“So are Balrus and Kedrin. They can handle it too, and I’m basically worth ten of them in terms of maturity.” Her sarcasm was as biting as always, but he could hear the smile in her voice. “Even if you do it to protect us, we won’t thank you for your suffering. We’d rather suffer with you.”

Aldric had a hard time swallowing the lump in his throat after she said that. He really didn’t deserve the friends he had. It was precisely because they wouldn’t leave him to fend for himself that made him anxious for their safety.

“I don’t know what to do, Zee,” he admitted miserably. He hadn’t called her that since they were children, but it had just sort of slipped out. She looked surprised, but still smiled delightedly at him.

“You will,” was her instant answer, surprising him with the certainty in her voice. “You always figure something out. Our job is to pick you up, brush you off, and face you towards the goal. Then we just set you loose to do whatever you decide is best.” She smirked. “Then we clean up whatever mess you made. Rinse and repeat.”

Aldric snorted a laugh despite himself. “Mess” was a polite word for the trouble he could cause, but she was right. It had always been that way. Even if he was scared for them, he felt infinitely better facing the world with these three at his back.

Unsure what to do, he decided to try something he probably should do more often. Aldric consulted his moral compass, even though she was technically absent. He looked at the case containing the staff, the only thing he had left of Miraea. What would she tell him to do?

What a stupid question. He already knew. He’d already taken the first step months ago. Question was, would he be brave enough to take a second, or even a third?

“Ah, I see you’ve put your head back on straight. The look in your eyes is much better now,” Zasia said lightly, knowing that Aldric wasn’t really listening to her anymore. She retracted her hand from Aldric’s hair as he moved to a nearby closet, pulling out a large trunk. It was stained and dusty with age, but Aldric had made it to be sturdier than a castle wall.

Aldric took a deep breath as he laid hands on his trunk. Each one of these dents and dings had a story to it, and he was momentarily flooded with memories of a time long passed. Even if they were never perfect days, they were definitely better. Then he shook the feeling away.