Seth felt warm. Uncomfortably warm. He groaned a bit and slowly opened his eyes. The sky was pink and red with a touch of purple. The sun was rising.

What happened? Seth wondered. His body felt achy, and his head hurt.

Seth heard a crackle and a snap. He turned his head and saw that he was near a small campfire. Gloria sat on the other side, her head on her knees. She looked to be asleep.

Everything began to come back to Seth. The dance, the burly assassin in his room, being stabbed to death, and the strange woman who spoke to him. Seth trembled and let out a shaky breath.

Gloria’s head shot up. Seth looked back at Gloria. He tried to smile, but she avoided his gaze. She stepped over and pulled a blanket over Seth. “You’ll catch cold.” She said before turning back to her seat. Seth reached out and tried to take her arm.

“Wait,” he said, but Gloria flinched back. She met Seth’s eyes and for a moment Seth saw fear. He put his hand down and watched Gloria sit down on the other side of the campfire.

Why is she afraid? Seth wondered. He racked his brain to remember what happened after he died, but he couldn’t. Is she still upset about the dance? He wondered.

The blanket felt like it was boiling Seth. He took the blanket off and slowly sat up. Something on his arm caught his eye. Seth’s eyes widened. There was a scar made of glowing ice on his arm.

“They’re all over you,” Gloria murmured curled up again. “Everywhere you were…hurt.”

Seth looked at Gloria who evaded eye contact again. “Gloria? What happened?” Gloria didn’t answer. Seth felt a pit in his stomach. It must’ve been bad. He swallowed and asked again. “What happened?”

Gloria hugged her knees. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Seth was growing worried. “Did the assassin hurt you?” Gloria shook her head. Seth’s heart pounded. “Did…did I hurt you?”

“No…” She answered quietly. “No, you didn’t.”

Seth looked around. “Where’s the assassin?”

“Dead.”

Seth looked back at Gloria who was staring wide-eyed into the fire. “I buried him. I know he tried to kill us, but it felt wrong to leave his bones out here in the wild.” Seth scanned around them again and saw a freshly dug grave.

“Has she always been there?”

Seth looked back. “What?”

“The woman, has she always been…inside of you?” Gloria didn’t look up from the fire. “Is that why you are hiding?”

“Gloria…tell me what happened.”

Gloria trembled. “I-I saw you,” she began, her voice already beginning to crack. “You were gone. Dead. I heard you die.” She swallowed. “He was going to kill me too, but then…” Gloria looked up at Seth and shuddered. “It was like you were a puppet at a village fair. Like someone else was wearing your face.” She shuddered. “The man thought he could take her, but she used to you to destroy him…all that was left were bones.” Gloria looked pale and scrambled over to some grass where she vomited.

Seth found a waterskin and brought it over. He handed it to Gloria. She took it and took a sip. Seth sat down next to her. “No,” Seth said. “She hasn’t been inside of me this whole time.”

“Why are there assassins after you then?” Gloria asked. “Who is Lord Ember?”

Seth folded his hands and looked down. “Listen, I’m sorry you got wrapped up in this. I didn’t want you to be, I tried to warn you but…” He drifted off for a moment, then he sighed. “I can’t tell you. It would be too dangerous, and I don’t want to ruin your life.” Seth gripped his knuckles. “It sounds like I’ve already done enough damage as is.” Seth met Gloria’s eyes, “I’m sorry.”

Without waiting for a response, Seth stood and found his leather bag. He picked it up and started walking towards the pass entrance again.

“Where are you going?” Gloria asked.

“Away…somewhere where hopefully no one can find me again.”

“Come with me instead.”

Seth looked back. “What?”

Gloria stood and brushed her dress off. “Come with me to the temple in Westfjord.”

“Why?”

“Something wasn’t right about that woman inside you and that needs to be remedied. A temple is the best place to start.”

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Seth frowned. “No, I can’t do that. I don’t know how many more assassins know where I am. Not to mention the danger it would put you in.”

Gloria stepped forward. Her face was set. “I don’t care. I lo-“ she bit her lip and pulled her hair. “I just don’t want you to be anyone’s puppet.” She looked down. “No one deserves that.” She sighed for a moment and looked up. “Come with me to the temple to get looked at. Then, after that if you still want to go north alone, you can do that and I…” Gloria paused. “I will go home. I promise.”

Seth looked at Gloria. The sun began to halo around her fiery red hair. Her flower’s gone…he thought. It must’ve fallen from her hair in the night.

Seth looked behind him at the pass. Something did seem off. Who had the power to reverse death and why ice? Why did she refuse to say her name? The icy woman flashed into Seth’s mind. She smiled coyly and vanished.

Seth turned back to Gloria. “Alright, we can go to the temple, but after that, I need to leave. It’s best for everyone.”

Gloria smiled sadly. “Of course.”

Gloria put out the fire while Seth collected his things. The memory of last night still burned in her mind. She shivered. Whatever that woman was terrified her.

I don’t want to lose him. She glanced back at Seth. “If you love something, set it free.” The old proverb rang through her mind.

