The firepit was long dead by now, only emitting a subtle orange glow from the embers. It was a lot quieter outside, and the morning sun pierced the long arms of trees. Agnes was triple-checking her work after our long evening, though apparently our guest had surprisingly minor injuries. Turns out, armor is worth something when a wall falls on you.

  Suddenly, the man jolted awake, reaching at his side for a weapon that wasn’t there. Agnes — reasonably — jumped at this, flying backward with all the grace of a headless chicken. He tried to stand, but the fractured shin disagreed with him.

  His body slammed against the wall, and he slid back down to where he started.

  The soldier’s eyes remained only halfway open.

  “What is the meaning of this?” He pressed with a low, coarse voice.

  “How’d you find this place?”

  I’d seen that look in the mirror many times, harsh suspicion mixed with fear.

  A sigh escaped me, “by chance. Same chance we got here in time to save your life.”

  I took a moment to clear my throat, “what’s your name?”

  A few seconds passed, and then a dozen more. He might just be in too much pain to speak. I’ve been there.

  “You lot were fools to save me. You have no idea who I am.”

  Marie sat up from her side of the firepit, yawning “that's a long name...”

  He had a point, but what was I supposed to do? If I can save someone, I’ll save them. That line of thinking’s why I’m still alive.

  “For gods’ sake, it’s Kaleh. What do I owe you, for saving my life?” He finally relented, perhaps pressured by our wall of eyes.

  “You don’t owe us anything. I’m just glad we made it here before it was too late,” I responded, hoping to spot his furrowed brow relaxing.

  “Everyone does something to get something. You’ll not trick me with good will.”

  He looked around the room, gazing the longest at the missing section of wall.

  “You probably want to believe you’re a hero. Sure.”

  Marie stood up suddenly, bearing a mild scowl on her face as she stomped outside.

  He might have been right. Even mercy can be selfish sometimes. Marie saved me out of a moral obligation way-back-when. Without a reason, is there any drive to fight, to eat, or to live? I had known the answer long before I was asked the question.

  Kaleh doesn’t have a reason. The way he’s carrying himself, from ragged black hair to torn clothes, to that cutting gaze.

  Words left my mouth on instinct, “would’ve been hypocritical to be saved, and not save in return.”

  The answer put a weak smile on him.

  “You looked like you were the kind that’d understand.”

  All was quiet in the ruined tower for a time. Agnes buried herself in Project 17-W, elbows resting atop her crossed legs. Even when wind blew through the wall, attempting to force the cursed thing shut, she dared not even to blink. I sat across from Kaleh, facing him.

  He looked at my scar, eyes widening when he recognized the wound.

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  “You were stabbed?”

  I nodded, “when Argos flew into rebellion, I found myself on the wrong side of a... gods I keep forgetting.”

  “What? Argos rebelled?”

  I tilted my head to one side, if not that, then why's he here?

  “Well... yeah, it did. People got up in arms about the elementals and all hell broke loose.”

  I paused, before promptly adding, “So you weren’t there when it happened. Your gauntlet has their noble crest. What’s your-”

  “not happening.”

  His jaw tightened, as if to reinforce the fact.

  “At least not yet. All you need is that I left before that.”

  Marie walked in, boots dragging against the plank floor as she lugged something over her shoulder. She dropped her quarry — a large bird — on the ground as she kneeled down a fair distance away from us. Feathers came off the carcass in large clumps, though more always appeared where the old ones were torn away. It was a steady, practiced movement she’d perfected over the years.

  I cleared my throat, “another time, then,” before standing up and making my way over.

  Marie flinched as my hand entered her field of view, but then she slid the thing closer. Not one sound came from either of us as I helped prepare it.

  Agnes held the journal up to her face, curiosity and worry fighting for the space in her attention. She gets it. My head swiveled to meet Kaleh’s lingering eyes. Was he observing us, or was he starving so terribly he couldn't tear his eyes away?

  Marie stood up, dragging her feet as if carrying a heavy weight she didn’t know how to put down. The two of them exchanged a sidelong look as Marie emptied her pockets, all full of various flowers I couldn’t recognize.

  “Oh... thank you so much, Marilleth,” Agnes responded while breaking out a mortar and pestle.

  Marie returned to collect the bird, dangling it by its feet. Her eyes darted around the room, occasionally meeting mine, before her face stretched into a slight smile. She marched out the front door. Draining it, probably.

  I considered following her out but... no. It’s clear she needs some time alone, and that's fine.

  I returned to Kaleh, sitting down across from him as I did earlier.

  “You two seem close.”

  He said in his thunderous deep voice.

  “She saved my life. It’d be hard not to bond somehow.”

  Kaleh’s eyebrow raised. He glanced where Marie made her exit, determining the coast was clear.

  “Elaborate, then. I’m probably not going anywhere.”

  I took a moment to gather the short of it in my mind.

  I started with the exile, how she tackled me with her knife drawn, convinced I was there to steal that rabbit. How I was too stubborn to die, and how she felt obligated to help, even though she didn’t trust a single word.

  “I owe her at the least my gratitude, and at most my life.”

  Agnes peeked again in-between crushing up a poultice, and I realized I hadn’t told this story to anyone, really.

  “She’s hot-headed” I added, “Socially abrasive at times, but I’ve never seen her turn down someone in need.”

  I guess that’s why I rushed out into a snowstorm for Donvan's sake.

  My eyes caught the black-leather journal at Agnes's side, “what’s that journal even about?”

  Agnes shot up straight, “nothing yet... I can’t really make out the notes right now, obscure codes and what-not.”

  She began mixing in water, creating an elixir that found its way into a pair of small bottles.

  “You two ought to drink these before the pain comes back.”

  I recognized that particular hue, expelling so much air it could’ve blown out a forest fire.

  Reluctantly, Kaleh grabbed one of the vials, “what is this?”

  A solemn smile stretched across my face, wanting to lighten the mood for what was to come.

  “Cheers, Kaleh. To the most disgusting thing you’ll ever taste.”

  Gods... it being fresh had no positive effect on the repulsive sting it pierced into my tongue. I choked it down only after several attempts, and almost sent it right back up afterward. Kaleh stared on, perhaps in horror, as no man could make the face I’m making without a good reason.

  He downed it with some hesitation, eyes widening as he grasped his throat in a panic. Agnes’ eyes bored a hole through him, directly into his soul, don’t you dare waste her medicine. He conjured a ball of water, sipping from it just to make it go down smooth. I’d never thought of that, the water would just disappear anyway.

  Once his mouth was finally clear, he cursed under his breath.

  “Leonn, don’t ever toast to that vile thing again. Toasts are for beers and ales only.”

  I added, “and wine.”

  The silence was deafening, at any moment he could lunge for that broken sword of his and kill me.

  “You rich shite.”