Little Acts of Kindness

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Chapter Thirteen | Little Acts of Kindness

The next two weeks were absolutely brutal.

Cold.

Hungry.

Tired.

Alone.

It reminded Ashlynn of when she was first out on her own. It was survivable at the time, and it would be survivable now; at least, she hoped it would be. The constant fight a Borrower needed to go through just to survive usually kept one's mind occupied. When seen by a human, the scramble to get everything up and out was panic inducing. That panic served as a reminder as to how dangerous humans could be.

Except, they weren't. At least, Soren and his sons weren't dangerous. Sure, they were capable of danger and harm, but other than the accident none of them had intentionally caused harm to Ashlynn.

She knew she was supposed to abandon her camp and move immediately. It wasn't even a choice on the table. Ashlynn was aware of that. There were a few exceptions to the rules, like in the case of bad weather like what they were in right now with the heavy snowy conditions outside. The partial exception was that the next good day to move should be taken immediately and, if you must stay, a Borrower should never never never return to a home where they were or suspected they were seen.

This was hard for her.

True, Soren and his family weren't the only humans in the apartment. True, she could go and borrow from wherever she needed to in order to survive.

It just so happened that she liked borrowing from Soren's place, and no one was going to tell her no. So, despite the "dangers," Ashlynn found herself in the walls and countertops of her once perceived captors. She hadn't been spotted again, as far as she was aware, but Ashlynn did notice that some things were being left out longer or, if she guessed right, on purpose. Little things like essential dried goods, cups of fresh water, a stack of cloth fragments perfectly, and even an assortment of office supplies including thumb tacks and paper clips.

It was both infuriating and heartwarming.

On one hand, how dare those humans think she couldn't take care of herself!

On the other hand, how sweet that those same humans took time and care to remember her. 

Ashlynn found herself in mental battles with herself constantly. Each side of herself was arguing with the other. What could she do? Leave? Stop borrowing from them? Never think of them again?

To her own credit, she did try. During those two weeks where she struggled to stay away, Ashlynn tried to avoid peeking down in the home she lived above. It was a struggle though, especially with the pieces being left out for her as a kind of memento or offering.

One evening, after a particularly viscous round about with herself about why she should avoid going down and performing surveillance on Soren's home, Ashlynn found herself crouched by the edge of trim she'd used so many times to check and make sure Soren wasn't home.

The tunnel was dark and quiet, but the sound of the garage door and both Dorian and Rey talking meant that Soren was also home. She'd cleaned the area recently, so no dust or cobwebs would give her away if she wanted to look down. While it sounded like no one was in the room, she needed to check. Just to be sure, Ashlynn pushed the piece of trim to the side and peered down into the room she had become very familiar with two weeks prior.

Sure enough, Soren had just come into his room. He looked exhausted as he closed his door and leaned against it, eyes closed as his shoulders sank. Ashlynn couldn't see his features well from where she was crouched from behind the trim, but what she did see was Soren snag the bottom of his shirt and flip it off his body in the blink of an eye.

The sight made the Borrower blush.

You'd make an excellent Borrower with a build like that.

She felt her jaw slacken as she stared at a shirtless Soren, entranced at his lean but muscular frame. The temperature suddenly seemed unbearable. Her heart skipped a beat. Even the way his hair fell by his eyes as he turned and snagged another shirt was hypnotic. Ashlynn might've fallen right there out of the wall just to get a better look when she noticed something she hadn't before.

Scars.

Soren's back was littered with dozens of scar marks. It was mortifying. Some were thick and others were thin. Some looked old while others seemed more severe. What bothered her the most was that they didn't look like burns, but cuts and slashes. All were long since healed, but it snapped Ashlynn out of her admiration stupor as she wondered what Soren's life was actually like and whether humans really had it that "easy."

She made it back to her home and the comforts of her bed as she thought about Soren and how, during her time down there, that he was right. Well, he was right about a lot of things, but one phrase stuck out in her mind.

"Wish we could've learned more about each other, but that's life, right?"

It was a weird sensation, regretting talking to a human and offering some kind of information exchange to learn more about them and the human world they occupied. Ashlynn did have a lot of question about the human world and why certain things were the way they were. Why did kids have to go to school? What exactly is the point of "home work"? If you go to work, what do you get in exchange? Where do humans get all of their food? And where does that place get the food? How to phones and televisions work?

