"You ready to go, Fenrin?" Jayln asked as she tightened the straps on her pack.

Fenrin ignored her, reaching his hand out to take Doctor Zi'vin's. The Azir man gave him one of his thin smiles. "Don't push yourself too hard. If you get yourself hurt again, I really will charge you next time."

"I'm sure, doc." Fenrin shook the doctor's hand firmly and, trying to keep the emotion out of his voice, he added, "And thank you, for everything."

"Just doing my job." The doctor let go of Fenrin's hand, giving Matius a nod and Fenrin one last smile, the pride and friendship in it contradicting his words.

"Here." Jayln dumped a backpack into Fenrin's arms.

He slowly and carefully rolled in onto his shoulders. Despite his fondness for the man, Fenrin didn't really want to be back under Zi'vin's care especially over something stupid.

Jayln turned and fretted over Matius. "Now you're sure you can handle all three of us?"

"I'll be able to get us over the desert for sure."

Stretching up to give him a peck on the cheek, Jayln said, "Alright, but don't push yourself."

"Wouldn't dream of it." Matius gave Fenrin a wink before reaching and putting one hand on Jayln's shoulder and another on Fenrin's.

The sensation was odd. Fenrin's stomach dropped, but then didn't because he didn't have a stomach. He blew out the window and over the purple Aziron mountains. The scrubby desert stretched pale and cracked below them. The view loomed closer until Fenrin landed on freshly reformed feet.

He wobbled a bit, but not as much as Matius who bent over like he was out of breath. "Give me a second," he panted, hand on his knees. After a few breaths he straightened, grin on his face and a breeze blowing back his hair. "All good, let's get moving. We've got a long walk ahead."

After a mile or so, Matius insisted he could carry his own pack which Jayln had been stubbornly shouldering. After a few more, Jayln began pestering Fenrin as well until with exasperation he warned, "If you ask me or Matius if we can keep going one more time, I swear I will punch you in the face."

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

"You'd miss," she pointed out.

"I'll punch Matius then."

"Hey! Leave me out of it," Matius objected with an amused look. "Although we really will let you know when we're ready to rest, Jayln. You don't have to keep asking."

"I wouldn't have to keep asking if I didn't know I was traveling with the stubbornest man in the world and a mage who likes to pretend he's got more magic than he's got. If either of you pass out, I can't exactly carry you back to the Arch Mage."

Fenrin snorted. "You could probably carry him. He's like a feather."

Matius chuckled. "Light as the wind you might say." He nudged Jayln with his arm. "I'd trust you to carry me to safety, love."

Jayln flushed a bit before scowling. "Fine I'll stop asking, but you promise to let me know if you want to stop?"

"We promise!" The two men echoed and Jayln stomped off a few paces ahead.

"What's eating her?" Fenrin asked Matius who looked at Jayln's back with concern.

"Ah, well, she talked to her father yesterday."

"What? How?"

"Oh a bit of scrying magic. Point is she told him everything and he seemed less than enthusiastic that she was going on another journey. That and..." He trailed off for a moment and gave Fenrin a guilty smile. "Well, he told Jayln that Valhym soldiers were poking around the area."

"Lyra," Fenrin growled as he digested this news. "Her village is pretty far from Valhym, has my sister really expanded her kingdom that quickly?"

Matius shrugged. "Seems like it. From my understanding it's not too unusual for new monarchs to test their borders. Isn't this what you expected anyway?"

"I guess."

Fenrin knew Lyra was ambitious but it still boggled his mind that the High Throne of Valhym wasn't enough for her. It'd been what, a few months since she married the king? Did she really have all the Jarls tied down already?

Furrowing his brows, Fenrin looked forward. "Wait but then why is she trying to slow us down? Shouldn't she be anxious for us to get her people to the valley?"

Matius looked forward fondly. "Yes, well, she's not going to demand a breakneck pace from the two of us. I'm more of a flier than a walker and you were immobile not that long ago. She can't worry about her family right now since it's out of her control so she's worrying about us instead. Try not to let it get to you."

He patted Fenrin on the back and then huffed forward to walk next to Jayln.

After a bit, Jayln laughed at something Matius said and soon they were walking hand in hand. Fenrin felt a bit of jealousy but it was pushed down by a sort of gratitude. Seeing the two of them, well deserving of each other, made him happy. It was a new kind of happy and Fenrin carefully caught it and kept it close, letting it warm his tired heart.