were destroyed after we found out the water was unclean.”
“What are they for?”
Caleb stopped his horse and turned to smiled at her. “Sometimes it rains here, Willow. It’s happening more often too. We collect it. There are many more tanks just like these all over Shondravar.” He swept his turquoise gaze across the tanks and Willow saw a hunger in his eyes that surpassed anything she had ever dreamed of for herself. In that moment, she knew nothing would ever mean as much to him as this land, and she lowered her eyes, feeling envious of it. “Their width is large enough to accumulate hundreds of gallons,” Caleb continued. “Unfortunately the entire eco-system collapsed after the lakes were emptied. If we don’t repair it, Predaria will become another desert country.” He drew in a determined breath. Willow stared at him as his eyes lovingly scanned the hills.
“We are trying to fix it.” Jonas told her. “We built these irrigation tanks so that the water we collect can be distributed into the ground more evenly, keeping the soil moist for longer periods of time. When the rains are heavy, we can keep the land damp for almost five months, yielding crops. Otherwise, the rain would just fall to the earth and dry up within a few days from the heat of the sun.”
“But if you have all that water, why don’t you use it for drinking?” Willow asked them, too astounded by the invention to understand it completely.
“We do use some to drink.” Caleb told her. “But after a few days the water grows stagnant and is not fit for drinking. Besides, we get our drinking water from trading. It’s important now to water the earth.” He lifted his head and breathed in the air. “You can feel the moisture. Already the change is occurring. On some mornings in Shondravar, there is dew on the crops.”
“And you have done all this?” Willow breathed, gazing at him in awe.
“No.” His eyes traced the gentle contours of her face. When he looked at Jonas a moment later, he smiled. “We began this together, and now all the people in Shondravar work as one to restore the land. And Prandar is doing the same. We helped them build their tanks over a year ago and hopefully Londa will join us next, then perhaps even Theshwar.”
“And,” Jonas continued, “when every city and village in Predaria has irrigation tanks, there will be enough moisture in the air and in the ground to bring the rains back more often.”
Willow studied both men and shook her head. “This is incredible! You have made me speechless!”
Caleb lifted a dark brow to Jonas and laughed. “Truly, it’s a miracle then.”
Jonas agreed with a hearty laugh when Willow gave Caleb a quick shove and a cheeky smile. “Your devotion to Predaria is unmatched by anything I have ever known. Perhaps you could work on what you consider humorous next.”
“Well.” Caleb frowned at his friend. “It was nice while it lasted.”
She shoved him again and their laughter lifted on the air and mingled with tiny fragments of precious moisture.
Willow saw many irrigation tanks in Shondravar and even a few green shrubs bursting from the hard ground as evidence of Caleb’s dreams. “So this is why you traded for soil in Theshwar,” she said, understanding now why her possessions meant nothing to him.
“Yes.”
“And are you planting grass on a hill somewhere to raise your children as Jonas is?” she asked, almost fearing his answer.
“No,” he replied quietly. “I’m planting a garden to fill the air with fragrance so that when my love breathes, she will be happy.”
Unable to do anything but stare at the back of his head, Willow said nothing but ached for him to turn and look at her. Whoever his love would be, she would be rich beyond measure.
Willow suddenly shuddered at the thought of Oscar d’leanard. She shuddered at the thought of being loved by any man but Caleb. For this man who smelled of rich earth and whose hair glittered like the sun against a velvety blue sky, would make sure that whomever he loved would be happy, that their love would flourish. He would feed it and nurture it with unceasing determination the way he did this land. Unlike her father, or any other man she had ever known, Caleb brought his love to life, made it something tangible. It was evident everywhere; in the dirty, yellow faces of the desert people, in the city of Theshwar,