The dangerous part of this hypothetical information exchange was the questions Soren and his sons would ask her. What are you? Why are you so small? Are there more of you? Why do you have these rules? Do others know about Borrowers? How do you live? Where do you get your supplies?

Though Soren might not ask these questions, just the mere possibility that Ashlynn would have to try and explain so many things about who and what she was just to know about the human world made her stomach churn.

No. It's better if I keep to myself and don't say anything to them. I shouldn't talk to them anymore. I shouldn't even think about going back down there. It's best if I keep my distance. Maybe they'll forget about me? I don't have a reason to go down there to talk or interact with them anyway. In fact, I won't go.

Ashlynn was wrong.

Three days after this mental conviction, a need arose that was too great for Ashlynn to ignore.

She was walking along under the floorboards, checking for mice, when she heard a *thunk* followed by the familiar, muffled voice of Rey saying, "Oh no! Aw man!"

His brother, Dorian, responded with exactly what Ashlynn was thinking. "Rey? What is it?" Ashlynn could see the passage clearly. It was just down one set of boards and then under the floor joists. Should she? No. Did she? Yes.

Ashlynn crept down one set of boards and then under the floor joists to find herself in Rey and Dorian's room. The two shadows further away told her the boys were currently hunkered over on the ground peering under the bed at the vent, which was close by where Ashlynn crouched.

"I dropped it!" sniffled Rey, sounding more pitiful than ever.

"You what? Dropped what?" Dorian's response sounded nonchalant. Rey's quivering voice was saturated with tears.

"S-soren's car."

"Soren's car? The one his dad got him? Oh man! You're in trou-ble!" Dorian chided. "Why were you playing with it?"

"H-he s-s-said I could when I p-p-promised h-him I'd be ca-care-careful," sniffled Rey. "A-an-d I r-rolled it under the b-bed ac-cidentally and it fell into the v-v-vent."

"Aw man…" Dorian mumbled. "Do… well…"

"I'm in s-so m-m-much trou-ble!" Rey sounded like he was on the verge of crying harder.

"Hey… it's okay," soothed Dorian. Ashlynn heard the sounds of ruffling cloth, like Dorian was rubbing Rey's back. "You know… you could tell Soren I lost it. I don't mind."

"N-no! I d-don-n't want to get you in t-trouble," sputtered Rey.

"Well, one of us is going to be in trouble," pointed out Dorian. "And that's what older brothers do."

Perhaps it was her affection for the youngest boy or a sensation of indebtedness that led her choice. Maybe it was the showcase of valor from Dorian that inspired her. Maybe it was how pitiful Rey was being. Or, maybe, it was because she wanted to give something back to Soren after all he did for her.

Whatever the case, Ashlynn crawled her way through the narrow spaces toward the vent she knew was right under Rey's bed. Cobwebs, thick and sticky, coated her cloak and smeared in her hair. Dust caked her shoes. The Borrower pushed forward and, after wrestling with a few nails, found the end of the vent that Rey was talking about. It was a trick to slide in, but it was well worth the reward because, plain as day, there was the toy car sitting in a pile of dust bunnies.

It was a much smaller car than Ashlynn thought, but was grateful all the same since she would be the one hauling it back. It took some finagling back through the edge of the vent where she slipped in from and the fierce cobwebs tried to trip her twice.

 By the time Ashlynn made it back to the floorboards where she heard the boys talking about the lost toy, she could hear the two of them talking to Soren. The closer she got, the less muffled their voices became.

"Rey, thank you for telling me the truth and for apologizing. And Dorian, I appreciate you trying to protect your brother, but it's important to be honest. You getting in trouble doesn't teach Rey the valuable lessons of being truthful and taking care of things that don't belong to him," Soren explained. The way he scolded was firm, but fair, that honey smooth voice making it hard to focus.

"Yessir," the boys answered in tandem.

"Okay. Well, I wish that hadn't happened, but maybe I'll be able to get it back. I'm going to see if I have any tools that'll help." Ashlynn heard the floorboards creak above her loudly, followed by rumbling footsteps as Soren left the kids' bedroom.

Okay… how am I going to do this? Ashlynn wondered as she hoisted herself up onto the ledge of a nearby block which led to the piece of trim she used to get into the boys' room. Just as she did, she heard the older boy pipe up.

