Edwyr had just meant to get some water because he couldn't find any in Wyn's quarters, and he hadn't wanted to wake the elf just to ask about it. But now he found himself following someone sneaking through the castle. It was the middle of the night, the corridors only lit by the ever-burning torches hanging from the walls, and perfectly silent, so Edwyr couldn't have not noticed the quiet footsteps.

He wasn't certain if he was justified in following someone like this—after all, this could just be someone in a similar situation as him, perhaps looking for a midnight snack—but he couldn't help himself. Something about this was suspicious to him, and potentially embarrassing himself was worth it.

As he followed silently down the steps leading to the cellars, though, he was more and more sure that he wasn't just being paranoid. Because aside from food storage, there was something very important located there as well—the Infuser.

Even before he'd managed to catch up, he knew that that was what the person had come here for as the dark rooms lit up with a bright blue light. As Edwyr peeked over the corner and looked inside the room, he got just enough time to catch a glimpse of the person's face before she was walking through the portal generated by the Infuser.

A second later, the portal went out, and the light disappeared, leaving Edwyr standing in the dark in confusion and mounting wariness. That had been Genrith. And he didn't think she had anywhere to be at this hour. He wouldn't think that much of it if not for the earlier incident with the Council elf. And Genrith's general tendency to be as cryptic as possible, much like Wyn except he somehow wore it better.

He wished he could find out where Genrith had just gone, but even if it were possible, he had no idea how to do it. Which meant that it seemed he would have to wake up Wyn after all.

Sighing, he began to climb the steps up again, making sure to stop by the kitchen to get something to drink. He'd almost forgotten that he'd gotten up because he was thirsty in the first place, but now that Genrith was gone, his thirst had returned with full force.

Even though he fully intended to wake Wyn up, Edwyr still opened the door as silently as he could when he returned to his chambers, creeping inside and pulling the door closed behind him. He made his way to the smaller room connected to the main one, hearing Wyn's slow but audible breathing before even seeing him.

And what a sight he was. Edwyr had to stop in his tracks for a moment, just watching the other elf's naked chest rise and fall where he was lying on his side, his long hair disheveled and spread across the pillow. Edwyr felt his cheeks grow warm, but he shook his head, pushing all of the thoughts entering his mind away.

Now was not the time to get flustered and distracted by the way Wyn looked, or the fact that they'd slept together for the first time tonight, no matter how wonderful and right it had felt. They had a problem on their hands, potentially a big one if Genrith was keeping secrets, and Edwyr had to focus on that.

"Wyn," he said quietly, though in the silent room, it still seemed too loud. But Wyn didn't even stir. Edwyr sighed, tapping at Wyn's exposed shoulder, which made the elf groan, his eyelids fluttering. When Wyn's eyes finally opened a crack, Edwyr was almost taken aback by how clouded by sleep they were. They were usually so focused.

Edwyr resisted the urge to smile when Wyn yawned. It was painfully adorable, which was a problem because Edwyr almost forgot what he wanted to say at the sight.

"Is something the matter?" Wyn asked, still looking very drowsy as he sat up on the bed, rubbing his eyes.

"I just saw Genrith go somewhere using the Infuser," Edwyr said, sitting down next to Wyn. That seemed to bring some clarity to the other elf as his eyes widened.

"In the middle of the night?" Wyn frowned. "That is very odd."

Edwyr had been expecting a stronger reaction than that. But he supposed at least Wyn was taking it seriously, if not with as much suspicion as Edwyr was feeling toward the whole thing.

"So this isn't unusual? Genrith going off like this?"

Wyn ran a hand through his hair, brushing it back and off his face as he shook his head. "She comes and goes. I do not interfere with her business, much like she does not interfere with mine." Wyn didn't have to spell out to Edwyr that despite his words, he was questioning the situation as much as Edwyr was. His pensive tone did it fine on its own. "That said, I do usually know what she is doing."

"And right now, you don't," Edwyr finished for him, and Wyn shook his head again.

"You are suspicious of her, aren't you?" Edwyr didn't bother replying, letting his silence do the talking instead. Wyn sighed. "I do understand. She can be a bit aloof."

Edwyr snorted. A bit. He had never seen her smile, not in a genuine way, during the entire month he'd been here. Not that he'd seen that much of her in the first place. She was usually off, doing things Edwyr was not privy to, but at the time he hadn't cared. But this, paired with her randomly showing up to fight the Council elf.... He was going to pay closer attention to what Genrith said or did. His gut was telling him something was off.

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"Whatever she is doing, though, she is on our side," Wyn assured him, giving Edwyr a small smile. Edwyr almost hated how comforting that smile was. He didn't want to underestimate Genrith, even if Wyn had known her for decades and trusted her.

When Edwyr thought about it like this, it almost seemed ridiculous to question Genrith, but he wouldn't let that stop him.

"I will make sure to ask her when she returns," Wyn added, tentatively taking Edwyr's hand into his own, as if unsure he could. As if they hadn't just made love a few hours ago. Edwyr said nothing, though, only squeezing the other elf's hand. "She has been a little less talkative these past few months."

Edwyr almost snorted. He wondered if there ever had been a time when Genrith had been talkative. Though, come to think of it, he didn't know anything much about her. Or her history with Wyn. All he knew was that she'd restored his voice after the Council took it away, but that could have very well happened over a hundred years ago.

