Seth rubbed his damp head with a towel and closed the bedroom door behind him before leaning on it with a sigh. The bath water was cold by the time he’d returned from Mrs. Angie’s, but it was good to be clean.

  That went much better than I thought it would, he thought, a soft smile spreading across his face. I was afraid she was going to say no...

  Gloria’s confused, blank face came to mind, and Seth’s smile faded. I can’t believe she doesn’t remember revealing she’s a fairy. No wonder she’s been nervous around me. She probably thinks that once I know, I’ll leave. He crossed his arms, lost in thought. Should I tell her I know?

  He pursed his lips when he remembered her frantic screams the night she woke up. Not yet. It might be too much for her to handle right now.

  “How was your walk with Gloria?”

  Seth looked over and saw Elias sitting on the bed leaning against the wall and tossing a ball of light into the air. It hung in the air for a second before it fell and dropped into his left hand.

  Seth’s eyes flicked to the boy’s right hand. He’s been squirrely too. What’s bothering him?

  “Well?” Elias asked with a mischievous grin.

  Seth blinked and his face grew warm. “How do you know I went on a walk?”

  Elias tossed the ball of light into the air again, his tongue poking out as he tried to make the orb float. “I saw you and Gloria leaving Mrs. Angie’s when I was done for the day.” The light floated in the air a bit longer than before, then fell again before winking out just before touching his hand. He looked up at Seth with a smile. “How is she?”

  Seth stepped away from the door and grabbed a borrowed nightshirt from a chair beside the bed. “She’s recovering well," he said, changing for the night. "It won’t be long before it’ll be time to leave.”

  He climbed onto the bed and leaned against the wall beside Elias. “How’s your hand?” he asked. “I’ve been meaning to ask you, but you were asleep when I got here last night and left before we could talk this morning.”

  Elias shifted uncomfortably and folded his arms into his sleeves. “It’s fine,” he answered, but Seth noticed a little wince.

  He raised an eyebrow. “Is it?”

  Elias nodded but refused to look at him. “Yes sir.”

  Seth leaned forward and caught Elias’s eyes shifting back and forth. “You’re a horrible liar; you know that right?”

  Elis curled into himself. “Don’t know what you’re talking about sir.”

  “Uh-huh.” Seth watched another moment, then he yawned and stretched. “It’s getting late, we should get to bed.” He climbed off the bed and snagged a second, neatly folded, nightshirt from the side table. “Here’s your shirt.”

  The boy’s face paled, and he shook his head. “No thank you, I’ll sleep in my habit.”

  “Didn’t you wear that to bed last night and all day today?” Seth challenged, holding out the nightshirt. “I don’t think Nedra would appreciate you getting mud all over her sheets, besides there’s still a few stains that could be cleaned out.”

  Elias’s eyes darted around wildly. “I wore my undershirt to work, and Nedra cleaned my habit yesterday.”

  Seth narrowed his eyes, unwilling to be deterred. “It’ll get hot if you wear your habit to bed.”

  Elias looked away. “I’ll be fine, sir. It’s been chilly anyway.”

  Seth grimaced. Time for a little trickery. He shrugged and turned back, balling up the shirt as he did. “Alright then…” He waited until Elias dropped his guard, then he whipped around and hurled the shirt at Elias. “Catch.”

  Elias jumped and instinctively reached out to catch the shirt. As he raised his hands, Seth quickly drew a sigil and muttered, “Ventus.” A puff of wind pushed up Elias’s sleeves, revealing a bandage wrapped up to his elbow and veiny strands of black blight crawling up his arm like tendrils of ivy.

  Seth’s eyes widened in horror, and he took a step back. Elias cried out shock and tried to jerk his sleeve down. Then he winced as the shirt hit his right arm.

  “Elias…” Seth breathed.

  “It’s fine!” The boy cried, cradling his arm. “I’m— I’m fine!”

  Seth blinked back his shock then gritted his teeth as horror gave way to anger. “Fine?” he repeated sharply. “You call that fine?” He stormed over to the bed and slammed his hands on the soft mattress, glowering at him. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  Elias’s shoulders tensed and he curled into himself. “I didn’t want to worry you,” he whispered. “You’ve had so much on your shoulders…I didn’t want...” His face hardened and he looked back defiantly at Seth. “I was keeping an eye on it! I thought I could take care of it.”

  “Keeping an eye—?” Seth’s voice rose. “Elias! It’s spreading! What the hell were you thinking?” He ran his hands through his hair and began to pace. “How long has it been spreading?”

  Elias didn’t answer.

  Seth looked over at the boy. “Answer the question, Elias!” he barked. “How long?”

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  Elias gulped and couldn’t look at him. “Since we left the temple…”

  Cold fear coursed through Seth. Oh Crim…What have I done? He grabbed his pants and pulled them on.

  “What are you doing?”

  Seth shot a glance at him. “I need to talk to Killian. Pack whatever we have left. We’re leaving for Westfjord tomorrow.” He began making a mental list of what they would need.

  “What?” Elias cried, scrambling off the bed. “What about Gloria?”

  Seth strapped on his belt and straightened. “She’ll come with us. We’ll be slower, but that’s better than not moving at all.”

  “Really, sir, I’m fine!” Elias insisted. “I can wait another day!”

  “No, we’ve wasted enough time as is.” Elias began to protest, but he shook his head. “Besides you’ve been away from home long enough. It’s time you went home.”

  The air in the room shifted and Elias stared wide-eyed at him. “Home…? What about you? Where are you and Gloria going?”

  Seth’s heart sank. He’d been so wrapped up in his emotions that he didn’t think about the right way to break the news to Elias. He stepped over and laid trembling hands on Elias’s shoulders. “I…” He forced himself to meet the boy’s eyes. “I can’t tell you.”

