The book had a peculiar title, Elixirs for Beginners, poisons to potions. With the subheading Getting the Murder Charge So You Don’t Have To. It didn’t seem like the type of book a child should be reading, or a responsible parent would let a child read. The first chapter was about using elixirs responsibly, and how “The authors of this book are not legally at fault for anything caused by it’s readers.”

“When did you get this book?” Aleah asked.

“A few days after I met Duane. He doesn’t understand Tullian writing, so he gave it to me.” she said. This perplexed Rain, he thought for sure they were related. He guessed it made sense, she never called him her father, nor he her daughter. Then how did they meet?

“So where are you two from?” Aleah asked.

“I don’t know where Duane is from, but I’m from Riversplit,” she said. Lucinda never really had any parents until Duane came along. She lived on the streets, but because she was a cute child, she was given food for free. Duane took her in when she was young, and she never actually learned why. She just always assumed he was lonely, so he took her.

“Let’s get back into town, unless you want more flowers,” Aleah said, snapping her out of her trance.

“I have enough, but I’d enjoy more though,” Lucinda replied.

“Then we’ll get more. We will have to go back soon though,” Aleah said.

The bow didn’t feel right. They never have, but Rain checked at every town, city, hole in the earth campsite, to know if there was a bow she could use. Of course she never found any, and only felt worse about herself each time. Duane was talking to the store owner, while a dog was pressing into him, begging to be pet. Rain wisteled, and the dog ran up to her.

“It seems like he likes you,” the store owner said cheerfully.

“I think he does,” Rain replied. The dog was lying on his back, begging to be pet, so Aleah bent down and pet him.

“You can take him if you want to,” The owner said, “I was an adventurer at one point, had a dog just like him. Then she had babies, so I had to settle in here and sell them.”

“What happened to the mother?” Duane asked.

“She died a year ago, little Charlie here and his sister are all I really have left of her.”

“We don’t want to take one of you dogs,” Rain said.

“Don’t worry. He’s full of energy, is a really good hunter, and I honestly don’t have the time to take care of him,” the shopkeeper said.

“Well, we can take him,” Duane said, “he could help us with hunting I guess.”

“Then let's keep him, what’s his name?” Rain asked.

“Charlie, he doesn’t like berries though. They upset his stomach,” the shopkeeper said.