“There has to be something else out there. Some other reason to live.”She’d said that to Hewitt once, more than three months ago now.
“What would be reason enough to live?”he’d asked.
Evylin needed to talk with her uncle. She needed direction. Her whole life, she’d longed for “more,” imagining that achieving such lofty aspirations would mean a life of adventure. But when faced with the realities of her dreams—the truth that adventure was little more than constant travel and near-death experiences—she wasn’t so sure it was the “more” she sought.
“What would be reason enough to live?”
After months of waiting for the answer to come to her, Evylin decided it was time to go find it herself.
The three Warriors returned to camp from their training, exhausted and contemplative. The smell of roasted goose and vegetable stew greeted them. In the rusty glow of sunset, the rest of their troop lounged around the camp. Thom sat next to Ilain, talking in low, amused tones. Their friendship had survived his mistakes, and Evylin smiled, knowing that it meant more to him than he’d ever say.
Nearby, Auden tended the meal, talking with Deckard, who pointed to a passage in a rather thick book. Vayden and Isla sat across from them, but Rafferty stood to the side, chatting merrily with Hewitt.
Instantly, Evylin’s heart filled at the sight.
Splitting off from Brea, she and Ethenn hurried over to the pair.
“That’s because you’re cocky,” Hewitt was telling Rafferty. “You pay too much attention to how you can outsmart your opponent, and you miss your opportunity to defeat him with simple skill.”
“Simple,” Rafferty said in a snarky tone, “is boring.”
“Simple is effective,” Hewitt returned. “And if you don’t accept that, then you’re an idiot.”
With that, Hewitt turned to face Evylin. “Hello, Evie,” he said, his words immediately becoming gentle.
Evylin crossed her arms to keep from reaching out for him. “I like seeing you around camp,” she remarked.
“I like being around camp,” he admitted, then greeted Ethenn. “Has your training been effective?”
“In a manner of speaking,” Ethenn said sourly.
Evylin grimaced in agreement. “Brea is a fan of torture, it seems.”
Hewitt nodded. “Good. You were getting sloppy.”
“I was not!”
“You were grieving,” he said casually. “It’s to be expected. However, you three—” Hewitt motioned toward Ethenn, Rafferty, and then Thom by the fire, “were not, so you have no excuse for your regression.”
Ethenn and Rafferty shared a look that said they disagreed.
Upon Auden’s announcement that dinner was ready, they made their way to the fireside. However, Evylin lingered behind for a moment longer, looking up at Hewitt. “I want to talk with you,” she whispered. “After dinner.”
“Without Deckard?” he asked, a single bushy eyebrow raised.
She nodded.
Hewit returned the gesture, then motioned for her to precede him to the fire. Deckard had risen, returning his book to his saddlebag, so Evylin sat next to the empty spot he’d vacated. As had become the standard in the past three days of travel, Hewitt sat at her side. Though he had no need for food as a ghost, he took every opportunity to stay with her.
Auden handed out bowls to everyone. The hearty meal was made of the last of the meager supplies they’d brought for the beginning of their journey. Once they were back in Ephria, where they could move freely, they would replenish their food stores.
The conversation grew happily chaotic, filling the camp like an overstuffed turkey. It was strange to Evylin how only three more people could add so much more noise.
Deckard returned to the campfire, calling, “Thom.” His brother looked up, and Deckard tossed something to him before taking his seat again next to Evylin.
Across the fire, Thom caught the small, cloth-and-twine-wrapped object. “Of course you remembered,” he muttered sardonically.
“Remembered what?” Ilain asked from her seat at his side.
