Miriam slowed down almost to a stop. Echo put her face close to Miriam's and met her eyes. She was worried.
Echo pulled Miriam forward gently, shooting a glare back at Caleb and Davis, who were arguing again. Echo liked Davis and liked playing with Caleb's fur. The only reason she was mad at them was because she believed their fighting was what had upset Miriam.
Miriam wanted to correct her. She wanted to say that she was upset because she was confused and couldn't ask someone to repeat something she had not heard.
She couldn't clear the misunderstanding. She couldn't correct Echo and Caleb. She couldn't stop Caleb from unnecessarily fighting on her behalf. She couldn't do much of anything besides stand there being ignored.
Echo gave Miriam's hand a little supporting squeeze. She wanted to ask her:
Why did you bring me here, Echo?
Echo stopped suddenly and looked at Miriam, an expression of terror filling her face. Miriam was once again struck by how much they looked alike.
Had she looked at Aaren like that when he told her she was leaving? Had he felt this pain and guilt?
Echo rubbed her very warm thumb against the back of Miriam's cold hand.
"Bad man," said Echo and Miriam instantly thought of the handsome, older Ichabod.
Echo looked back at Davis and Caleb and frowned, sticking out her bottom lip in a very endearing way that Miriam would never be able to pull off despite their bottom lips being identical. Miriam caught her hands and shook her head when Echo looked at her.
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Davis wasn't a bad person. He had other plans and responsibilities and she couldn't allow Echo, or herself, to expect that their problems came before his. It's not like he had a choice in helping her.
Caleb wasn't all that bad either. He was incredibly selfish and whined a lot but he was helping them.
Both had gone for years without knowing either girl and, hopefully, could go back to their lives as soon as Miriam got home. The sooner that happened, the better for everyone.
Miriam was mad at them for arguing stupidly and ignoring her but she couldn't forget what they were doing for her. She couldn't let Echo think like that either. She wanted to explain this, but she couldn't. All she could do was shake her head at the other girl and hope to get her meaning across.
Just like she couldn't find out what Davis had gotten so upset about. He was still looking upset. He was yelling all of the air out of his lungs but he looked like he was about to cry.
Miriam decided to take advantage of the rarity of getting her reflections undivided attention and indicated to Davis with her thumb and raise her hands, shoulders and elbows in a questioning way. To her surprise, Echo seemed to understand.
"Ja..."
Ja? What was Ja?
"Leave us for Ja..."
Jace. Davis had wanted to leave her for Jace. He wanted to go to help his brother like she had promised they would.
If someone was trying to hurt Amy and someone was getting in her way, Miriam would never forgive them. Davis couldn't go anywhere without her. And she'd stopped him.
Miriam stood up. She had to let him know it was okay, that they would go. She wouldn't do that to him, to anyone. No wonder he looked so miserable.
Echo caught her arm.
Miriam tried to gently remove her.
"Just us is okay," she said softly, gripping Miriam's arm tightly. "Just us is better."
Miriam tried to shake her off. She shook her head at Echo and mouthed 'Let go' but Echo only tightened her grip.
Then the earth beneath them began to sink and move away. Miriam turned to Davis and Caleb, but it was already too late. Miriam couldn't even yell at them.