up in her arms. The cat settled happily, like a huge, fluffy cushion. Gale could hear him purring from here. “He usually runs off to one of his little hidey-holes when I have guests. But it seems you’re different.”

The cat, Brioche, let out a loud meow, as if to agree with what she’d said.

“Well, he’s certainly very handsome,” Gale said, reaching out to pat Brioche on the head. Immediately, the purring increased in volume, and Brioche closed his eyes, clearly in ecstasy. “I’m glad he’s come out to say hello.”

“I think he is too,” Sylvie laughed. “You see, Brioche? People love you! You shouldn’t hide from them!” She let the cat down, and he stalked off into the house, tail waving like a flag.

“Oh!” Sylvie said suddenly, shaking her head. “Sorry – you’re standing out there in the cold! Come on in.”

Gale couldn’t help but look around as he followed her into her cozy home. The inside was just as adorable as the outside: the rooms were small but tidy, with pale green curtains hanging over the windows and even a little stone fireplace in the living room, with firewood stacked next to it. There was a knitted throw on the couch next to some cushions, and a blue vase of flowers on the dining room table.

“Um. I have tea or coffee… or we could go look at the herb garden right away, and have something to eat afterwards?” Sylvie asked, turning back to him as they stood in her living room.

“Looking at the garden sounds good,” Gale said, deciding that perhaps telling her what he had to say would be easier over a cup of coffee. But he didn’t want to distract from helping Sylvie with her garden first.

“Sure thing. Follow me.”

Sylvie led him to the back door, which was wooden and painted white, and out into the garden. Like the front garden and the house, the back yard was fairly small. But despite that, Sylvie had enough room for a small greenhouse in the corner.

“Don’t be shocked when you go in,” Sylvie warned him as she led him toward it. “Like I said, I’m not a great gardener. So it’s kind of depressing in there.”

“Well, we’ll see what I can do.” Gale smiled as he felt his unicorn kick up its back feet in joy at the thought of being able to do something to help its mate.

She requires a service of us! We will not fail to provide it! We will show her that we are a worthy mate!

Sylvie hadn’t been joking, however, when she’d said the greenhouse was a little depressing – though there were little markers with things like Thyme and Mint and Chamomile, all the plants looked scraggly and sickly. None of them were thriving at all.

“You see what I mean,” Sylvie said, glancing at him. “I’m not really sure what it is. Nothing will grow.”

“Hmm,” Gale said, leaning down to inspect some kind of sad-looking rosemary. “What kind of fertilizer are you using?”

“Uh, I don’t really know,” Sylvie said sheepishly. “I just got some liquid stuff from the garden center. Would you like me to go get it? It’s in the shed.”

“Please,” Gale said. To be honest, he wasn’t exactly sure why the plants weren’t growing: it was a pleasant temperature inside the greenhouse, and the soil looked nice and dark. Rosemary was a bit hardier than most of the other herbs Sylvie had growing here and it should have been all right outside for most of the year, but even it didn’t seem to be doing too well here.

Mysterious,Gale thought, as, without thinking, he reached out to touch one of the thyme plants with his fingers, the better to inspect it.

Too late he realized his mistake.

With a whinny of joy, his unicorn kicked up its heels, mane shimmering – and immediately the thyme plant burst into life, shooting up at least six inches, its leaves going from a faded brown color to brilliant green, quickly becoming far larger than any thyme leaves Gale had ever seen before in his life.

Blinking, he stared down at the now monster thyme plant. As he watched, delicate purple flowers sprung from the ends of its stalks, bobbling gently under their own weight.

Uh oh,Gale thought. This isn’t good. And it’s not even the right season for it to be flowering! What the hell are you doing?!

Helping our mate, the way we should,the unicorn told him, tossing its head. She will be delighted when she sees how we have helped her.

Gale wasn’t sure delighted would be quite the right word – surprised, maybe. Though he was willing to concede she might be delighted for about three seconds, until she started actually thinking about what she was seeing in front of her.

I suppose I’ll have the chance right now to find out how Sylvie feels,Gale thought, his head jerking around as she re-opened the greenhouse door.

“Okay, so, here’s the –”

Sylvie cut herself off, staring past him at the massive thyme plant that had magically sprung up during the three entire minutes she’d been away.

“Oh,” she said, blinking. “Right. Well. When you said you’d help me to get my herbs to grow better, I wasn’t expecting such quick results.”

She turned her bewildered, questioning eyes to him, and Gale swallowed.

Well, what explanation can I possibly give her?

“I told you I have a pretty good way with plants,” he said weakly, knowing his joke – if it even deserved to be called a joke – was not going to cut any ice with her.

“I guess,” Sylvie said, her eyes going back to the thyme. “But… seriously, how did you do that? That plant’s been on the verge of death for weeks. And now it’s… well, it’s that. The world’s most enormous thyme. I don’t understand.”

