The Elder Blood Chronicles Bk 1 In Shades of Grey Read Online Free PDF Page A

you some help
in the garden.” He finished and began to eat his breakfast.
    Mother looked to Jala then back to her
father. “Becka would be fine help, but I have Jala to help me.
Surely Becka’s own mother could use her help.”
    “The Walkers have more children than I do
cows. Half the time I wonder how they feed them all. I’m sure Lacey
will have plenty of help in her garden and Becka will earn a few
coins by helping in ours. Besides, she is twelve. She will be more
help than Jala.” Jala kept her eyes on both parents as she ate. Her
mother had an eyebrow arched, and her father had that slight grin
that showed he knew he was going to get his way.
    “Jala will need to learn how to garden, or
her family will starve. Remember the first year we settled out
here. Half my plants died and we had to buy most of our food. By
spring, we could barely afford more seed. I wouldn’t wish that on
my daughter.”
    “Jala is only seven with plenty of time to
learn,” her father countered smoothly.
    She felt the nudge at her leg again and
slipped Cap a thick piece of bacon; sure neither parent would
notice. Taking another bite of food, she sat back and watched as
her father smoothly guided the conversation.
    “I won’t have time to watch her, better that
she helps me, so I know she isn’t getting into mischief,” her
mother said mildly. She had recognized the direction of this talk
by now, and her objections seemed halfhearted.
    Her father looked shocked at the words, his
expression almost comical. Jala repressed a giggle and fed another
piece of bacon to Cap. “Jala? Mischief? Why I don’t believe the two
have ever met.” He raised an eyebrow at Jala and gave her a
grin.
    Her mother repressed her own grin and shook
her head. “Of course not. Not your sweet, innocent Jala.”
    “Indeed not. My Jala couldn’t do any wrong.”
He leaned over and gave her mother a light kiss on the cheek. “I
will be taking her with me to check the cows. Surely Mischief won’t
find her if she is with me.”
    Her mother did laugh then. “No doubt, it
knows you far better. Why stop at a child when it can visit an old
friend.” She gave another sigh, her smile still showing. “You do
realize you have a daughter, right?” She asked with another shake
of her head. “You treat her more as a boy. Look at her patched
trousers, oversized shirt, and wild hair.”
    “Aye, Maggie, I know she is a girl, and I
know I’m working on limited time here. Soon enough she will be all
braids and ribbons and afraid of dirt. Her concerns will be of
young boys and new dresses. Keeping her poor old father company
while he checks the family cows will be her last thought. Let me
have the few years of her childhood I have left, please.” He looked
at her with exaggerated pleading and sipped from his tea in time to
hide the wide smile. His eyes danced merrily over the brim at her
mother who was laughing softly again.
    “Over played that a bit, didn’t you?” She
asked through her laugh. “You poor old withered thing, I suppose
you can take your daughter out before she turns on you completely.
I think she is going to wear the hide off that poor pony though.
She’s been riding him more than walking since you gave him to
her.”
    “He’s a horse, not a pony,” Jala objected
quietly. Her father grinned wider, and her mother simply rolled her
eyes.
    “I’ll saddle Blackjack for her and she can
ride about the yard a bit while I get them started on the plowing,
then we will be off and should be back by late afternoon,” he
stated.
    Her mother frowned slightly. “I don’t like
her riding by herself yet, Toby. She is still so little. Wait on
the saddling until you are back and she can help me pack a lunch
for the two of you. If you are going to be out till late afternoon,
you will need it.”
    “She’ll be fine. That pony wouldn’t spook if
you tied a snake to his bridle. Jala has good balance, too. We
shouldn’t need much of a lunch. Some dried meat