Miinhart Forest, Desmond, 10416 P.C.

Matthew lingered behind the others, taking up the rear as they walked through the forest. Unease twisted his stomach into painful knots. Stephanie was up near the front of their group, never once looking back. He felt her hostility. He had never seen her so... cold. It worried him, cutting slightly like a knife — didn't she know he hadn't known about her true identity? Todd and Annabella hadn't told him, either. Even then, he didn't think the situation was enough excuse to treat everyone so icily. He understood how hard it would have been for Todd and Annabella to tell her — yet, that also went without excuse. They hadn't been truthful. Matthew was beginning to wonder if he should trust any of these people.

Do you trust Me?

Matthew did. He knew he wouldn't have survived the execution in Zusia if the Immortal One's power hadn't been surging through him. Matthew was powerful, incredibly powerful, and it was terrifying as much as it was exhilarating. He had thrown Motch himself back with a mere swing of his hand — no Human held such power. He might have even been able to stop Motch's fiery blast at Todd and Annabella, too.

If Stephanie hadn't unexpectedly tackled him to the ground right at that moment.

He hadn't seen it coming — and why would he have? He was pushing back the guards, helping Terrence hold them at bay, and then he was on the ground, Stephanie on top of him. Just a moment later, Motch's fire consumed Todd and Annabella — or so it had seemed. Somehow, they had survived it. Somehow, all of them had survived.

He reasoned with himself as he walked, fighting for a logical explanation as to why Stephanie would have thrown him to the ground. She had been strong, stronger than he had known, and she hadn't even apologized. Something in her eyes had worried him, but he tried to convince himself that she had shoved him aside to protect him from Motch's fire. It made sense. Somehow. He forced himself to believe it.

There were other issues with the situation, like how the Veiled Lady had not been the Veiled Lady. And like how the Immortal One's son had appeared out of nowhere to save them. This wasn't the way the Immortal One said it would go — but then, He hadn't exactly laid out a story-line. In light of everything, all of their efforts felt worthless. Why had Todd been sent to look for Terrence when Terrence seemed quite sure of himself and revealed himself at the proper time anyway?

Blind faith. Matthew tried to convince himself to have it.

"Let's stop here for a bit," Terrence called. Matthew looked up, realizing that they were at the edge of a river — Tolcoln River, if he was correct in his assumptions. The sun was high in the sky, but there was a chill in the air. Matthew hated the sight of the water. A sinking feeling told him they would have to cross it.

"It's still several hours to Freyhall, at least," Stephanie said, standing beside Terrence and peering out over the river. "It might even take up until nightfall."

"Oh, it will," Annabella said, finding a log to rest on.

Todd raked his fingers through his hair, looking exhausted. "Is it the nearest town?"

Stephanie barely looked at him. "It's on the way to Shadow Wood."

Shadow Wood — that's where they had left Abby and Bethany. They were always leaving people behind, it seemed. Abby and Bethany at Shadow Wood, Anthony in Forlattena, Andre and Adrianna in Zusia. Matthew didn't want to think about what would become of them. "What are we doing?" he asked. "We're out here, half of us are unarmed—"

"We're going to Shadow Wood," Stephanie said, cutting him off.

"I see that, but why—?"

"Because my Father told me to," Terrence said — the brother and sister didn't seem keen on letting Matthew finish his sentences. "I trust Him to guide and protect us."

Matthew grunted, turning away from them all and wandering a ways into the woods. He needed time alone to think. No one stopped him. Sitting down against a tree, he let out a long-held breath and rubbed his face.

Something wasn't right. Something wasn't right at all.

He looked up when Jessie came and sat across from him, her back against a tree. "You look stressed," she commented.

He'd never had a one-on-one conversation with this girl. It was unsettling him even more, the fact that she had sought him out. "I'm... uneasy," he found himself admitting.

"Why? Matthew, we've found him! The Immortal One's son is here, and he even saved our lives."

