Healing Ties (Ties, Book 2) | ✓

Chapter 42

Yore woke up with Fanner laying so close he was almost pressed up against him. He was still asleep, so Yore was careful not to wake him as he got up.

"You're awake already?" Duran asked. He'd been sitting against the side of the cave, watching them sleep.

"There's something I need to do. Can you stay here with Fanner?"

"Sure. I promised I'd keep an eye on him while he sleeps, so I'm not moving until he wakes up."

"Thank you. I won't be far."

Yore wandered down the bank of the creek, and as expected, he didn't have to go far to find Cookie. He picked up a snail and handed it to her when he got close.

"So," Yore said as Cookie shoved her entire fist in her mouth, completely unnecessarily, in order to eat the snail. "If I'm right, and I think I am, you already know what I'm thinking."

Cookie flopped down in the middle of the creek, letting the shallow water just barely push her along as her body brushed against the pebbly bottom.

"Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think I am," Yore said. "Fanner saw an apparition that led him straight to you, which on its own isn't much, but Kit said a couple of things in that dream that turned an inkling into a strong suspicion. They said that their intention in appearing to Fanner was to help a friend, which is an odd thing to say if they had never met Fanner before helping him. And then they said that, contrary to popular belief, they never meant to scare anyone. I seem to recall those dwarves telling us that you fed off of fear, which I don't think is actually the case. You've spent quite a lot of time today eating snails, and while I don't always know why you do the things you do, I don't think you're doing that just for fun."

Cookie let her mouth hang open further and gave no response.

"You're psychic, aren't you? Kit said they could read our thoughts, and if Kit is part of you... it would make sense. You can read minds, you can make people perceive things that aren't actually there, but I think you can also borrow the senses of others. Maybe you do stumble around blindly, but we never see it because as long as we can see, so can you."

Cookie let water flow into her mouth until it was full and then pushed it out so that it gushed over her face.

Yore sighed. "I want to be a good friend to you, because you've been a good friend to us, but it's hard to know what you want. Do you want me to forget what I've figured out, never tell Fanner, and let you just be Cookie from now on? Maybe. You're acting like it. But... I don't know. I don't want to make assumptions when I know so little about you."

Cookie hauled herself up, strode to the bank, and picked up a long stick. She prodded Yore with it.

"Ow," Yore said, though it hadn't hurt.

When Yore didn't move, she prodded him again.

Yore started walking back towards the cave, earning himself another prod when he turned to look back at her in confusion. She continued slowly pursuing him with the stick until they reached the cave.

"What's she doing?" Duran asked.

"I think she's telling me to go back to bed."

"Fair point, honestly."

"Yeah." An involuntary yawn escaped Yore's mouth. "I do need to rest."

"Get some sleep, buddy. I'll keep watch."

"Mm," Yore said as he laid back down beside Fanner. "Thanks."

Yore had half expected Cookie to use the opportunity to unleash Kit on him and have a proper conversation, but when he drifted off, he fell into a much needed deep and dreamless sleep.