Elies’ head pounded like a drum when he stumbled out of the tavern, his steps heavy. He was going to get that knight if he saw him again. The prick could count on it.

He winced upon stepping from the shadows, unable to shield his eyes from the glaring lanterns hanging at his sides. He held the old adventurer’s waist with both hands, keeping the tree of a man from tumbling down the steps.

“Freakin’ hopeless,” Ayko griped.

He threw his arm around Yarrow’s shoulder and helped Elies walk him slowly through Maywood’s streets. Elderly men folded their arms, women shook their heads, and children poked at the empty ale bottle Yarrow loosely held in his hand.

The old man slowly lifted his head, ignoring the onlookers. He retched but gulped what Elies assumed was vomit down. “I’m starved,” he groaned.

Elies and Ayko cut their eyes at him. “Deal with it,” they said together.

Elies’ stomach roared after he uttered those words, the sound of his gut surpassing that of even Yarrow’s.

Ayko sucked his teeth. “Not you, too,” he said, his stomach proceeding to join Elies’. His cheeks flushed, and he thumped his gut, but to no avail.

“Ashencrane,” Yarrow muttered.

“She’s had enough of your mooching already!” Ayko said.

“She can never have enough of him,” Elies said. “She’s sweet on him, remember?” He winked. “Just like her grandkid’s sweet on you.”

Ayko gave him a blank stare, his cheeks turning red. “I wouldn’t say that,” he said, voice trailing off.

Elies shrugged at him. “She’d gladly pop your cherry, I’m sure!”

He laughed when Ayko stumbled over his words, the twins chaffing one another as they slogged to an adjacent cabin, clutching Yarrow with as much strength as they could muster up. Their arms trembled, and they practically dragged their feet behind them.

Elies flashed a weak grin when Ashencrane’s home sprang up from behind the three other frosted cabins just ahead. He panted his way to its steps, with Ayko matching his strides, only for his face to fall when she wasn’t there to greet them. Instead, his eyes met those of the old hag’s numerous cats, who arched their backs and hissed when Elies planted his foot on the first step.

Elies turned his head when Ayko cleared his throat, his brother taking a deep breath. “Piss off!” the older twin shouted.

A flock of Batmoths flew off toward the three moons in the sky, and the cats hissed and scurried away. The door swung open next, and it was none other than the old hag herself standing in the doorframe. She looked around frantically before finally laying her black eyes on Elies. She glared at Ayko next, and her frown deepened.

“Oh. You two.” She eyed Yarrow, sneering when he raised his head and flashed her a narrow smile.

“Darling,” the old man said.

Elies and Ayko looked upon Yarrow with disgust, the twins nearly retching.

Ashencrane stared blankly, shifting her eyes between Yarrow, Elies, and finally, Ayko before she retreated inside, leaving her front door open. “Hazelmere!” Her voice echoed from her home’s recesses. “Make enough for three more.”

Elies toiled up the steps, clutching Yarrow as he and Ayko entered. Their feet scuffed the wooden floors, and they knocked over several chairs, a display which made Lady Ashencrane bite her lip in vexation before practically shoving them out the back door.

Elies and Ayko finally plopped Yarrow down on a nearby tree stump, to which the old man suspiciously sat upright. Frost puffed from his mouth when he let out a relieved sigh.

Staring daggers at him, the twins looked away, turning to Hazelmere, who stirred a cauldron filled with bubbling liquid and finger-shaped Mimbleroots. Accompanying the boiling broth was a salty aroma, which only worsened the rumbling of Elies’ stomach.

The young woman lifted her head, her mossy eyes and golden hair twinkling when they met Elies’ brother’s. She dropped her spoon and rushed his way. “Ayko!” she squealed.

Ayko grinned and waved. “Haze! What’s up?”

Her cheeks flushed when she threw her arms around him, with Elies watching with tight lips. He smiled when she hugged him next, despite the slight embarrassment. Like Ayko, she stood a head over him and practically had to kneel to embrace him. Regardless, her touch was as welcome as any pretty girl’s.

A nervous bead of sweat slid down Elies’ temple. “Hazelmere,” he said.

Ashencrane’s plummy voice made their friend jump. “Fool!” She thumped Hazelmere’s head with her cane. “You’re letting it burn again!” the old woman barked. Her granddaughter shrieked and hastily stirred the cauldron again.

It wasn’t long before the cauldron’s contents had ceased its bubbling, and Hazelmere retreated inside, returning with a stack of wooden bowls cradled in her arms. She filled them and handed them out one by one, with Elies eyeing its contents when she set it in his outstretched hands.

He stared blankly at the floating assortment of prism-shaped Mimbleroots roots, neither frowning nor smiling as he gulped the clear broth down. Tastes like…snow, Elies thought.

Yarrow wiped his bearded lips. “You’ve done your good deed for the day.” He smacked his lips and held out his empty bowl.

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Ashencrane swatted his arm away. “Just as I will the next day and the next,” she huffed.

“Nay,” Yarrow shook his head. “I’ll be taking my leave, I’m afraid.”

“Taking your…?” Ashencrane eyed him incredulously. “Do you hear yourself? You can barely stand up on your feet!”

“Aye,” Yarrow replied. “But I don’t have much time left.” He leaned forward, staring into the fire between their circle of stumps. He drew his brow together. “I’ve got places to go and old friends to see before it’s too late.”

Ashencrane’s gray eyebrows twitched. “And just how much longer do you have with us?”

“I’ve got three days to prepare.”

“That isn’t what I—”

Ayko jumped to his feet and placed a hand on his chest. “So do I!” he blurted out. “I’m going with him!”

