Page 97 of The Threadbare Queen

Gregor turned to look at him, and Ava felt a moment of satisfaction at seeing Sirna coughing up dirty river water.

Then Gregor headed back to the camp.

Ava hadn’t gone far and they reached it in less than five minutes.

Vanin Gruger and Madame Croter were standing beside a fire they’d lit beneath an open-sided canvas shelter.

It was a clever idea.

Ava was almost tearful with gratitude as Gregor set her down beside it and Madame Croter began to pour hot water from a pot beside the fire into a bowl.

She had brought being cold and wet on herself, and she was sorry Gregor was in a similar condition, shivering and bedraggled. But with the Focus safely out of Sirna’s hands, she couldn’t regret it.

“Come now, let’s get you to my cart. I’ll clean you up and get you warm.” Madame Croter jerked her head at Gregor and he obligingly lifted Ava again, bending over her to shield her from the rain once they were out from under the canvas covering until he had her inside Madame Croter’s cart.

“Thank you.” She whispered it into his ear as he set her down. “If you have a chance to burn that dress when no one can see you, please do it.”

He nodded. “Melodie told me it was what you were looking for.”

Then he backed out, and Madame Croter came in. She sponged Ava down with hot, clean water and soap, and then rubbed her dry with a rough towel.

It was the first hot water she’d had to wash in since she’d been taken, and the feeling of being cleanandwarm was indescribable.

Madame Croter took the dirty water and stepped out of the cart.

Ava was naked, and she burrowed deeper in the blanket she’d been given and took the opportunity to have a good look around the interior.

She hadn’t asked what Madame Croter did for her living, but now she could see she was a merchant.

There were boxes set into carefully designed shelves along both walls of the cart, containing hats.

Or Ava thought the closed boxes contained hats. There were plenty of hats of all kinds not in boxes, sitting on racks. Two carved wooden heads, the necks set on sturdy wooden bases, each sported a jaunty wide-brimmed hat.

Gregor poked his head back in. “You look better.”

He stepped inside.

“You, too.”

He was in dry clothes, and no longer looked bedraggled.

“Thank you.”

He nodded. Patted his pocket. “I can’t burn it now, but when they go to bed . . .”

She closed her eyes in relief. Gave a nod. “Tell Melodie goodbye from me. And that offer is still open. Go stay at my grandmother’s house for as long as you wish, if it suits you.”

He hesitated, then gave a nod. “You’re going tonight?”

“Yes. That needle and thread that I asked you about . . . ”

“Tucked behind the back wheel. There’s a little box set under the cart where I keep tools in case something gets caught in the spokes. It’s in there.”

She reached out and took his hands, squeezed them. “If you ever need help, or Melodie does, you can go to the Rising Wave, ask for whoever is in charge, and say Ava sent you.”

He stared at her in surprise, then gave a slow nod. “I feel like there is something else I could do.”

She thought about it for a moment. “Try to get Sirna and Evelyn drunk tonight. That would help.”

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