For a moment, Sir Gavin looked like he wanted to accept the offer, but he held up his right hand in a gesture that begged Sir Ollie to wait while he found the words he needed.
"Sir Ollie," Gavin said carefully, his voice carrying the weight of a man who had spent the better part of two frustrating years struggling to learn to live with his limitations. "I appreciate the offer, truly I do, but there's no debt between us. You've already done more than enough by bringing Lord Liam home safely. I can't ask for a favor this heavy, especially one that I might never be able to repay."
The words were polite, respectful even, but they carried an undercurrent of fear that Gavin couldn't quite hide. He'd heard too many stories about the prices that witches demanded for their services, and while Sir Ollie seemed kind enough, Gavin couldn't shake the feeling that accepting healing from a witch might cost him more than he was willing to pay.