"Hey, you see if you can get under the bed and reach again. I'm going to go help Soren look for some tools," said Dorian as, lightning fast, he skittered off down the hall and into the kitchen.

"But!" Rey didn't get a word in fast enough. Pouting, he mumbled, "I wanted to go help look for tools," before crouching on the ground again and peering under his bed.

Cute kid… Ashlynn thought to herself. Then, an idea struck her and, all at once, she knew how she wanted to do this. She watched Rey crouching down and laying flat on his stomach as his thin little arms groped under his bed to try and pull the cover off of the vent.

Hopefully this works, thought Ashlynn as she set her bag onto the ground and stepped forward, toy cradled in her arms. The Borrower woman stepped up onto the floor behind the bed and dresser and set the car onto the ground. She pulled the car back and, using all her strength, gave the car a push.

The slightly rusted and cobweb filled tires squeaked loudly as it rolled across the floor from under the dresser. Other than Rey's grunts of frustration, there were no other obvious sounds in their home. So, when he heard the squeaking, Rey's attention immediately shifted from the task at hand to the miniscule toy that, seemingly, moved on its own.

Ashlynn heard him gasp softly as he crawled over and carefully picked up the toy, which made the Borrower smile. There was something about the hushed fascination in Rey's voice that was endearing. The childish wonder of seeing something that couldn't be explained was something she had always enjoyed; though, to be fair, she never thought she would be enjoying it from a human. She'd always associated that sound of childish curiosity from a human with danger for herself or a fellow Borrower.

She was about to leave when, with a bit of hesitation, she saw Rey lean down and peer under the piece of furniture. His pale blue eye and round, boyish features were clearly visible now, and Ashlynn knew instantly he'd spotted her. His eyes flared wide and a big smile spread across his face. From where she was crouching, Ashlynn could just make out the top of Rey's eyebrows all the way down to his chin.

"Hey there, little miss," he breathed. His voice was so soft and sweet that Ashlynn would've thought he was trying to coax a butterfly closer to him if he weren't staring right at her. Rather than set off her panic and will to run, Ashlynn felt warm and fuzzy. For one, the fact Rey called her "little miss" meant either Soren hadn't told the boys that she could talk and gave her name, or Rey was still being respectful. Two, she remembered what it felt like to be appreciated every once in a while.

It felt nice.

Rey held up the toy and asked, "Did… you get this back? For me?" Ashlynn smiled and, deciding there was no harm in it, decided to acknowledge Rey's statement by nodding. The smile on the boy's face was absolutely worth it, cobwebs and all. "Wow! Thank you! Thank you thank you thank you thank you, little miss!" The kid's enthusiasm and sheer joy saturated his voice.

Ashlynn felt the ground beginning to tremor ever so slightly. Her heightened Borrower senses told her a human was coming. It was undoubtedly Soren and Dorian returning to help get the toy back.

It wasn't that Ashlynn felt uneasy being around all of them at once, but she didn't want to end up staying for too long. She hadn't intended on being seen today after all. She just happened to be by and the desire to help was stronger than her instincts to flee and vacate the walls. The Borrower glanced from Rey back to the door before glancing back at the boy.

Rey was most certainly related to Soren because he picked up on the tiny movement and glanced back toward the door.

"Oh, do… you need to go?" asked Rey.

Ashlynn nodded.

"Should I keep seeing you a secret?"

Ashlynn thought about it before, after a moment, shaking her head 'no.' She didn't mind if the others knew. She just wanted to make her leave quickly.

"I can tell them? Awesome! Oh. Right. You need to go. Bye, little miss," Rey muttered quietly. "And thank you again."

Ashlynn thought about it, only for a moment, before daring to breathe and reply a simple, "You're welcome," before darting back into the walls. Rey was in the middle of pushing himself up when, quite obviously by the way he tripped over himself, that he laid back down on the ground to look under the dresser only to not see her.

Good. I shouldn't have said anything, but… he's so sweet. I just couldn't be silent.

On her climb back up the walls, Ashlynn could hear Rey eagerly bouncing around like an excited puppy talking about how he saw "little miss" again and how, this time, she talked to him.

"I swear! She said, 'you're welcome' before taking off to wherever she goes. You should've seen her!" said Rey eagerly.

"Aw! Man! I wanted to see her too," grumbled Dorian.

"Maybe! Maybe you will. She looked like she was feeling better. B-but don't worry, Soren! I didn't touch her or anything. I was super-spectful."

