They quickly fell into their old pattern of friendship when it had been at its best, in the forest before Dev and Arabis had fallen under the Revinir’s mind control. They chatted as they fished, filling in many of the questions they had for each other and adding detail to their stories. But Fifer didn’t bring up her idea about the Revinir. Instead, she had something else she wanted to express.

“Thisbe truly is sorry,” she told Dev. “I want you to know that. She was sick about leaving you behind. She cares about you… and so do I. I think she felt like it was all her fault when we heard you were dead. She would have never forgiven herself if it had been true.”

Dev was taken aback by Fifer’s kind words and couldn’t look at her. The Revinir had told him that no one cared about him. That sentiment had echoed a lifetime of abuse as a slave for a selfish princess who only liked him when he was assisting her in making mischief and taking the blame for her misdeeds. Could the Revinir be wrong? Or was Fifer lying just to appease him?

After a minute Dev grunted, then checked the position of the nearest dragon, wanting to be careful what he said in its presence. That the dragons had seen him alive was already a risk, because if the Revinir thought to ask them if they had, they’d answer truthfully. But it was too late to change that, so he wanted them to have as little information about him as possible. He scooped the net swiftly and pulled out a flopping fish, then slid it on the grass for Fifer to handle. He leaned toward her, then whispered, “I’m just not sure where we go from here. We can’t let the Revinir know I’m alive. And I’m sure she’ll be coming back for you eventually.”

By sunset the three were full and feeling more comfortable physically. Thisbe’s ankle and Fifer’s wrist and their other injuries and aches from the fall were healing nicely, thanks to the magical medication Henry had made sure the head mage carried. They were settling in with one another too, but kept the conversation light—they were all still dealing with the emotional reunion and new situation of living in this onion bulb together, and figuring out what life looked like from here.

And Fifer’s mind was distracted by something else entirely: how to convince Thisbe of what they needed to do… and somehow include Dev without revealing to the Revinir that he was very much alive.

Resolved