"Is she immortal, as well?"

Wyn smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yes. She was the main reason I even pursued research on how to stop one's body from aging, actually. She was very interested when I mentioned my theories about the subject, and I had no reason to deny her. She did save my life."

Edwyr wanted to point out how odd it was that Wyn seemed to be implying that he had made himself immortal simply because he had already bothered finding a way to do so, rather than figuring it out for himself in the first place, but what Wyn had said afterward interested him much more.

"When did that happen?"

Wyn's smile grew more genuine. "She gave me my voice back. Having magic and yet not being able to use it.... It is the worst fate that could befall me, second only to somehow losing magic altogether."

The elf grimaced, looking away, a heavy silence filling the room. If Wyn considered having no magic a fate worse than death, then it would make sense for him to think of Genrith fixing his voice as saving his life. And Edwyr hated that it had ever happened. He was putting his arms around Wyn before he even had a chance to think about it. The other elf tensed up for a second before relaxing into the embrace, letting out a content sigh.

"We'll make the Council pay."

Wyn chuckled, the sound so warm that it made Edwyr's heart flip. "I appreciate the enthusiasm, but everyone who made the decision to take away my voice is likely dead by now. And those who may still be alive would not recognize me." Edwyr pulled away a little, raising an eyebrow at the other elf, who continued. "Ah, I looked very...different back then."

Edwyr sensed there was more to that sentence than Wyn was letting on, but he decided not to pry right now and smiled instead. "All right, then we make them pay for banishing me."

Wyn pressed his lips against Edwyr's then, and Edwyr barely got enough time to get over his surprise and kiss back before Wyn was pulling away again. "Yes, we shall. But I'd rather we simply depose the Council. I do not wish to harm anyone."

"Yes, I know, you've told me at least five times, Tehr."

They both froze, stuck staring at each other. Edwyr had no idea how that had left his lips. On the way back to the castle from Lightkeep, he had mulled over what he could call Wyn now that he knew his true name, and he had settled on Tehr being quite nice, but it had been an idle thought and nothing more. Perhaps he was sleep-deprived because he in general did not like the very human concept of nicknames.

Edwyr regained the ability to breathe only once Wyn graced him with a small but incredibly vibrant grin, his eyes sparkling. "No one has ever called me that before."

He looked very pleased by this. A fact that once more threatened to make Edwyr too flustered to behave normally.

"I quite like it." Wyn leaned in to kiss Edwyr's cheek. "Ed."

Edwyr scrunched up his nose in distaste. "No."

Wyn laughed quietly, sounding so much more carefree than Edwyr had ever heard him. He even looked younger, somehow, at that moment, the amused spark in his eyes overshadowing the wrinkles around them. "You are correct, that did not feel right. I will think of something better."

As Wyn's face fell, though, Edwyr frowned, surprised at the change of mood. But he said nothing, waiting for Wyn to say something himself. He didn't want to push him.

"Edwyr, I should tell you something."

Edwyr's frown grew as Wyn lowered his gaze to the bed rather than looking at him. Whatever he wanted to say had to be serious. But before Wyn could continue, a loud thump sounded above them. Edwyr sighed, relaxing despite the danger on the roof.

Edwyr was about to ask what beast Wyn thought had come to visit them this time, but before he could, the animal let out a screech, loud and blood-curdling. A bloodfeather, then. Wonderful.

"We'll have to go deal with this, won't we?" Edwyr asked, already getting up, but Wyn didn't let go of his hand.

"We are protected here. No need."

Edwyr sighed, sitting back down. It was hard to argue with Wyn, even though this was just pure laziness. They should drive the bloodfeather off their roof, it would be the correct thing to do, if only because it would stop it from making more noise. "We've been plenty irresponsible today."

"No true," Wyn replied, lying back down again. "That was now yesterday, technically. It will be morning soon."

Edwyr shook his head. For a wise, old sorcerer, Wyn could be surprisingly childish. Though for whatever reason Edwyr found that endearing. It was too late for him, it seemed.

"Come lie down with me."

Edwyr sighed, not having a counterargument. The bloodfeather would leave eventually. There was nothing it could do to get inside and hurt anyone with how many defensive enchantments there were in this place. And so he did as Wyn had told him, laying down even as the beast on the castle roof screeched again, putting his arm over Wyn's chest.

"What did you want to tell me?"

Wyn tensed up only for a second before relaxing again, giving Edwyr a small smile over his shoulder. "Oh, nothing." He paused for one second too long before speaking again. "It's just...I like you very much, Edwyr."

Well, that was certainly not what Wyn had wanted to tell him earlier, but Edwyr smiled back, ignoring that. If Wyn wanted to tell him, whatever it was, he would do so on his own. Edwyr didn't want to push him. Not to mention that now that he was lying in bed again, his eyelids were growing heavy.

"I like you very much too, Tehr."

Wyn said nothing, only giving Edwyr a smile before turning his head away and closing his eyes, pushing himself a little closer to him. Edwyr let his eyes close as well, then, too sleepy and content to worry about anything, not even the beast screaming on the roof.

Tomorrow he'd make sure tomake up for the day they'd spent in Lightkeep. He would train more, no matterhow difficult Wyn's presence made it. And he would keep an eye on Genrith fromnow on. No matter what Wyn had said, Edwyr just couldn't shake off the feelingthat something was wrong. And if there was, he would find out.