The Death Omen scar on his collarbone was itching to be rubbed. He stayed his hand, not wanting to remind her of it nor the fact that he sensed the Veiled Lady's presence nearby. "Yeah, I know." He wished he could have sounded more convincing.

Jessie tilted her head, smiling a little bit. "It's going to be okay. Trust me." With that, she got back to her feet and returned to the others. Matthew knew right then and there that he trusted Jessie as far as he could throw her.

Never mind that analogy. He could have thrown her pretty far, the day had revealed, and Matthew didn't trust Jessie at all.

He rejoined the group when Terrence announced their departure. From what Matthew could see, Annabella and Terrence had gotten on rather well, talking adamantly with each other as they ventured to the edge of the river. Todd and Stephanie were both silent, consumed in their own musings, while Jessie seemed happiest of them all. She was the one who found a way to cross the river — several rocks bulged above the water, creating something of a passage over it, and Jessie leapt from rock to rock with the ease of a gazelle. Terrence followed, laughing a bit when he slipped and almost fell in. Matthew had noted long ago that the young man was carefree and well-learned, with the ability to slip between seriousness and jesting fluently.

"Careful," he called back to them, grinning. "This rock is a little loose."

Annabella followed him, crossing the river with proven expertise.

"You gonna be okay?" Todd asked Matthew with concern.

Matthew grimaced, knowing they clearly remember his reaction to water before. "I'll be fine."

Todd, too, crossed the river unscathed.

Matthew and Stephanie were alone for a moment, and Matthew took advantage of it. "Steph... are you okay?"

She looked up at him, her face void of emotion, and he knew she wasn't. "I'm fine."

His heart pounded, but he took the risk. He slipped his hand into hers. "Stephanie," he began.

"I know, Matthew." She curled her fingers around his, sending shudders through him. "I know you didn't know. I'm not mad at you, I just... I need some time."

He nodded silently. Slowly, their hands slipped apart. Matthew turned to the water, inhaling deeply. It rushed around the rocks, bubbling, raging, reminding him of Umair. Falling in, thrown about in its ice-cold clutches, unable to breathe, unable to see...

"Matthew." Stephanie nudged him. "It's safe. You won't fall in."

"And if I do?" he countered.

"You won't."

She looked so sure of herself, so sure of him, he nearly believed her. Taking another breath, he braced himself. He jumped to the first rock.

Trust.

He stepped to the second. Water rushed just inches from his feet, surging around the rock, threatening to pull him in.

Trust.

He leapt again, landing on the next rock, teetering as it shifted. His heart jolted into his throat. Steadying himself, he looked to the next rock.

"He fell in! Matthew fell in! Matthew!"

He closed his eyes, shaking the voice away. Determination surged through him, and he jumped to the next rock, and then the next and the next, and then he was on the opposite bank, clear of the water and the danger. He walked away from it, breathing easier, letting Todd clap him on the back encouragingly.

"Come on, Stephanie!" Terrence called across the river. Stephanie stood on the opposite bank, staring across the river at them. Matthew turned to watch her cross.

She was eerily still for a moment, staring down at the water with an expressionless gaze. She turned around and began to walk away. Matthew's heart lurched, but he relaxed as she turned back to them and began to run. It made sense. Her legs were shorter — she needed a running start.

She didn't need a running start. She took the bank in three bounds, leaping through the air and landing heavily on the fourth rock in. Matthew stared in surprise. Stephanie leapt again, landing on the bank and straightening to her full height. She had just taken the width of the river in two bounds.

"Let's go," she said, brushing past them all as she marched into the trees without a backwards glance. They all stared after her.

Terrence broke the silence. "Yeah, let's."

Jessie stepped up between Matthew and Todd. "Well, I guess this just proves things," she stated flatly before she started after them.

Wordlessly, they followed. Deep down, past the concern and surprise, Matthew could feel a sort of relief within him, swirling in amidst the Warmth. It made sense, finally, why the Warmth had responded to Stephanie's presence so strongly. It was approving now, boiling within him. Somehow, it felt good to know that Stephanie wasn't quite fully Human, either.