"It's respectful," corrected Dorian.

"Nu-uh! This is a new word I came out with, and it's super-spectful." Ashlynn could imagine the grin on the youngest boy's face.

"Well, I'm glad you got a chance to see her. It's nice that she's still around, especially with the blizzard coming. Looks like we're getting snowed in for Christmas this year boys," replied Soren. The two youngsters cheered, their excitement contagious, and just for a moment Ashlynn dared to open the trim and peer down into the human world below. Both Dorian and Rey were bouncing up and down as they followed Soren out of the room. He paused in the doorway momentarily, a thoughtful smile tugging the corners of his lips up while his eyes traced the baseboards, before following the two out of the room.

The trim piece was secured once more and the Borrower headed off back to her room for the time being. She had cobwebs to peal off and goodness knew what was in her hair at the moment. In the quiet of her place, Ashlynn thought about her brief interaction with the youngest boy and wondered what it might've been like if Dorian were the one to find her.

Alas, she didn't have to wonder for long.

Not two days later when she was out borrowing, she'd managed to get her hook snagged in one of the splintered sides of a cabinet. It was the middle of the night, and she needed some supplies from the bathroom. She was still a Borrower after all.

She was trying to open up the cabinet under the sink, but instead of her hook sinking into the wood of the door, it was lodged right into the frame directly beside it. Try as she might, Ashlynn couldn't get the hook undone and was taking a break for the sake of her arm and to brainstorm what to do next when she heard a faint thumping sound. It was coming from the next bedroom, and it was approaching rapidly.

Ashlynn darted under the overhang of the cabinet just under the door, silently praying whoever it was wouldn't notice her hook, just as the lights flicked on. The blinding light kept her from spotting who it was at first, her own eyes adjusted to the meager lamp on her hip, but moments later it was very clear it was the oldest of the two boys because he was squatting right in front of her.

Ashlynn saw Dorian's sleep filled face looming just above her hiding spot, but he hadn't noticed her. He noticed her hook! His body was rigid and he looked nervous, but also excited. Dorian hesitated, obviously torn as to whether or not he should bother with the line and the wedged hook.

Instead, he stood slowly and carefully, did his business, and then began washing his hands. Ashlynn, while crouched and remaining as silent as a Borrower, thought just for a moment that perhaps this was perfect timing. She couldn't get her hook out at the moment, and rather than possibly injuring herself again or straining her arm, which was particularly sore today after a vigorous climbing session, she started to think that she could use the helping hand.

A flash of movement in front of her caught her eye, and Ashlynn snapped out of her temporary stupor in time to see Dorian crouch again, eyes fixed on the hook. Though her instinct screamed for her to stay motionless, Ashlynn held her breath as she poked her head out from under the cabinet. Immediately, she watched the youth's pale blue eyes widen, a wave of rigidness visibly shaking him before holding perfectly still. The kid offered a tentative smile as his eyes flicked from Ashlynn, who was barely peeking out at him, to the hook still imbedded in the cabinet.

"Hi… little miss…" Dorian breathed. "I… um… sorry. You're probably hiding from me, huh?"

Ashlynn wasn't sure exactly how to answer that question. Yes and no? She was hiding, but that was instinct. It didn't have anything to do with it being him. It might have at one time or another because of the accident, but that's what it was – an accident. Unfortunately, the moment it took her mind to make up an answer was just long enough to leave Dorian looking absolutely crushed.

"It's… it's okay. I'd be mad at me too and probably hide if someone hurt me," he sighed. There was an obvious crestfallen tone that shook Ashlynn out of her hesitancy and, suddenly, she found herself standing and shaking her head while shaking her head. Sympathy tugged at her heart as she bit her lip, trying to think of something to help make Dorian feel better. "I… I am really sorry. I wish I could make it up to you."

It was such a novel sensation, feeling bad for a human. Never in her life did Ashlynn think that she would ever feel this way. Humans had it all. Food. Shelter. Hardly a care in the world. It felt hard to pity someone who she thought had it all. Also, what Dorian said about wanting to make it up to her. The feelings of guilt were obviously eating at the boy.

Then, like a bright flash of lightning, Ashlynn thought of something that would kill two birds with one stone. It was so simple that she actually chided herself for not thinking of it sooner.

