"I don't think they're following us anymore," Kassi called.

  They were still hanging on Aearbon's shoulder. Even the big tiger was out of breath, and Rey had hardly ever seen him winded, even during training. They were standing in a dark alleyway, with no demons loitering about, thankfully.

  Kassi jumped off Aearbon's shoulder and winced as she landed. She held her side as she grunted. That was when Rey noticed the red stain around her ribs. She was bleeding. The wound couldn't have been that large or deep, as the bloody spot wasn't that big, but still, it must've hurt, as evidenced by her pained expression.

  Of course, seeing his Kassi in pain, Rey made the genius decision of jumping off Aearbon's shoulder too, but forgot about the broken spear jammed in his thigh.

  "Ahh!" He cried out and promptly crumpled to the ground.

  "Rey! Oh my God, Rey! Your leg." Kassi came for him and winced again as she must've moved a little faster than intended.

  "Thank you for noticing, but forget that. What about your ribs?"

  She slowly lowered herself to sit beside him. "It's fine. It's just a scratch."

  "Kassi, if that is a scratch, then that is the mother of all scratches."

  Aearbon looked down at them. "I will go make sure one of these houses is safe for us to lie low in for a little bit, and address your injuries. You two wait here."

  "Not like we're going anywhere like this," Rey replied. "And thanks, man."

  "How did you manage to do that?" She motioned to the broken spear in his leg.

  "Oh, you know, the spear was flying clear of me, and I didn't like that. Not one bit. So I thrust my leg out and gave it a home." Rey gave her a small smile. "As you know, I'm the king of making bad decisions."

  He grew quiet after that. Before she could reply, Aearbon returned. Rey exchanged a confused glance with her.

  "That was fast," Kassi commented.

  "The house was mostly empty—just one sleeping demon. There's hardly anyone on this end of the street. Let's hurry, before someone spots us and reports us to the guards."

  Kassi managed to stand on her own, but Rey had to be helped by Aearbon. Then he did him a real solid, and picked him up in his arms, and started carrying him to the house. Did Rey need to be carried? Yes. Did he enjoy getting carried? Also, yes. Of course, Kassi found it hilarious.

  "Aw, the groom carrying his bride to their new home," she cooed as she entered the house behind them.

  "Ha Ha." Rey patted Aearbon's broad chest lovingly. "You can let me down now, honey."

  Aearbon just frowned at that, not understanding the joke, while Kassi guffawed at his reaction, and then immediately held her side, as pain racked her ribs. Rey would've tried to sell the act by giving him a peck on the cheek if he wasn't scared of getting his face mauled by the Tigerman's fangs. He could only take one major injury at a time.

  Aearbon let him down, and Rey didn't need his support to stand, thanks to his scythe. The room was bare bones and filthy. There were a couple of wooden chairs and a mattress in the corner, upon which lay the aforementioned dead demon.

  "You really couldn't have pulled him off the mattress and then killed him," Rey grumbled.

  "I was going for efficiency. Moving him would've awoken him, and his screams could've alerted the neighbors."

  Rey sighed. "We could've used it for sleeping."

  "Oh," Aearbon said. "Sorry, we Baaghrors don't need such things for sleeping."

  "It's okay, Aearbon. You did fine. Rey just likes to complain most of the time."

  "There is a bed upstairs," Aearbon pointed out, who had to bend down to keep his head from brushing the ceiling.

  "Well, why didn't you say that before?" Rey exclaimed. "I take back my earlier complaints. Fuck that demon. He deserved to die in his sleep. Wait, isn't that usually a good way to go?"

  "Rey, let's get patched up," Kassi said. "And then we can talk about what's good and what's bad."

  Aearbon helped Rey into one of the chairs. He grunted as pain spiked in his thigh as soon as he bent his leg. Aearbon took up a position by the window to keep watch without even being told to do so.

  Kassi ripped open his pants around the spear jutting out of his thigh. Next, she took out a Healing potion and gripped the spear.

  "Wait, let me do that," he said, taking hold of the spear. "And don't pour the whole thing. Just a little bit."

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  "I know." She rolled her eyes.

  Rey yanked the spear out in one go. A scream built up in the back of his throat, but he kept it clamped down as best he could. Kassi quickly poured nearly half of the Healing potion on his open wound. His pain subsided as the potion did its job. The wound slowly sealed itself, leaving behind a white scar on his bloody skin.

  Rey sighed in relief and moved his leg. "Okay, your turn."

  She sat in the chair, and Rey rolled up her shirt to reveal a 'scratch' the size of his hand.

  He stared at her pointedly. "Only a scratch, my ass. If that is a scratch, I'd hate to see what you call life-threatening. Hold your shirt, there."

  He poured some of the Healing potion on his hand and rubbed it on her wound. She winced and cried out, and slowly her wound was sealed up. He noted that it wasn't the only injury she had. He gave her the rest of the potion, and she took a hearty swig but left some for him. He knew it wasn't enough. It wasn't nearly enough to fully heal either of them, but it would be enough to address the most significant injuries and get them into fighting shape. The minor bruises and scratches would have to heal on their own.