Gloria pursed her lips and kicked the ashes again. That was stupid; She of all people knew that wasn’t true. Once someone leaves, they don’t come back. No matter how long you wait. No, Gloria couldn’t take that chance.

And she saw how he had looked at her at the dance. Her heart pounded at the memory. If Seth hadn’t seen one of those men, things would’ve been different. She was sure of that.

Gloria looked out over the plains. The sun had almost risen, the golden beams made the tall grass look like gold. A chilly breeze rippled through the plains like waves of water. Gloria shivered. It was colder than normal for a spring morning.

It’s going to be difficult to get my things from home. Gloria thought. He would never allow it. Gloria bit her lip. But with it being so early in the morning, maybe I’ll be able to slip in and out before he notices.

Gloria heard Seth sigh. She looked back at him. He had changed his shirt and pulled his bag onto his back. He looked tired.

He always looks tired. Gloria noted. Whatever this burden was that he kept secret, it was heavy. But why would a Lord want a locksmith dead? Gloria wondered. She had no idea, but she was going to find out one way or another.

“I’m ready,” Seth said. “I assume we need to head back to Northhorn so you can grab some things?”

Gloria forced a smile. “I mean unless you want to share clothes.”

Seth gave a hint of a smile and laughed a little. Gloria saw a little twinkle in his eye. Then her smile became genuine. For one moment, Gloria could see that his burden felt a little lighter.

Gloria led the way. She stepped into the grass and closed her eyes. Dear grass…She thought. Guide me home. The grass rustled and Gloria felt a tug southeast. She looked back at Seth. “It’s this way.” He nodded and trudged after her.

Gloria’s heart pounded. Please still be asleep. Gloria prayed.

----------------------------------------

The sun had completely risen by the time Seth and Gloria reached Northhorn. The journey back from the mountains had been quiet. Seth guessed that both of them had a lot to think about.

Seth watched Gloria’s hair bounce as she stepped through the grass. Although he said she could come with him to Westfjord, Seth was already starting to have second thoughts.

This is my problem and mine alone. Seth thought. There’s no need to bring someone I hardly know into this. Seth felt a pang of guilt. Memories of Gloria coming by The Twin Hammer’s drifted through his mind. That’s not fair. He thought with a slow realization. She’s probably the closest thing to a friend I’ve had here.

Seth eyed one of his glowing scars. And I suppose the fact that she’s still here despite everything that happened last night is something to be accounted for. He looked back up at Gloria. I’m not sure I would’ve stayed.

At the border of Northhorn, Gloria looked back at Seth. “If we take this alley, we should be able to make it to my father’s house without being seen. Do you need anything?”

Seth shook his head. “It would be too complicated to go back.”

Gloria nodded. “Okay.” She looked at Seth’s arm. “You’ll want to hide those scars in case you’re seen.”

Seth looked at his arm. The scars glowed an iridescent blue. “You’re right,” he pulled off his bag and opened it.

“Use your bloodstained shirt,” Gloria said. “It’ll make it look like you got hurt.”

“Good idea,” Seth pulled the shirt out of his bag and ripped it into shreds. He started to put one strip over a scar but struggled to tie it himself.

Gloria turned around and took the strip. “Let me help you,” she said and tied it around his arm.

“Thank you,” Seth said before handing her another strip. Gloria smiled, then focused on tying a strip of cloth on each of his scars.

Seth and Gloria waded through the tall grass until they reached an entry point, then ran from the grass into an alley. Seth followed Gloria down the alley until she stopped at the back of a white house.

“Wait here, I should only be a few minutes,” Gloria said. She snagged a key from the top of the door, unlocked it, and crept inside. Seth leaned against the wall and waited.

After a few minutes, Seth heard two pairs of footsteps pass by on the street. He recognized their voices: Bhaldran and Frenda.

“When I find that boy, I’m going to hang him in the village square!” Bhaldran swore.

“Now Bhaldran, we don’t know what happened.” Frenda answered. “Seth’s not the kinda boy to get into trouble.”

“Are you sure about that?” Bhaldran retorted. “There’s a dead man in our guest room and he almost burned down The Twin Hammers!

“I mean, how much do we really know about him? He comes from nowhere and calls nowhere home. He doesn’t talk about his family or life before Northhorn. The boy’s always so damned guarded! At the time I didn’t care, he did his job and did it well, but now I wonder if he was running from some kind of trouble.”

“If he was, I’m sure Seth has his reasons.”

“Ya baby him too much, Frenda! He’s not yer son; Hundar was, not Seth. Don’t forget that.”

Bhaldran and Frenda passed on and Seth stopped eavesdropping. He felt terrible. I’m sorry Frenda… He thought. He wished he could come out and explain everything, but it just wasn’t possible.

Seth glanced at the kitchen door. Gloria seemed to be taking a long time to get her things. What could be keeping her? He thought. Should I tap on the door and see how she’s doing? Just then, he heard a loud smack and shouting from inside Gloria’s house.