Ashlynn waved her arm, stepping forward one other step, and made sure Dorian was looking at her. His pale blue eyes picked up the movement easily. If she looked closely, the Borrower swore she could see her reflection in his eyes. Now that she had his attention, she stepped back up to her line and gave it a tug. The hook was still steadfast in its hold in the woodgrain.

Dorian's eyes glanced from Ashlynn to the line again before recognition sparked. "Oh… do you need help? Is this stuck?" Ashlynn nodded. "Y-yeah. Yeah! Absolutely." Dorian slowly reached over and, as easily as lifting a strand of hair, plucked the hook from the wood before lowering it and handing it over to Ashlynn.

Being close to the same fingers that had dislocated her shoulder made Ashlynn force a shudder from zipping up her spine and, instead, she stepped up and carefully took the hook from the child. It was then that Dorian glanced up to the door and pointed to it.

"Were… you trying to get in there? Do you need something?" asked Dorian. It was a good question, but it still made Ashlynn hesitate. The act of borrowing was done solo or by other Borrowers. Even though the three had been leaving things out intentionally for her, Ashlynn still felt weird about being "caught in the act" of borrowing. At the same time, they seemed like they wanted to be helpful.

So, with a quick glance back to the cabinet door she was struggling to open, she nodded sheepishly. Dorian took the initiative and opened the cabinet door, making sure it wouldn't swing shut, and then retracted his hand.

"Better?" he asked. Eagerly, the Borrower nodded, immensely grateful that the boy was being so helpful without asking questions. "Good. Well… goodnight. Be safe."

Ashlynn watched as Dorian cautiously stood and began heading for the door, but she couldn't just let him go like that. It didn't feel right.

"Thanks, and sleep tight," she said, a bit louder than she anticipated, before jumping up into the cabinet and switching her hip lamp back on. She didn't need to look over her shoulder to know Dorian had paused at the door, and she didn't need to listen hard to hear him mutter a faint "yes" before scampering back off to bed.

Two more days passed. Ashlynn noticed a few more things were being left out or slightly open. Cabinets. Bags. It was an odd. Ashlynn knew she should've felt unnerved. She knew everything in her should be screaming to flee. It made her feel guilty that she was quickly losing those feelings. The Borrower worried she might be losing her independence, but how could she? She was living in the walls freely. She could come and go at will.

Was it something to do with the boys? Soren? Or was she subtly being changed?

The real question was did she mind?

Ashlynn didn't know the answer. What she did know was that while she was out gathering some bread fragments from the bread box and heard Soren and the boys come in, her sense of panic was minimal. Crouched in the darkness, Ashlynn watched the shadows of the two young boys dart through the kitchen back and forth, the sound of plastic bags rustling in their arms.

"Soren! Soren, do… um… do you think we should get her something? You know? For Christmas?" asked Rey.

"Yeah! She might like something under the tree," Dorian chimed in. "Do you think she celebrates Christmas?"

"I don't know," Soren replied. The sound of the door shutting and clicking into place was followed by more rustling sounds. "She might not celebrate Christmas, and she might be doing something. I think the gesture would be nice though."

"Yeah! What do you think she'd like?" asked Dorian.

"Let's check out what we have in our room. Maybe we can make something for her. I hope she likes the staff I made," Rey replied. Ashlynn couldn't stop the little smile that pulled up onto the side of her lips. As a matter of fact, she had. The tool Rey had presented to her while she was still in their care had come in more handy than the child could ever know. Easy for climbing, reaching, and cutting, it took only a few tweaks for it to be Ashlynn's number one tool next to her hook and line.

The sound of the boys darting away gave her a moment to gently push open the bread box and peer out at Soren, who looked like he was putting away whatever was in those plastic bags. She was just about ready to make a dart for the slightly ajar electrical outlet when she saw Soren turn on his heel, loaf of bread in his hand, and open the box she was concealed in.

It happened so fast that Ashlynn barely had time to duck off to the side, which obviously didn't go unnoticed. Soren's quick inhalation and instant hesitation told Ashlynn she had been busted. Rather than shy away from it, however, she stepped forward and offered a bashful smile. Soren's face mirrored her own. He crouched, movements calculated to not startle her.

"Hey there, Ashlynn." Soren's voice was low, most likely to keep Rey and Dorian from hearing him. Hearing him say her name was strange, but not unwelcome. "I didn't interrupt, did I?" Seeing the miniscule woman standing there in his bread box was the last thing Soren expected to see today. He had been worried about her, naturally, but didn't expect to see her again. She looked well enough with color in her cheeks and her hair up in a messy pony tail. What really made him smile was the fact he saw Rey's walking stick attached to her backpack along the side.

