Healing Ties (Ties, Book 2) | ✓

Chapter 51

"Do you need me to help you talk to people?" Yore asked Libby as they headed back down towards the beach, guided by the light of a distant bonfire. "I'm not sure which stories would be the best to show, but there are people here now who I know better than you do."

A small swarm of pixies had gathered around Libby, guiding her through the darkness, and she did a twirl in their light as they walked. "No. They may know you better than they know me, but I know everyone better than you'll ever know anybody. But either way, no, it's okay. Have fun and let me worry about it. If anybody needs to be talked into sharing their memories with an army of humans, well, maybe it's better if they just don't."

"You have my consent to take my memories if you need them," Yore said. "I've interacted with humans more than most, so there may be something you can make use of."

"You can use mine, too," Fanner offered. "If you think that would be helpful, anyway. Maybe it wouldn't be. Nothing that was done to me was anywhere near as bad as what was done to Kit and Izzy, and I am a slave, so maybe humans wouldn't have much sympathy towards me regardless."

"Humans are complicated creatures, or at least as complicated as any of the rest of us," Libby said. "They see slaves as an other. They choose to forget they have feelings. I can make them remember."

"You might talk to Duran, too, then," Fanner suggested. "He's—well, I'm sure you know who he is. I don't know how willing he would be to share, but I can tell he's been through a lot."

Libby's eyes were fixed on Fanner's face as she nodded. "I see what you mean. I'll talk to him."

"I'd offer to talk to him for you, but besides you already saying such things aren't necessary, I'm not sure he would be more likely to talk to me. He's always protected me. He might be more willing to open up to you."

"What I can do is disturbing to a lot of people, but some people find it comforting, you know. If I already know everything, the darkest parts of them, and I'm still treating them like I am, well... it can come as a relief to some."

"I can understand that," Fanner murmured.

"And you feel that way without even having any reason to. You never even did anything bad. Isn't that sad?"

"Oh, well, um. I suppose? I wouldn't say I've never done anything bad. I'm not perfect."

Liby smiled. "Yup! And that's why you feel bad. Because someone taught you that you should be and you aren't and you never will be."

Fanner just shrugged.

Yore's eyes were drawn to golden hair illuminated by the light of the bonfire as they drew closer to the party and one of the tiny balls of anxiety that had been sitting deep in his stomach relaxed when he realised who it belonged to.

"Lucas!" Yore called out, his arms already opening for a hug as Lucas turned around.

Lucas' face lit up with a grin as he flung himself into Yore's arms. After a long embrace, he stood back and shook his head. "Everyone said you weren't dead, but I still kinda wanted to see for myself."

"You should know by now that I don't follow anyone's expectations for when I should be dead."

"Well then, I'm glad to be able to help keep you alive by being sceptical of your continued survival."

Yore turned around only to find that Libby had already wandered off and Fanner was standing alone behind him, watching awkwardly. He reached an arm out to draw him into the conversation. "Lucas, you didn't manage to bring any of your nicer clothes with you, did you? It's not something I normally worry about, but around here status matters and clothing has a lot to do with how you project that status."