{-Llewel-}

He did, perhaps, ramble a bit too much in his worry. “Just tell him it’s for us, he knows that we’re together so it shouldn’t be that much of a problem. And just listen to what he asks you to do. Oh, and if you think his phonograph gets loud or annoying he’ll muffle it if you ask—”

“I think we have that part handled,” Zetai remarked. “We’re the adults here. We know what we’re doing.”

Reynneak decided to undermine all the confidence she had by asking, “Is there a chance Duuzlo’s not going to be there?”

Llewel shook his head. “He usually doesn’t leave for anything. If he’s not there, then wait; he’ll show up eventually.”

Reynneak then looked between the twins, Tinath, and Relenri. “And you’re sure you’re going to be completely fine on your own? We don’t want people trying to find you while we’re in Nafrius.”

“Rest assured that they’re safe with me,” Relenri said. “No one’s thought to come around here yet; you’ve got a while before they move on from Nafrius and Anthalas.”

“So, can I ask who you’re all talking about?” Tinath questioned. “What did you guys do?”

Zetai shrugged. “We may or may not have ticked off quite a few people earlier.” That was the most she was going to discuss on the matter. “Well, we should get going now. Hang in there and we’ll be back before you know it.”

“Don’t set any more statues on fire,” Myr said.

“It was one time!”

Then Zetai and Reynneak both disappeared into another room of the inn.

Relenri managed a small smile in Myr’s direction. “You didn’t hear this from me, but the room on the furthest right has plenty of extra pillows and blankets. There’s even a phonograph in there and a couple of records to choose from if that’s your thing. No one’s going to bother you in there.”

Myr nodded her thanks and left.

“The poor thing,” Relenri mumbled as she went on to adjust some things around the inn. She still went on to hold a conversation with Llewel, though. “You know, I kind of remember when the three of you came around here for the first time. You always seemed so glad to be with each other.”

Llewel slowly nodded, now mostly focused on other thoughts. “Thank you for helping us like this.”

She shrugged. “You’re with players. I have to do what I can to help you.” It did, somewhat, hide the true reasons; she’d definitely picked up by now what they were supposed to be keeping between them. “You don’t have anything to do for a while, right? I have some items that you could deliver across town. I’m sure the players wouldn’t mind having some extra resources when they come back.”

Tinath, though not the one it was directed to, didn’t seem to agree with the idea. “Our time could be better spent than running around Kyirius City.”

“Well, we shouldn’t leave,” Llewel pointed out. “Zetai and Reynneak expect us to stay here while they’re gone. There’s no reason to wander alone in the forest.”

“It’s not safe, either, if you’re used to your entire team,” Relenri agreed with a nod.

“You seem to be just as much of a real person as they are, right? Then you should be able to make a decision that doesn’t have to involve them.” Tinath spoke casually, but there was something about all of it that suggested she had another reason for it. “We’re not going to go anywhere if we keep waiting on others. Between the two of us, we’ll be able to handle a lot of what comes our way.”

He sighed. “I’m going to be honest. I don’t know what it is, but I don’t trust you. I know that I always have more than enough medicine. I would’ve noticed if it was low. The only thing I can think of for why it’s gone now is that someone did something to it—that someone being you.”

“Your other friends don’t have enough of a reason?” Tinath asked. She was trying to get a reaction out of him, he knew that—get him to believe her, to do or say something that would prove whatever she was looking for.

He wasn’t going to let it work. “I actually trust them. They’ve proven to me that they wouldn’t try to do anything that they knew would hurt us.”

“Alright, I’ll let you keep believing that if that’s what you want.” She moved on from the topic, heading back to what she’d mentioned before. “Don’t you realize that Casrane is out there somewhere and you’re about ready to waste precious time running errands?”

“I would like to remind you that they’re rather important and do give good rewards,” Relenri remarked. Tinath’s subsequent glare, however, told her that her opinion didn’t matter, and she shrunk and went back to what she was doing earlier.

“You’re not going to be able to convince me to go anywhere just by mentioning Casrane,” Llewel said. He shook off the thoughts that conflicted with the statement to continue, “Whatever I’d do I’d do with Myr.”

“I’m sure she won’t even notice you’re gone,” Tinath pointed out. “Trust me, I’ve met twins before. It’s not going to kill you to spend some time away from each other.”

“We both have a half of a broken pendant. I’m probably not going to be helping much if we’re away from each other.” He showed it to her, though only to see the description for it and pulled it closer to him again before she could touch it.

“Then just take it off. Players do that all the time; equip the stuff when it gives them bonuses and take it back off when it doesn’t. It’s pretty simple.”

He gave her a look that made it clear he was not going to do that. He tried to quiet other thoughts by telling himself that she didn’t know what it meant; what it represented and the meaning it held for them.

Relenri certainly helped with it from a technical standpoint, too. “You say stuff like that, then you wonder why the developers don’t let you players have nice things…”

Tinath largely ignored the point. “Then how about this one little thing: I know where you’ll be able to see Casrane.”

“And where did you come across that information?” Llewel asked. “Why didn’t you bring it up before?”

“I was, but then you all started to worry over something that really doesn’t need this much attention. I found out about it a while ago. Why else do you think I wanted to go to Kyirius?”

“I still mean everything that I said.”

“But I don’t think you can deny that you’re curious about it, right? That you want to see her again? That… maybe it’s worth deviating from what you’re supposed to be doing for a little while?”

His hesitance was enough of an answer for her. Of course he wanted to see Casrane again; he wouldn’t want to look for her if he didn’t. But he also knew he shouldn’t leave Myr or keep Zetai and Reynneak waiting when they came back…

Tinath must’ve known she’d found some way to get to him. “I’m going to be outside. With or without you, I’m going to head out in a couple of minutes. Just meet with me before I leave and you’ll get to come with me.” Without another word, she left.

Relenri did try her best to be helpful. “Your friends are probably going to be in Nafrius for a while. They just set up an event to encourage new players—Duuzlo’s going to be busy with all of them. I’m not going to leave the inn, so I’ll be here to tell them where you went if you decide to leave. Besides, I’ll keep a close eye on your sister; you won’t have to worry about her while I’m here.” She wandered back to the counter. “I think it’s worth a shot, anyway. To be honest, not even the best of us have been able to see Casrane for more than a moment or two. If someone knows where she might be, I think the other two will understand if you go out to see if it’s true.”

“Where did you say Myr should go?” he asked with a sigh.

“The room on the furthest right.”

Llewel wandered over there and slowly pushed the door open. A record similar to one Duuzlo had was playing, though muffled enough it took him a moment to recognize it. Myr was curled up on top of the piles of pillows, a blanket wrapped around her, but her eyes wandering around the room while she hummed to the music. She smiled when he saw him and let him share what Tinath had said.

“I think Relenri’s right,” she mumbled after he finished. “As long as you promise to be okay and come back soon, Zetai and Reynneak won’t mind.”

“And what about you?”

“I’d rather stay here with Relenri alone then be with you and know we might have missed an opportunity to talk to her. I’ll be fine here without you and, if you’re not back by the time Zetai and Reynneak are, we’ll come meet you.”