{-Llewel-}

Myr, unsurprisingly, tried to figure out what they’d talked about. He told her it wasn’t anything she needed to worry about; just a few dumb questions he was glad to have answers to. Then he changed the subject—mentioning that Duuzlo had prepared more medicine and gave it to Llewel so they’d have it—long enough for the players to come on for the day.

It was that morning, waiting for Kaerio to show up, that they had their most civil conversation with Tinath yet. Zetai, instead of being hostile, seemed to simply be annoyed. Maybe she was able to recognize that she was outnumbered, or Reynneak or someone else had convinced her, or some combination of all or neither. Llewel decided not to question it; he knew it was better not to.

Kaerio walked into the inn, paused by the door, and immediately went over to their table. “A certain sense tells me that the five of you have all those reports,” he remarked when he got there.

Zetai nodded, got them all out, and gave them to him. He stashed them away somewhere and handed her a small pouch.

“Here’s your reward—thanks again for helping me out. Come see me later, too. There’s plenty more reports to collect where that came from.” He paused for a moment, gathering his own words again, and prompted, “So, how did it go?”

“About as well as we could’ve hoped,” Llewel answered casually.

“I’m guessing it wasn’t that good, then?”

Myr shrugged. “Well, something must’ve come out of it, because we’re not arguing or in awkward silence anymore…”

“My bet’s on the fact that she realized you’re more or less better off with me,” Tinath remarked. “I know things you don’t. I’ll be able to spot anyone who might try to do something to the twins. If you’re going to keep running around and being obvious, the least you could do is have someone watching your back.”

Zetai mumbled something that sounded both like an agreement and objection.

“I was somehow able to work things out,” Reynneak explained. “I think it helps that her parents were probably more or less listening to the whole thing.” She muttered something else that seemed to confirm it.

“But that still doesn’t mean I trust you,” she declared, giving Tinath a cold glare.

Tinath didn’t seem bothered by it; in fact, she smirked. “Hey, at this point? Wouldn’t expect any less from you.”

“I’m going to be keeping my eye on you. I can guarantee that the moment you do something weird or so much as think of hurting the twins again, you’re going to regret it. I’ll make sure of it.” Then Zetai turned to Reynneak and, with a surprising lack of reluctance, said, “Add her to the party.”

He casually went to that menu and did something until another screen appeared in front of Tinath.

“‘Unnamed Party,’” she commented. “Very creative.”

Myr shrugged. “We could never agree on a name.”

“Could you tell me when you’re most likely to be on?” Reynneak asked, looking at Tinath. “I have notes for us on there so the twins know when we’ll be here, might as well add you, too.”

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“Any day, all day—it doesn’t matter,” she replied honestly. She muttered a curse when she remembered something. “Except for the fact that I was forced into that event…”

“You’re not working with Nankohm anymore,” Zetai said. “Just don’t show up.”

Tinath shook her head. “Players already know about what’s going to happen. If things don’t go as planned, then someone’s going to have to take the blame for it, and it’s probably going to be Mom.”

“I’m guessing this isn’t something you can be a part of and not do anything else for?” Reynneak prompted.

“I could, but I doubt that’s going to make anyone happy. The most I’ve been doing the past two years is stuff for my friends—practically nothing compared to what I used to do. They probably all think this is going to be my return to the entirety of the gaming scene. They’re getting hyped for something I didn’t plan on doing, so I’ve at least got to give them something.”

“Sounds like a problem you gave yourself,” Zetai mumbled.

Reynneak sighed. “Alright, let’s try not to go down the argument-starting path. How much do you think that’ll change your schedule?”

Tinath considered it for a moment. “Not too much? I don’t have a ‘real’ job so this, streaming, and stuff for my friends is the only things I need to do. It won’t take long to get enough content ready for them. I’ll let you know if I think that’s going to change at all.”

“Well, it sounds like you’ve all got a plan,” Kaerio remarked. There was a hint in his tone that showed he didn’t quite understand it, and he glanced at the twins only to receive shrugs. “What do you guys plan on doing now?”

They all looked around, but no one seemed to have an answer.

“That event doesn’t start for a couple more days, right?” Zetai asked.

“I think it’s tomorrow,” Tinath replied. “I’d have to check again.”

Reynneak pulled up the menu, found what must’ve been the announcements, and confirmed, “Tomorrow.”

“I know a couple of quick quests in the area,” Kaerio offered. “Head right outside of town and there’s an older woman you can run some errands for. At the last stop is another one of my people, all you’ll have to do for him is help him find something. It’s all random stuff, for the most part, but it’s something you can do until then.”

Zetai stood up. “Sounds like a plan to me. What about the rest of you?”

Their agreement came in a collective shrug. They all got up and left the inn.

But, as the players continued to walk to the quest, Myr stopped and took Llewel’s hand.

“Please, not this again…” he sighed, from her expression alone already certain of what she’d ask. “You know what my answer is going to be.”

“And I don’t think it’s an answer at all. Come on, you haven’t really told me anything! You talked with Phanes but all you said was that it had something to do with Duuzlo. And now that you have talked with Duuzlo, you still haven’t told me anything about it.”

“But I’m being honest. It’s nothing you need to think about. Really I don’t even need to keep thinking about it…”

“So if it’s nothing important then it doesn’t matter if I know.”

“You know that saying that never changes my mind.”

“Is whatever it is bad enough that you really aren’t going to tell me?” Myr then gave him what he knew to be the most guilt-trip-worthy look she could muster. “Please?”

Llewel chose not to look at her at all. “I’m sorry, but I promise, this is something that’s best left with just me. I don’t want both of us to have to deal with this.”

“But—“

“That’s it. You’re not getting any more out of me.” He gently pulled away and started towards where the players went. “Now come on, if they noticed we hadn’t been following them, then they’re going to start getting worried.”

For a moment, it seemed like she might’ve tried to object. Then she just nodded and followed behind him.

He didn’t want her to have to struggle with those thoughts like he was… More importantly, maybe he could deny a bit of them if he didn’t need to hear himself admit it out loud.