Gloria looked up at the blue sky with a sigh. The late afternoon sun was warm, and the ground was beginning to dry. A cool breeze ruffled her dirt-crumbed hair, and Gloria closed her eyes with an exhale, but she couldn’t chase away the gnawing pit that had been growing in her stomach for the last two days.

  My Gloria…

  Snippets of her nightmare formed in her mind’s eye. The teasing giggle of the seductive fairy reflection. The biting, jaded comments of her human reflection. The wide green eyes of her younger self.

  Gloria’s eyes snapped open with a small gasp and landed on Seth’s muddied back. He was a few paces ahead of her. At her gasp, he paused and looked back at her with a dirty face and concerned eyes.

  “Something wrong?”

  Gloria’s throat tightened when she met his gaze and the voices murmured in her mind.

  He’s chasing a phantom.

  Maybe the stories are just what would make him stay…

  Will he hurt me too?

  Gloria anxiously looked away, then nodded. “I’m fine. Just thinking about the other day…” Elias shuddered beside her.

  Seth worriedly glanced between the two of them. “Do we need to take a break?”

  Gloria peeked a glance at Elias. The young man stared at the ground and shook his head. “No sir, I’ll be fine.”

  “Gloria?”

  Gloria whipped back to Seth who watched her carefully. “Do you need a break?”

  Gloria shook her head. “No, I’m fine.”

  “Are you both sure?”

  Gloria and Elias nodded. “Yes.”

  Seth grimaced, then turned back and continued marching forward. Elias followed after him, leaving Gloria to hurry a few paces to catch up.

  She caught up to Elias and watched him. His long ash blond locks and face were streaked with mud. His shoulders sagged, his eyes were dull, and his mouth was set in a grim line. And, although it was sunny out, it seemed as if a grey cloud of misery hung over him.

  Gloria pushed back her own thoughts, then inched closer and gently nudged him. “Hey, are you okay?” Elias flinched and his head snapped up before he turned wide eyes on her. Gloria gave him a reassuring smile. “You’ve been rather quiet lately.”

  When he met her gaze, Elias visibly relaxed. He looked at the ground again before letting out a half laugh. “Can’t imagine why…”

  Gloria laughed gently. “Everything’s been a little upside down, hasn’t it?”

  Elias shrugged. “I suppose that’s one way to put it.”

  Gloria tried to catch his gaze. “Do you need to talk—”

  “No.”

  Gloria felt a bit stung by the abrupt cut off and inched away a little. Elias must’ve sensed her hurt because he looked up and tried to give her a little smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “It’s just… still all a bit much.”

  Gloria nodded quietly and they plodded on in silence. The grass rustled with another soft breeze and Gloria tried to brush off some dried mud from her arm.

  “Were you shocked too?” Gloria looked back to see Elias peeking at her, he pushed back a lock of his hair that hid his face.

  “Shocked?” she asked. “By what?”

  “Master Seth’s story. About him being a prince.”

  Gloria glanced at Seth. He didn’t say anything, but his tensed shoulders told her that he was listening.

  “It did,” she said. “Actually, he told me the night before we met you. Still trying to wrap your mind around it?”

  Elias nodded.

  Gloria smiled. “Take your time. I know it took me a few days to fully accept it too.”

  Elias pursed his lips for a moment, then leaned in and whispered. “Are there parts of Master Seth’s story he left out?”

  Gloria’s heart skipped a beat. Seth did leave a few things out—the night she peeked into his dream. Gloria grimaced. “Sort of, what happened was… private.”

  Elias looked away, a little embarrassed. “Oh. I’m sorry.”

  Gloria waved him off. “It’s alright, don’t worry about it.”

  Elias nodded, but his ears twinged red. “Okay.”

  They both went quiet again and followed after Seth, lost in their own thoughts. A few birds twittered, then Gloria’s eyes trailed to his arm. “How’s your hand been?”

  Elias eyed the mud and blood-stained wrap then shrugged. “It doesn’t really hurt anymore, but it’s not as strong as it once was. I’m not sure it’ll ever be the same again…”

  Seth’s shoulders sagged.

  Gloria gripped her bag straps. “I’m sorry…” she murmured.

  “Sorry?” Elias looked up at her. “It’s not your fault, nor Master Seth’s. The Lady needed to be defeated—I did what had to be done. I just didn’t think…” He trailed off as tears choked the rest of his words.

  Gloria reached out to comfort him, but Elias shook his head. He took a deep breath and cleared his throat. “I’m just glad that I’m staying with you guys. That’s all that matters.”

  Gloria grimaced. “Are you sure about that?” she murmured.

  Elias’s hands gripped his backpack straps until his knuckles turned white and he shook. “Am I sure?” he muttered.

  He opened his mouth to say more, but before he could, Seth interrupted. “Hey, look, I think we’re about to pass William’s farm.”

  Gloria looked up to see a farmhouse, a barn, and a small field. Her heart lifted at the sight. She smiled when she thought of Kayla, William, and their adorable children.

  “Is this where you were going to bring me?” Elias asked.

