Chapter 9

Amelia had just breathed a sigh of relief when Jayden abruptly stopped in his tracks and spun around. "Little mouse." "What now?" she fumed. "That thing." He tilted his chin toward the small pit at her feet and asked, "Do you need me to take care of it for you?" Her heart lurched. She couldn't believe he'd noticed. Amelia hurriedly planted her other foot over it, but under his watchful gaze, her action only made it look as if she was trying to hide something. She didn't know why she trusted him in that moment, but she nodded, gritting her teeth. "Yes, please. Help me get rid of it." Right after saying that, she crouched down, scooped up the dirt-stained liora chiretta, and stuffed it straight into the pocket of his coat. Dusting off her palms, she said, "There. You may leave now!" Jayden, who was a germaphobe, was dumbstruck. Amelia, on the other hand, didn't sense anything wrong with her actions. Back in the countryside, she'd grown up playing in the mud. Once she was sure n