Page 43 of Ties of Legacy

“You!” She glared up at Elliot.

His eyes widened, and he looked down at his hand, as if unable to believe it had let go.

“Sorry?” he gasped.

The girl wrinkled her nose. “I don’t think it’s supposed to be a question.”

Avery rose to her feet, the shock giving way to amusement.

“Look at that! Your duckling is all grown up,” she said to Elliot.

“Huh?” The girl looked between them.

Elliot turned firmly away from Avery. “You’re right,” he said gravely to the girl. “Apologies shouldn’t be questions.”

She nodded, her eyes gleaming at him again.

Avery snorted. “And she’s back,” she muttered.

Elliot gave her another stern look, but she refused to be reprimanded by someone who had just dumped her in the lake.

“I’m getting into dry clothes,” she said. “But then we should think about getting back on the road.”

“Leaving!” the girl cried, dismayed. “You’re leaving?”

Avery didn’t wait around to see Elliot smoothing her ruffled feathers. The family had gathered everything they could salvage from the house and would be leaving soon to stay temporarily with relatives. They didn’t need Avery and Elliot anymore, and Avery was getting jittery. She wanted to be back in the relative privacy and solitude of the road.

It wasn’t anything to do with wanting Elliot all to herself, she told herself as she trudged toward her pack, her boots squelching with each step. She wasn’t the type to be jealous of attention and time given to ducklings.

“My granddaughter tells me you’re leaving.” The herbalist joined Avery at her cart where she had been busy checking everything over, ready for their departure.

“I think it’s time,” she said with a smile. “I believe you’ll be off yourselves soon?”

He nodded. “We’ve just finished packing everything we can salvage.” He paused, and she watched him patiently. Was theresomething else he wanted to ask of them? If so, he seemed unsure about making the request.

“Is there something else you need?” she asked, giving him some encouragement.

“No, I’m already in your debt,” he said quickly. “In fact, that’s why I want to give you this.” He held out a bundle wrapped in soft leather.

Avery took it from him with eager curiosity. She made it her mission to seek out interesting and useful items across the kingdoms, but she had learned that many of the most precious items weren’t for sale—they only fell into her hands if someone chose to gift them to her.

Unwrapping the leather, she stared down at a small pile of carefully crafted miniature daggers, each in their own scabbard. They were beautiful pieces and so tiny she would be able to slide one into her boot, which was an advantage. But that also meant they were too small to present much of a threat.

She looked questioningly up at him, wondering what had inspired him to gift her daggers of all things—and more than one, too.

“Officially I shouldn’t be giving you these,” he said quietly. “But after what you did for us, I trust you. I can’t send you away empty-handed, and they’re the only thing of value I can spare.”

Avery’s eyebrows slowly rose as a possibility occurred to her.

“You mean, these are…” She breathed the words quietly, but even so, she trailed off without actually saying it aloud.

The herbalist nodded.

“Thank you!” Avery said, still in hushed tones. “I’ll treasure them.”

“I just hope they might help you one day when you’re in dire need, as you helped us in our moment of need.”

“I’ll keep one in my boot,” Avery said. “And sleep all the better for it.”

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