Chapter 3: Fall, 1763

It is my 17th birthday. My parents surprised me with an unusual gift: a mysterious relic my great-grandmother Jacqueline Rosenthal discovered on this land. Before it became my family's homestead, it had belonged to the Porter family for several generations. However, something unexplained happened to its last owner. While hosting a dinner party, Abigail Porter had gone mad and murdered her guests. Wracked with guilt she killed herself. The deed was supposed to be transferred to her older brother. However, due to the events of that night, he didn't have any desire to own the house and signed it over to my great-grandmother.

This artifact was passed down to my father: Jacques Rosenthal. It was intended to go to his father, Joseph. However, he was Jacqueline's only child and had passed away years before. When my father turned 17, Jacqueline had requested his presence in private. She had recently moved in with my grandmother due to failing health. When he tried to open the leather casing, she scolded him. She told him that it was important to keep this safe.

"You will know when it is time to use it. But now is not that time. If that moment comes, great things can be promised to our family, but you have to respect its wishes," she had said. He thought she was delirious, but still respected her dying wish. My great-grandmother also said it was imperative to pass the relic down to his eldest child when they turned 17 if he had not needed to call on it for guidance.

As he gifted it to me, he whispered, "You know when you will need to utilize this relic. I have come to learn of what it truly is based on Grandma's diary. But I have never had to use it for myself. I just hope you don't have to either, Juniper." He looked nervous as he continued. "While powerful, it can be a dangerous thing if it falls into the wrong hands. Please keep it safe. If you don't have to use it, it is critical that it is passed down to your firstborn when they turn 17."

"How will I know when I need to use it? What kind of powers does this relic have? Are we in danger?" I had so many questions for him. I was uncertain if I wanted to bear this responsibility.

"My dear Juniper, do not be afraid. There's a good chance you won't have to use it. If I am wrong, let me know and I will bring you the old journal from Grandma Jacqueline. There are very specific instructions in there." He gave me a hug when we heard a knock at the door. "Strange. I'm not expecting anyone today. I'll go see who it is. You store away the relic and then help your sister get dinner ready."

I went upstairs to my room and stored the relic inside my storage trunk. I heard my father yelling for my brother Jerome. I hurried downstairs and saw a young man in the entry way. He was severely wounded and struggling to stand.

"Please help. There's someone out there…they attacked me…" He collapsed and I could see a significant amount of blood seeping through his shirt. Father insisted I get water and some bandages. When I got back, Father and Jerome were able to get him to the guest quarters. He was still unconscious. My father rushed to get his gun.

"Jerome! Come with me outside. Juniper, tend to his injuries." They rushed outside and I started to clean him up.

Carefully cutting his shirt open revealed a deep gash going from his shoulder blade to halfway down his spine. This didn't look good, even from my limited knowledge. I heard him groan in pain as he started to move. "Please don't move You're hurt and I need to clean the gash in your back." His eyes slowly opened, and he looked confused.

"Where am I? Who are you?" He looked around the room. I answered that he was at the Jacques Rosenthal homestead a few miles outside of Norwich. His eyes widened at that and turned to look at me angrily.

"You mean to tell me, I'm at the very house where my aunt Abby was murdered? The Rosenthal's have taken over this place. Tell me…what is your name, girl?"

"Juniper. Jacques is my father and my family has been here for some time." Then the realization hit me. "Are you from the Porter family?"

He glared at me as he tried sitting up. The pain was too much for him. "Yes. I'm Henry Porter. My father was Augustus Porter, half-brother to Abigail Porter. I don't know how your family managed to get their hands on the deed, but I'll change that."

I was confused by his anger. Could it be a possible concussion or was he always this unpleasant? "It's nice to make your acquaintance, Henry. But I really think you should lay down and prevent further aggravating your injury."

"Yes, that's right! Where is that bastard? I'll kill him if I see him!"

The bedroom door slammed open to reveal my brother and Dr. Ellis Sterling. I knew Dr. Sterling well, but not for good reason. He had been my mother's primary practitioner during the final months of her life. He had completed his schooling when my mother fell ill and needed immediate care. The other medic was unavailable, but Dr. Sterling didn't hesitate. He did everything he could and went above what any other medic would have done for a doomed patient. I almost didn't recognize him. He had aged significantly since I last saw him two years ago.