Elies cut his eyes at him while Hazelmere frowned.

Yarrow sighed and shook his head. “That isn’t set in stone,” he said wearily.

Hazelmere looked down at the ground, her voice a whisper. “Are you going too, Elies?”

Elies gave her a queer look. “Should I?” He chuckled. “Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere, and neither is Ayko.” He placed a hand on her shoulder. “I’ll make sure of it.”

Hazelmere smiled and turned away, joining Elies in watching Ayko make a fool of himself. The older twin twirled Hazelmere’s wooden spoon through the air, shouting as he did so. His swings were stiff but heavy enough to make the air whistle.

Yarrow’s face grew stale as he watched the display, and he and Ashencrane traded looks.

“Shall we retire?” The old adventurer asked.

“Thought you’d never ask,” the crone huffed. She snatched up her cane while Yarrow seized his staff and shuffled away, slamming the back door behind them when they disappeared behind it.

Elies eyed the closed door and wrinkled his nose. The thought of what the word “retire” might have meant made him rip his gaze away. Instead, he focused his eyes on Ayko, who continued hacking away at the wintry air, eventually falling onto his arse. The display was enough to make Elies snort.

Hazelmere burst into a fit of giggles, covering her mouth with her hand. “You should help him, Elies.”

“Tch! Why not?” Elies said. He slowly rose to his feet. “What kind of brother would I be if I didn’t?” He stood over Ayko and extended his hand. “Need a playmate?” he asked. Ayko smiled and allowed him to hoist him to his feet.

Elies strutted to Hazelmere’s cauldron and took the ladle in hand, shaking the congealed stew onto the snow before holding it in front of his face. Per his command, Ayko swung his spoon, only for his makeshift blade to meet his brother’s.

Elies’ brow twitched, and his eyes locked with Ayko’s. His brother smirked before twisting his blade free and landing a jab on Elies’ ribs.

The younger twin sucked in a pained breath but planted his feet. He thrust the hilt of his ladle forward, lodging it into Ayko’s gut and following up with a jab to his forehead.

Ayko staggered away only to lunge forward and swing his spoon heavily.

Elies grunted as he cocked his head to the side, the wind whistling in his left ear, drowning out the sound of Ayko’s fist slamming into his right.

Elies cursed and clutched his ear, the ringing deafening the sound of Ayko’s shouting. His older twin sprinted forward and landed a kick right beneath his chin. He squeezed his eyes shut when his back hit the cold ground. The earth spun, and Hazelmere, their audience of one, looked like she had a long-lost twin sister.

He grunted, strands of alma floating in the air and smoke rising between his fingers as he lifted himself off the ground. He left his ladle in the snow and wriggled his fingers, allowing the heat to crawl up his joints.

Firiere, Elies uttered when Ayko rushed him.

His brother gave his spoon another swing, gasping when it caught fire. He shot Elies a fiery look and chucked it his way, with Elies’ cloak catching flames this time.

Elies cursed and hit the ground, the skin on his chest heated up, and the smell of smoke crawled up his nostrils. He breathed a relieved sigh when the flames petered out.

“You arse!” Elies shouted. He glanced at his tunic, which was now in tatters. A thin trail of smoke still rose from it.

“You’re the arse for using magic!” Ayko argued.

Elies jabbed a finger at him. “You didn’t win that one!”

“Says who?” Ayko replied.

Elies stomped his way into Ayko’s space, his chin practically touching his lamppost of a brother’s chest. He seized the front of his tunic while Ayko grabbed a fistful of his hair. They released each other when Hazelmere touched their arms, however.

Elies’ cheeks heated up, and Ayko’s face turned red. His brother met his glare before turning to face her.

Hazelmere beamed at them, firmly but gently seizing their hands. “Why don’t we call it a draw?”

“Tch!” the twins sucked their teeth in unison. “Fine!”

Hazelmere giggled as they sat on both sides of her. “How many has it been now?”

Ayko shrugged.

“Fifty and counting,” Elies said, puffing smoke from a freshly-lit cigarette.

Ayko frowned at him. “You’ll die if you keep that up.”

Elies waved his hand dismissively. “You can die from a lot of things. Like leaving the village, for one.”

Ayko burst into laughter. “Then you, me, and Haze are as dead as a corpse because we’re all leaving this place.”

A concerned look riddled Hazelmere’s face, and she turned to face Elies’ brother with wide eyes. “We can’t! Don’t you know what happens to those who try? Your parents….” Her voice trailed off, and she slumped her shoulders. “My mother too...they…”

“Were eaten alive?” Ayko scowled at her. “That’s just a damn myth. Besides, they’d want us to try! For us to do something more than waste away like your grandmother!”

Elies glared at his brother from the corner of his eye. “Ayko…” he said warily.

Hazelmere’s eyes welled up, and she turned her head.

Ayko ran a hand through his hair. “I didn’t mean that,” he said, looking away.

Hazelmere forced a laugh. “You’re such a dreamer!”

Ayko took the young woman’s hand in his, the sight of which made Elies’ brow twitch.

“It’s not a dream,” Ayko said softly. He stared into her eyes, refusing to so much as blink. “If everything goes right, I’m leaving with Yarrow in two days. At least think about it till then.”

Hazelmere’s lips trembled as she stared into his pleading eyes. “I…” She opened her mouth to speak but said nothing. Instead, she clasped her hands and hung her head.

“As for you,” Ayko said. He leaned over Hazelmere and nudged Elies. “You’re coming with me even if I have to drag you along.”

Elies smirked at him. “I’d like to see that,” he laughed.