  Gloria glanced at Seth. His steps faltered at the question, but he looked back at Elias and nodded. “William is a good man and his wife is kind. I thought it would be a good place to live.”

  As they got closer, the road forked and Gloria paused to stare up the drive. A few chickens wandered down and clucked as they pecked the ground for any bugs. She saw a few of the children playing in the yard. “Should we stop and say hello?”

  Seth was about to answer when one of the children happened to look their way. He bounced up and down before charging down the drive, the rest of his siblings following him crying, “Dad! Dad! It’s Seth and Gloria! Look! They’ve come back!”

  Gloria laughed as the children swarmed her and Seth. She glanced at Seth. “I don’t think we can escape now,” she teased.

  Seth returned her teasing jab with a warm smile. “I guess not.”

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  Alayia, the eldest, could hardly contain her excitement. “You’re back!” she cried. “We didn’t think we’d see you again!”

  Erik bounded over to Seth and pointed at his leg. “How’s your leg? Is it better from when Dad pulled that arrow from it?”

  Seth laughed awkwardly. “It’s doing a lot better. Thank you for asking.”

  “Do you want to see my sampler?” Alayia begged. “I’ve gotten a lot better since Mom and I worked on your coats a month ago!”

  There was a small tug on Gloria's dress. She looked down to see Bo, the youngest, sucking his thumb and gripping a dirtied square of colorful fabric. Gloria held her arms out. “It’s good to see you Bo, it’s been a little while.” The little boy grinned at her and ran to her arms.

  Gloria hefted him up and rested him on her hip. “Have you been a good boy?” she asked. Bo giggled before nodding.

  “How long are you staying?” Erik asked.

  Gloria looked up at Seth who was staring at her, mesmerized. She suddenly felt bashful under his gaze and dropped her eyes. “Well, Seth?” she asked.

  Seth blinked, then shook his head and cleared his throat. “I’m afraid we aren’t staying. Just passing through.”

  There was a laugh and Gloria looked back to see William striding down the drive towards them, his eyes twinkling. “I’m afraid that’s out of the question,” he said, brushing his hands off. “You have to at least stay for dinner or Kayla will hunt you down and skin you alive.”

  Seth grinned and held out a hand to him. “William! It’s good to see you!”

  William clasped Seth’s hand and shook it, before chuckling. “Your grip’s gotten stronger since the last time I saw you.”

  Seth shrugged. “A lot’s happened since then.”

  “I can tell.”

  William turned his attention to Gloria. “Kayla has been worried about you and Seth ever since you left. We were sure if we’d ever hear from you again.”

  Gloria smiled, bashfully. “Well, you can tell Kayla that thanks to her coats, we were very warm.”

  William grinned, then noticed Elias. “My apologies! I didn’t notice you. Who’s this?”

  “This is Elias,” Gloria answered. “A good friend of ours.”

  William stepped over to Elias with an extended hand. “Welcome! Any friend of Seth’s is a friend of mine.” Elias’s eyes widened and he took an involuntary step back, his face paling. William paused but continued to hold out his hand. “I’m sorry, did I startle you, son?”

  Gloria furrowed her brow in confusion. “Elias? Are you alright?”

  Elias’s eyes flicked over to her and Seth. Then he looked back at William and shook his head before gingerly shaking his hand. “Sorry, sir. You reminded me of someone I used to know.”

  “No harm done. Glad to meet you.”

  Elias mumbled something and awkwardly shuffled his feet.

  William turned back towards the drive and gave Gloria and Seth a smile. “Come now; I insist—have dinner with us. If you want to continue you can, but we can also put you up for the night. Better to sleep under a roof than out in the elements. Besides,” he added with a glance at their muddy bodies. “I have a feeling that baths would be much appreciated.”

  Gloria smiled and glanced over her shoulder at Seth. “I would like to have a bath. What do you think, Elias?”

  A little smile came to Elias’s face. “I would like a bath too, sir.”

  Seth tried to bite back a smile, but he shook his head and laughed. “Alright, you guys win.” He looked up at William. “We’d be glad to join you for dinner.”

  William grinned back at them. “Kids, go tell your mother to set three extra plates for dinner. We’ve got company tonight.”

  Seth let the damp towel drape around his neck as he warmed his hands by the hearth. He smiled at its crackling warmth. I missed this—warmth instead of raging heat.

  Elias sighed in his sleep beside him. Seth glanced down at him. He’d meant to stretch out by the fire and rest his eyes for a moment, but fatigue quickly pulled Elias into a deep slumber.

  Seth watched as the young man’s chest rose and fell with deep breaths—it was the most relaxed he’d seen him be in a while. A lump rose in his throat when he thought of Elias driving that dagger into the assassin’s gut. Gloria would be dead if he didn’t act, Seth thought, flicking a bit of hair from Elias’s face. He grimaced and stared back into the fire. I just wish he wasn’t the one who had to do it.

  Kayla appeared in the corner of his vision with a blanket. She gently laid it over Elias and smiled down at him. “He’s so sweet,” she said, glancing at Seth. “So polite and kind.”