"Where are his injuries, Juniper?" Ellis shook me lightly.

"I'm sorry Dr. Sterling. There's a significant gash going down his back, and I fear he may have suffered a head injury." I moved out of the way so he could get to work.

"Are Jannika and James in bed? I do not wish for them to see this," I asked Jerome. He gave me a swift nod as he left the room. I assumed he was going to check on Father. A gunshot rang from outside. I rushed to the window and saw two figures outside, one of them lying on the ground. It was hard to make out the details, but the one standing dropped something on the ground and took off running.

"Dr. Sterling! Juniper!" I heard my brother scream. "Father's been shot! I need help!" Before I could get up, Ellis commanded me to stay put with Henry while he went to check on the situation. Henry had a look of concern as he watched Ellis leave the room, then he turned his attention to me.

"What did you see? Was it a tall dark figure?" He asked. My mind went blank. My father had been shot. I didn't know how bad it was. I wanted to know, but Ellis or Jerome would tell me.

"I am sorry, Mr. Porter. I didn't get a good look at him," I mumbled. Tears started to form, and I wiped them away before anyone could see. Henry placed his hand on my shoulder in an attempt to comfort me. He said something, but I didn't hear him. Who was that person? Were they the same one who injured Henry earlier? The bedroom door creaked open. Ellis stood there, blood covering his shirt and jacket.

"I'm sorry Juniper. I was able to stabilize the bleeding, but your father has lost too much blood and likely won't survive the night." He approached me and wrapped his arms around me in a tight embrace. "It would be wise for you and your siblings to say your last farewells before too long. I'll come check on him here shortly. Just need to finish up with Mr. Porter."

I left the guest quarters in a daze as I made my way down the hall into my sister's room. Jannika was fast asleep in her bed, my little brother James curled up next to her. It amazed me they were able to sleep through all this commotion. When I shook her awake, she could sense something was amiss. The only other time I had done this was shortly before our mother passed. It's something that has stuck with her since that day.

"It's still dark outside. What's going on Juniper?" She asked me as I gently picked up James' sleeping form. "Did something bad happen? Where's Jerome? Where's Papa?"

Putting on a brave face, I said, "Jannika. Something horrible has happened to Father. Dr. Sterling is here and has requested we go and say our goodbyes." Watching Jannika's eyes tear up almost broke me. But I had to be strong for her and in the days to come. Even though Jerome was younger than me, he would become head of the household. But I could provide guidance for him until he was older. I extended my free hand to my sister as we walked into Father's room.

He passed a few hours later as Ellis has said. After finding out what happened to my father, Mary Borne had offered her two daughters, Corina and Jenni, to come and help. Mary had been my mother's best friend and our families relied on each other. I was grateful for her suggestion. Corina was a couple years younger than me, but she was a bit childish and whiny. I got along better with her younger sister Jenni. She was quiet but intelligent. I also teased her lovingly for having a crush on my brother Jerome.

The funeral was held the following Friday. We buried him next to Mother in town. So many people showed up to the funeral; my father was well-known for his work as a gunsmith. I saw Mr. Porter attend with his family as well as Dr. Sterling and his brother. All I wanted to do was go home and mourn. Hopefully Corina and Jenni had dinner prepared. As my siblings and I were leaving, Henry and Ellis volunteered to walk us home and I happily obliged. When we arrived, I heard Ellis make a comment about the cellar door being open. I told him Corina and Jenni were probably down there getting food for dinner. I didn't bother checking as all I wanted to do was change and wash up.

That night I had a horrible dream. A large wolf was chasing me in the woods. I called for help, but no one came to my aid. I stumbled into a wooded area that look strangely familiar. There was a large tree with wisps of white smoke surrounding it. There were five ghostly figures at its base. But they didn't scare me. One of them even looked like me. As I reached out to touch her transparent hand, the wolf broke us apart. Shining from its chest was a silver shield of armor with various colored crests on it, one of them being my own family's violet flame. The wolf came rushing at me, and that's when I woke up in a panic.

