Page 22 of Ties of Legacy

“You didn’t put it all in here!” he exclaimed. “There was that first package the smith handed to you.”

Avery’s eyes flicked to the leather satchel tucked in the back of the cart—the one she usually kept close to her person.

Elliot reached for it. “It must be whatever was in that parcel!”

“No!” Avery leaped in front of him and snatched up the satchel, holding it against her chest. “It can’t be this. I’m sure it’s not.”

Elliot frowned at her, dread creeping over him. “But it wasn’t anything in the crate. We just tested all of it. So what else could it be?”

Avery shook her head stubbornly, her arms tightening even further around the satchel.

They remained staring at each other in silence until Elliot finally sighed.

“Let’s at least test it. If you’re right, and it’s not whatever is in there, then we can easily confirm it. Just take the whole satchel with you.”

Avery still hesitated, but finally her shoulders slumped, and she started off silently into the trees. Elliot watched her go, wondering how he would tell the symptoms apart from the swirling that had already started in his belly. What was in the satchel that it could provoke such a strong reaction from Avery? It had to be the item she had commissioned from the smith six months earlier, and she was obviously horrified at the idea that he might be tied to it.

But she had barely disappeared into the trees before it became obvious that there was a clear distinction between the churning of concern and the symptoms of separation from the item he was tied to.

He gritted his teeth as his head began to pound. Fisting his hands, he let his fingernails bite into his palms as he tried to holdback the nausea. He would hold out as long as he could. He had to be completely sure.

But he didn’t last long.

“Avery!” he croaked, his voice far from its earlier loud call. He cleared his throat and tried again. “Avery! Come back!”

The cry was still quieter than he would have liked, but the symptoms quickly began to lessen, and within less than a minute, Avery reappeared among the trees.

Elliot slumped back against the sack behind him, closing his eyes and breathing a sigh of relief.

“Was it so bad?” Avery asked in a neutral voice he couldn’t read.

His eyes flew open, and he examined her face.

“It was bad,” he said, wishing he knew what she was thinking.

She was clearly unhappy with their discovery, but was she also…suspicious? He took a slow breath. Why did it have to be the item she had commissioned? It must have been the most expensive by far. What if he didn’t have enough coin to pay for it? His rash declaration that he would pay triple its value seemed foolish now.

“How much?” His voice came out rough. “How much is it worth?”

Avery shook her head. “This lamp isn’t for sale.”

Elliot stared at her, the blood draining from his face. “What do you mean it isn’t for sale?”

He slipped down from the cart, stepping toward her and gripping her upper arms. His eyes held hers.

“Avery. You know I need that lamp. What do you expect me to do? Die?!”

Avery swallowed convulsively. “And what if selling it to you means someone else will die?” she asked softly. “Maybe more than one.”

Elliot stepped back abruptly, staring at her. What was she saying?

He turned and strode away, but he didn’t get far before he spun and strode back. He stopped a single step away from her.

“It’s just a lamp! There can’t possibly be someone else tied to that exact lamp! That’s nonsense. Just tell me how much it cost. Whatever it is, I’ll find a way to pay it. Double or triple if I have to.”

If it came to it, he would even return to…But no. He shook his head. It wouldn’t come to that. He would find another way to raise the funds if needed.

She stepped toward him, her hand raising in a comforting gesture. But he stepped sharply back, and she let her hand drop, sighing.

---