  Betrayal spread across Elias’s face. “But we defeated The Lady…” He looked at Seth’s scars. “Your scars… isn’t that why you couldn’t go home?”

  Seth shook his head. “No, it’s…it’s more complicated than that.”

  “Then explain it to me in a way I can understand!” Elias begged. Seth grimaced—breaking his heart was the last thing he wanted to do.

  Why can’t he come? A small voice in his head whispered. He’s come all this way! He held his own against The Lady! Why not?

  For a moment, Seth tried to justify it. He’s old enough to make his own choices, he thought as he stared into Elias’s tearful grey eyes. Let him come! Visions of Gloria on his arm and Elias by his side filled his mind. Seth smiled a little. Could he ask for a better life?

  He opened his mouth, but a fading bruise on Elias’s forehead caught his eye, and memories of Giantstoe and the mountainside flashed through his mind. Elias’s bleeding head, his bruised face….

  Seth dropped his eyes and stared at the floor. I can’t do it. I’ve put him through enough. He’s still a boy. It would be selfish of me to whisk him away to a world he doesn’t know, especially when he still has a home to return to.

  He slowly shook his head and hung his head. “No… I can’t.”

  The boy’s eyes hardened, and his hands curled into fists. “Can’t?” Elias spat, before wincing. “Or won’t?”

  Seth didn’t answer—all he could do was stare at the wooden floor.

  Elias gritted his teeth and threw Seth’s hands off his shoulders. “Oh, I see!” he snapped. “So after everything we’ve been through…” He raised his bandaged hand. “After everything I’ve sacrificed, you’re going to just leave me behind?”

  Seth shook his head. “No, Elias. That’s not—"

  “Then what is it?” Elias shouted, blinking back hot tears.

  “I-I can’t tell you!”

  “Why not?”

  Seth tried to reach out to Elias. “Elias, please—”

  Elias smacked his arm away. “No! I said I want answers!” he roared.

  Seth’s chest bristled and something snapped. He growled and loomed over Elias. “And I said I can’t give them to you.” He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. “You need to trust me, Elias. You need to go home. I’m not taking this from you!”

  “But you’re taking my home right now!” Elias seethed shaking violently.

  Seth pinched the bridge of his nose. “What are you talking about?”

  Elias jabbed a finger at him. “You blame yourself for what happened to Gloria and now you blame yourself for me!” The boy’s eyes glowed. “You call yourself a thief, but you forget—we chose to come with you! I chose to call you master! I could’ve abandoned you at any time, but I decided to follow you! I stayed when it would’ve been easier to leave!”

  Seth opened his mouth, but Elias barreled on. “My home is with you and Gloria!” He gripped Seth’s nightshirt and trembled. “I’m not going back!” he cried, tears rolling down his cheeks. “I won’t! Not to him! You can’t make me!” Then he buried his face into Seth’s chest and sobbed into his shirt.

  Seth’s heart wrenched as the boy’s shoulders heaved. Anger began to fade and was replaced by compassion. “Elias—"

  A loud banging on the door interrupted him. Both Seth and Elias jumped and stared at the door. There was another loud knock, and an irritated voice barked through, “Open the damn door!”

  Seth peeled Elias’s hands off him and answered the door. Killian stood in a nightshirt glaring at the two of them. He shoved a finger in Seth’s face and growled. “What is going on here? We can hear you all through the house! Nedra was afraid it was about to come to blows!”

  Seth rubbed the back of his head, incredibly embarrassed. “Sorry Killian, we had a bit of a disagreement and let our tempers get the best of us.”

  “Disagreement?” Killian raised an eyebrow. “That’s putting it mildly. What’s this about you leaving tomorrow?"

  Seth glanced back at Elias who held his right arm and wouldn’t look at him. He pursed his lips and looked back at Killian. “We need to leave for Westfjord. Elias’s arm needs more help than Mrs. Angie can give. It’s urgent…”

  Killian glanced from Seth to Elias. His brows knit together as he stared at the boy. Then he nodded to himself, and without another word, he turned and grabbed his coat and hat from a peg on the wall. “Get your rest boys,” he said, putting a hand to the front latch. “I will take care of everything.”

  Seth stood in the bedroom doorway, confused. “You don’t need—"

  “I said I would take care of everything.” Then Killian looked past him towards Elias. “Despite his weak hand, your brother pushed himself to repay us for taking care of you and your lady. He has overpaid his debt—seems only fair that we return the change.”

  Seth blinked. Brother? He looked back and met Elias’s eyes for a moment. I suppose… I guess I’d never thought of… Elias looked away again, gripping his arm harder.

  “Get your rest,” Killian repeated. “The three of you have a long journey ahead.” Then he slipped out the front door and into the night, a small draft of cool air chilling Seth’s feet.

  Behind him, Elias peeled off his habit, snatched his nightshirt from the bed, and sharply pulled it on. “Good night,” he said curtly, then climbed into bed facing the wall, before jerking the blanket over his shoulder.

  Seth sighed and closed the bedroom door. He undid his belt, slid into bed next to Elias, and drew a sigil. “Pars dolo.” The lamp at the other end of the room puffed out leaving the young men in the dark.

  Seth stared up at the ceiling listening to Elias’s breathing. “You know I care about you, right, Elias?”

  There was no answer. Seth swallowed as thick silence stretched between the two. Then the sheets shifted a little, and he heard a soft grunt.

  “You may not believe me right now,” he murmured. “But it’s true. Someday you’ll see…” Then he turned over and closed his eyes. You’ll see…