So… she did like it….

Ashlynn bit her lip and gave a miniscule shrug before saying, "A bit, but I should've been more careful." Soren's eyes gleamed as she spoke. It was as if he hadn't expected a response, and receiving one was a pleasant, but novel, experience.

"Oh… then… do you need me to leave?" asked Soren. Ashlynn exhaled in a slight puff. Did she need him to leave? Did she want to leave right now? When so many things had been going on recently?

"I… I should go, so… yes?" Even as she said it, Ashlynn didn't feel entirely sure. The thought of learning more about Soren and his family fascinated her. It was enticing, luring her forward out of her solitary existence into something she was sure she nor any other Borrower had experienced. Soren nodded, smiling thoughtfully.

"Okay then. I'll keep this between us," he stated. He had begun to stand when he hesitated. He glanced back at her with a hint of hesitation in his eyes. "Um… this might seem like a weird request, but… would you like to come down and have dinner with us? It doesn't have to be now or ever, but the boys have been asking and it seemed polite to offer."

Ashlynn felt her cheeks flush, and now more than ever she was grateful that she was standing in the shadows. She hoped it was going to go unnoticed. The rules blared like sirens in her mind. She knew she was supposed to say no. Again, did she want to?

"I…" The words caught in her throat, as did her decision. What did she want to do?

"Well, like I said, you can if you'd like. Think about it," said Soren. A reminiscent smile turned his lips upward. "You know, you telling them 'thank you' and 'you're welcome' really made their days. Anyway, be safe and maybe we'll see you around."

Soren reached up, pausing only for a moment, before delicately closing the lid to the bread box. The Borrower heard him walk away into the other room, giving her the perfect opportunity to leave.

Slipping out of the box was easy enough, and clambering up part of the backsplash and getting into the walls was even easier. It was the next thing that Ashlynn suddenly found impossible – leaving.

The question of whether or not she minded being out with three humans came back into her mind. She thought about her own bed back in the ceiling and the silence of so many evenings. She thought about the evenings and mornings making food solo. Images of so many borrowing missions alone flooded her thoughts.

Have I really been so lonely? That I'm not bothered that these three humans know about me? I didn't tell them anything about me. I told Soren my name, but that was it. Was it learning about them? Did that make me more sympathetic and understanding of these humans?

Ashlynn glanced back toward the outline of light made by the electrical cover.

What should I do? What do I want to do?

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Soren preoccupied himself in his room for the next few minutes. Seeing Ashlynn was an unexpected surprise. He'd be lying if he said he hadn't been worried about the little woman in the walls, but it wasn't for him to tell her how to live or insist that she "needed protecting." He had enough things to worry about without trying to dictate how someone else was living their life.

Exhausted, he stared at the mail he'd read through a thousand times, glaring at the name listed in the folded papers. It was an appeal which was obviously going to be denied if Soren had anything to say about it, but it was still an unnecessary stressor. It made his blood boil. To think that man has the nerve to reach out and try to appeal everything that happened.

He ran his fingers through his hair, noting how long it was getting, and laced his fingers behind his neck while swaying back and forth. It was something he'd seen his dad do countless times when he was thinking. It was involuntary, and something he'd picked up only later in life. If only mom could see me now, he chuckled to himself.

Certain enough time had passed, Soren left his bedroom, making sure to slide the documents into his bedside table drawer, and headed back to the kitchen. Chattering, muffled voices in the next room told him Dorian and Rey were both engrossed in whatever thing they were trying to make for Ashlynn.

He started to wonder what his brothers could be concocting and how much he'd have to get involved when his thoughts came to a screeching halt. He felt his brow tug downward in confusion as a smile spread across his face.

Right there, on the counter, was Ashlynn. She was sitting on the ledge of the backsplash right in front of the electrical cover. When Soren first spotted her, her fingers were laced and on her lap, focus obviously locked onto her twiddling thumbs. Her pack was by her feet and, as soon as she spotted Soren, she straightened up rigidly.

For several seconds, they locked eyes, saying nothing, until Ashlynn spoke up, and what she said made Soren even more curious about the miniscule woman.

"If I'm going to stay, I have some rules for you three."