Gale sighed. “No, I suppose not. And it’s not exactly an easy thing to explain, either.”

“Well, I’m definitely listening.” Sylvie cocked her head, clearly waiting for an explanation.

Pulling in a deep breath, Gale turned back to her rows of herbs. “Maybe… maybe it’d be easier for me to just show you first. And then I can explain everything afterwards.”

That would probably work? Gale thought. Perhaps Sylvie would be more open to the idea of things like unicorns and mates if she saw his powers in action first.

“Okay,” Sylvie said, crossing her arms over her chest, waiting to be enlightened.

Well. Here goes.

Steeling himself, Gale reached out, brushing his fingers against the leaves of a struggling basil plant. Immediately, the thin, wilted leaves brightened, their pale, sickly pallor at once becoming a brilliant green hue, the leaves doubling – tripling – in size in an instant. The plant sprung up by inches, its stem thickening and growing, and immediately the heady aroma of basil filled the air, reminding Gale of summer, even now, in the depths of fall.

“What the –” he heard Sylvie cry in surprise, and looked up to see her staring, wide-eyed and open-mouthed at the basil plant, her hand raised to her lips in shock. “What – how –” She turned her gaze back to him, and the look on her face clearly told him she wasn’t sure whether to believe her own eyes.

“You see? I have a way with plants,” Gale said wryly, hoping he hadn’t just freaked her out too much.

“I mean… well, I can see that,” Sylvie said after a moment. Blinking, she looked back and forth from him to her newly lush basil and thyme. “Is this… I mean, can you do this for everything, or is it just struggling herbs?”

“It’s everything,” Gale said. “I can explain, but… it’ll probably sound pretty farfetched.”

“I’ll bet it does,” Sylvie said, wonder in her voice. Seemingly unconsciously, she reached out, lifting his hand with hers and turning it over with her fingers as if inspecting it.

Immediately, Gale felt a rush of warmth within him – it wasn’t the same as the static shock he’d felt yesterday the first time their hands had met, but rather a soft, pleasant tingling sensation.

He wondered if Sylvie felt it too.

“Well, farfetched or not, I’d really like to hear your explanation,” she said after a moment.

“It’s… a family thing,” Gale said, hoping he wasn’t being too evasive. “It’s something everyone in my family can do. We’ve always been able to. And one day, I’ll pass it on to my children as well.”

“So… like a family curse?” Sylvie asked, staring up at him. “Though it’s more like a blessing, I suppose. Unless, uh, there’s some other weird side effect I don’t know about yet.”

Gale grimaced. Time to tell the whole truth.

“I suppose you could call it that,” he said, ignoring his unicorn as it reared up indignantly, snorting I am not a side effect! “The truth is, Sylvie, that I’m not, strictly speaking, human. I don’t mean I’m a goblin or an alien or something like that,” he hurried on as a look of alarm spread over Sylvie’s face. “When I’m in this form, I’m as human as you are. But this isn’t the only form I can take.”

“Form?” Sylvie asked, shaking her head slowly. “I don’t really understand. Do you mean you’re like… a shapeshifter?”

She sounded like she was doubting the words even as they left her lips, but Gale’s heart leapt in his chest.

She understands already! his unicorn rejoiced. I told you she would.

Gale quickly tried to tamp down on his enthusiasm. Yes, Sylvie had guessed correctly. But she sounded far from either convinced or happy about the idea.

“Yes,” he said, nodding, knowing he had to be honest no matter what. “I’m what’s known as a shifter. It means I can change my form at will – but it also means I can do, well, this.”

He reached out, brushing his fingers along a row of chamomile plants. Sylvie gasped as they immediately burst into flower, white petals with yellow centers, lush and healthy and strong.

“Okay,” she said, still staring at the flowers. “Well… I guess then my next question is, what do you, uh, shift into?”

Gale hesitated. “Maybe it’d be easier if I showed you,” he said. How would Sylvie react if he told her he was a unicorn? But then, how would she react if she saw him as a unicorn?

Frowning, Sylvie narrowed her eyes. “Well, okay. Is there enough room in my backyard? You don’t, like, turn into a blue whale or something, do you?”

Despite himself, Gale laughed. “No. Nothing like that. But it still might be a little surprising. Regardless, I promise you that it’s still me in there, Sylvie. You don’t need to worry about anything.”

“Okay,” Sylvie said, sounding uncertain. “I guess… well, I guess you’d better show me then.”

Together, they made their way out into the open space of her yard. There were so few plants growing that Gale knew he’d have plenty of room to shift without worrying about trampling anything or damaging something.

He glanced at Sylvie, who was looking at him expectantly.

“All right,” he told her, taking a step back. “Here goes.”

And with that, he began to shift.