  They had only two Healing potions remaining. Kassi had one, and Ajay had the other. The only shop they had come across was on the other end of town. A shop they were heading towards. If Rey had known that they would be walking into an ambush, he would've stocked their satchels fully before he casually added a new tourist landmark—The Oops Hole.

  He grew quiet at the thought of Ajay. Rey was almost sure he had made him avoid his canon event, but the same could not be said of Filomena. Despite that, Fate had said everything could be changed based on their choices. If Rey decided to eat a sword tomorrow, it wasn't like he would be shitting out iron ingots the next morning. His future and canon event be damned, that would be it for him.

  Did I save him from his canon event only to send him to the jaws of death another way?

  "Don't." Kassi steepled her fingers through his. "Don't blame yourself. You couldn't have known about the ambush. If anything, you flattening the neighborhood gave us a little warning about the ambush."

  "How did you know I was doing just that?" Rey asked.

  "I just did," she gave him a small smile. "I didn't see them go down."

  "Neither did I," Aearbon added.

  "For all we know, they made their escape," Kassi said. "The demons had separated us so completely that I lost sight of all of you save for Aearbon. He saved me when my arrows ran dry, and I had to resort to fighting with my dagger."

  Rey looked to the Tigerman and nodded. "I owe you a debt."

  "You have saved my life twice already. It was only fitting that I return the favor."

  Rey smiled. The Tigerman must not have meant it in a literal sense, but he didn't know how close to the sentiment it was; without her, he may as well fall into demonhood right now.

  "I just feel like I've failed them," Rey said. "I saved Ajay from Kiogne to have thrust him towards this new death."

  "Did you not see this coming?" She asked.

  Rey shook his head. "As I said, I'm not omniscient, and also, I changed the future. I set upon a different path than I was meant to, and this new future…I don't know what's going to happen to us."

  Aearbon turned to look at him. "If the future can be changed, then it is not set in stone. Our friends may yet live. We need to find them. You two go and rest upstairs, I'll keep watch for now."

  Rey was about to refuse, but Kassi spoke up first. "Thank you."

  She stood and took him by the hand towards the ladder that led to the upper floor. She climbed up first, and Rey followed her. There was a dull ache in his leg, but for the most part, it was okay. The upper floor, if it could be called that, was more like an attic with a low roof that forced Rey to bend down. There was a small bed that was barely enough for two people.

  "Let's just rest for now," Kassi said.

  Rey didn't say anything and stared off into the distance. She was right. He knew she was right, but he felt he had to do something. He couldn't lose them, not after fighting so hard. All this couldn't be for nothing.

  She took him by the hand to the bed and gently pushed him down. "Now, let's just take a nap, okay. Then, when things calm down outside, we'll go looking for them. Give them some credit. They can handle themselves."

  He nodded. "Okay."

  She lay down beside him, put her head on his shoulder, and rolled into him. He held her tight and said nothing for a long while. It felt good, reassuring even that she was here with him. Things could've been much worse. She could've been killed or worse, taken prisoner.

  "How did this whole thing get so fucked?" she finally asked.

  "I got too overconfident, but I'll fix it. I just have to."

  ***

  "Rey!" Hissed a heavy voice urgently.

  Rey shook out of his sleep and found that he and Kassi had fallen asleep. Her head rested on his arm, which had thoroughly gone to sleep, and his whole shoulder had cramped up. He didn't even want to move the arm or wake up Kassi, but Aearbon's head was poking up from the ladder.

  "I'm sorry to disturb you." He looked genuinely sorry that he had to wake them up. "But there are guards out in the street and a familiar face. You should come quickly."

  He nodded. "Okay, I'm coming."

  He was going to slither out of bed, but Kassi stirred at the ladder's creaking. Her eyes fluttered open, and she noted that he was awake.

  "Rey, how long have I been asleep?" She asked, rubbing her eye.

  "Hate to wake you up, but Aearbon just saw some guards out in the street and someone that we know."

  Her eyes snapped open, and she immediately sat up. "Is it Ajay and Filomena?"

  Rey winced as he tried to sit up, cradling his arm that didn't know it was time to wake up. "If it were them, he would've said so."

  "What's wrong with your arm?"

  "It still thinks it's bedtime."

  She snorted, cupped his face, and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "There. Should be all better. Now, let's go."

  "I really could've used a longer kiss," Rey said. "Because the pins and needles are setting in."

  She smiled. "Later."

  She went down the ladder as fast as she could, while Rey flinched most of the way down. Aearbon was peaking out from the edge of the window. Kassi did the same while Rey walked to the window and stared out, and his eyes widened immediately at what he saw.

  There was a one-armed demon with small knobby horns on his forehead, sniffing the air as he led a group of five soldiers. Rey smiled as he moved for the door.

  "Rey, what are you doing?" Kassi hissed.

  "Inviting our guests for dinner."

  Rey smashed the door open, drawing the attention of the Sniffer and the guards. He extended a hand and used Attraction on the Sniffer. The demon flew into his hand. His eyes widened in shock when he realized just who it was that had yanked him so.

  Rey pulled him inside and grinned. "Well, look who it is. How's the missing arm?" He chuckled. "Anyways, you're going to help us find our friends, aren't you?"