They’d traveled through the day and had followed Bet’s magic trail up into the hills. Night had fallen and they’d set up a temporary camp in a small clearing surrounded by towering dark trees at the base of the largest hill.

The two boys hadn’t spoken for hours, not even as they gathered firewood and set up a ring of rocks to contain their campfire. But Bet and Jorick now seemed as close as two people could become in two days, laughing and joking and all together ignoring Evin.

Evin’s suspicions had begun to waver as they’d traveled. He watched Jorick and Bet become friends, and he felt a little jealous and lonely. It made him wonder whether Jorick had been right: Was he just jealous of Bet’s strength in dangerous situations? Was he just in shock because he’d hit his head and seen who he believed to be his brother die?

Then Bet disappeared into the woods. By herself. Again.

Evin’s stomach growled. They’d eaten another bit of dried meat from Bet’s satchel as well as some of the apples they’d pulled from the trees, but the meager meal hardly seemed enough, especially not with suspicion gnawing away inside of him as well.

Bet was probably off contacting her cohorts again, Evin figured. He imagined that’s all she did any time she went off alone.

And that meant that maybe now Evin could get his proof and share this burden of doubt with Jorick.

The stocky boy paced next to the fire, sword unsheathed. Muttering to himself, he tightened his body into fighting forms and thrust his blade through the air.

“I’m sorry.” Evin picked up a stick and poked at the fire. A log collapsed and sent up a shower of sparks into the night sky.

Jorick ignored him as he twisted his blade back and forth.

“I’m sorry,” Evin said again, louder. “It’s just I had all these memories and ideas all at once, and I felt so overwhelmed. …”

Jorick stopped and thrust his sword through his belt. Putting his hands on his hips, he faced Evin.

“So are you done trying to tell me we aren’t really friends?” he asked.

Evin sighed. “Of course we’re friends. Even if we’ve known each other for only a couple days, I still feel like I’ve known you longer. The truth doesn’t change anything.”

Jorick threw his hands in the air. “You’re crazy!” he said. “Look, all I know is this: I grew up in Hesiod and everyone I knew from there was taken by monsters.” Grabbing the hilt of his sword, he said, “My father made this sword. He taught me to fight. And I need to save him.”

Looking up into Jorick’s eyes, Evin he knew that no amount of talking would convince his friend of anything.