  Seth smiled faintly before letting out a snort. “He’s also incredibly stubborn when he wants to be.”

  “Most young men are.”

  William stepped into the room carrying a leather bag, a pipe, and a candle. He sat in a rocking chair by the fireplace, then smiled at Seth before chuckling. “Take it from a stubborn old man.”

  Seth laughed and continued to warm his hands and toes by the fire.

  The hinges on the front door creaked. Seth looked over his shoulder to see Kayla step on the front porch. Through the open door, he spied Gloria running her fingers through her hair. He leaned back a bit to watch her, but Kayla closed the door behind her.

  A pang of longing went through him; he wished he were out there, but Gloria seemed like she wanted her space for a bit. He shifted uncomfortably, he was trying to reach out to her, but it just felt like no matter what he did, it always seemed to backfire.

  Though I suppose she decided to come home with me, that’s something. Then a spike of anxiety shot through him. Unless she’s going to change her mind. He glanced anxiously at the door. They’d have to pass Northhorn soon. Would she decide that going back to her father was better than everything he put her through?

  A thick earthy scent with hints of vanilla and sharp juniper filled the air, pulling Seth from his worried thoughts. That smell… he thought, closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath. Makes me of Dad…

  William coughed, startling Seth. He blinked and looked up at the farmer who cleared his throat and tried sucking at his pipe again until faint clouds of smoke puffed from his mouth.

  “I have another pipe if you’d like to smoke with me,” William said rocking the chair.

  Seth smiled but shook his head. “Thank you, but no; I don’t smoke. Dan— I mean, my dad does though.” He stared into the fire. “After a hard day’s work, he’d pull out his pipe, then sit in the kitchen with Mom and smoke his tobacco. If it was summer, he’d sit on the porch in the garden.” Seth sighed as an ache tugged on his heart.

  “He sounds like a good man,” William mused.

  Seth nodded and looked into the fire. “A very good man…” he murmured.

  William sat back thoughtfully and continued to smoke his pipe. “So…it’s been a month since we last saw you. Looks like you got the answers you were looking for with those glowing scars?”

  Seth glanced at the healing scars on his arm, he shuddered before nodding. “In a sense.”

  “And you’ve made a new friend.”

  Seth drew his knees to his chest and nodded, still staring at the flickering flames.

  William blew out a ring, then puffed smoke through it. “Did I offend him in some way before dinner? He seemed a bit skittish when I tried to shake his hand.”

  Seth gripped his knees tight and ran his thumb along a seam. “He’s had a hard time lately…”

  William tapped his pipe against the fireplace, emptying the ashes into the fire. “Seems a bit young to be traveling alone.”

  Seth swallowed. “He is.”

  “Any family?”

  Seth shifted uncomfortably before shaking his head. “Not anymore.”

  “I see…”

  There was a long pause. The logs in the fire snapped and William’s chair creaked as he mulled over Seth’s words. He took in a long draw from his pipe, then exhaled smoke from his nose as he studied Seth. “You are an odd one, son,” he finally said. “Seems to me that you have a habit of taking in those who have nowhere to go.”

  Seth flicked his eyes to Elias then to the door where Gloria was. “Not intentionally…”

  William chuckled before leaning back in his chair. Then he went quiet and studied Seth another moment. “You look tired.”

  Seth sighed and sagged as though his shoulders suddenly grew heavy. “I am…” he admitted.

  “You said a lot happened.”

  Seth nodded quietly.

  “Care to unload?”

  Seth looked down and slowly shook his head. “I’m not sure I can really talk about it.”

  William nodded. “I see…”

  The men went quiet. William slowly rocked back and forth, meditatively smoking his pipe. Meanwhile, Seth closed his eyes and basked in the deep smoke, memories of home drifting through his mind. He felt his body begin to slow; taut muscles softened and began to ache, frayed nerves struggled not to flinch at the slightest sound, and a myriad of emotions began to swirl in his tightening chest—guilt, exhaustion, fear, worry… and longing.

  I miss Mom, he thought rocking a little. I miss Dad… I mean Daniel. Dad? …I don’t know.

  Seth rocked a bit more and bit his thumb. The more he thought about it, the more it nagged at him. Was it Dad or Daniel? Did accepting kingship mean he had to abandon the man he called father? Did he have to pick one father? Could he have both?

  Seth’s breathing hitched as tears began to well in his eyes. There was so much he had to carry—so much to damn carry.

  I wish I could talk to Gloria about it, he thought rubbing his forehead with the heel of his palm. She’d know just what to say. Then he grimaced and held himself tighter. But I can’t. She hardly lets me near her. I don’t even know where we stand right now!

  A tear trickled down his cheek and he tried to subtly wipe it away. The rocking chair stopped creaking, and a heavy hand rested on his shoulder. Seth sniffled and looked up at the greying farmer.

  “There’s no shame in a few tears,” William murmured.

  Seth swallowed and tried to clear his throat, to pull himself back together, but the soft words melted his heart. Hot tears trickled down his cheeks and William swam before him. Seth squeezed his eyes shut, buried his head in his knees, and cried—for a long, long time.