I quietly got out of bed, trying not to disturb my sister and ventured into my father's room. I went looking for the journal of my great-grandmother. Something about this dream spoke to me. It was time to use the relic. It scared me, but excited me all the same. The Rosenthal family needed some good fortune after years of calamity. It took me a while, but I was able to find it hidden under the mattress. I flipped through the log carefully and discovered that the relic was called the Helm. It had appeared after a beast called the 'Night Mare' was vanquished by my great-grandmother. She did it by slaying Amos Sterling, who had become influenced by members from a cult that worshipped Him. It didn't say what they meant by Him, but I figured they weren't talking about God. There was also a segment about finding eight rocks called the rune stones. They each had a unique symbol carved into them. They were critical when it came to completing a section on the Helm. Those would need to be located before we accessed the Helm for the first time. Fortunately, they were all located near the house itself. At least that was convenient.

There was a note written in blood at the bottom of the page: One member from each family must be present before proceeding. Next to this odd note were small drawings of four family crests, one of them being the Rosenthal crest. The others were that of the Porter's, Sterling's and Borne's. There was sudden movement near the window and I nearly screamed. After taking a second glance, I saw it was Atticus. He was a stray cat my younger siblings 'claimed' as a pet, but I never liked him. I shooed him away, and he hissed in response before running off out of the room.

"Father," I said to the empty room. "I think the time is now to use this relic. I hope to not disappoint you."

I waited three nights before attempting the rite to reveal the Helm. According to the journal, I needed to get a member of each family listed. I recalled seeing Jenni doing chores outside as I went to town to run some errands. I went to see Dr. Sterling and briefly mentioned I needed his assistance with something at the house. He seemed more than happy to oblige. All that was left was getting a member from the Porter family. Luck seemed to be on my side. On my way home, I saw Henry checking his hunting traps.

"Ms. Rosenthal. Hope this day is treating you well." He seemed to be in good spirits today. "I hope you don't mind, but I think I left one of my blades at your homestead the night I was attacked. I can't seem to find it anywhere. Would it be all right with you if I came by later to check?"

"That would be grand of you to do that, Mr. Porter. I apologize if this sounds peculiar, but I was about to ask you to grace me with your presence. I am having a meeting, and feel you would be a valuable contribution." It wasn't lying exactly, but saying the intended reason might get me locked up.

"Not peculiar at all. I will come by tonight then." He started walking back toward town. Perfect. I thought. Now let's just see what this Helm can do.

I had Jannika and James stay with the Borne's for the night while I conducted this meeting. Mary didn't seem to mind at all. Jerome had plans as well, so it was just Jenni and I. As we waited for Ellis and Henry, Jenni told me a disturbing story. Years ago, she had been staying with my family on account of Corina developing smallpox. Jenni was a sickly child so her parents took precaution by having her out of the house while her sister recovered.

One night, a doll had crept from under the bed and taught her a song. Singing this tune would bring other dolls out to play and as she sang, more dolls came out. She says they were up all night, playing and dancing. When it was sunrise, the dolls told her they would need to leave her, but that they would play again if she hummed the song that they taught her.

"I'm sure it was just a nightmare you had as a child. To cope with what was going on at home," I commented. The story had unsettled me, but I felt guilty for being judgmental.

"I'm sure you're right, Juniper. It seems silly to have a toy come to life and talk to you. That's childish nonsense." There was a knock at the door and I went to answer it. Ellis and Henry had shown up together. After explaining the real reason for calling them here, they weren't angry. In fact, both men seem intrigued and wanted to know more, especially Ellis. I guided them outside to show them the rune stones.

"They are strange things indeed. Big stones with odd carvings and appeared to be older than the house itself." Ellis was in awe as he knelt down to examine one.

"I was able to find most of them over the last few days. They do unnerve me." I felt a shiver run down my back. "I swear I saw one casts two shadows. Near another, I hear a baby crying. Another one I heard an old lullaby."

"When I was a child," said Ellis. "My father told me stories about magical items that sound just like these stones. He said my grandfather was searching for them. But something happened to him while seeking them and was never heard from again."

"The only thing I'm wondering is where could they have come from? I have never seen such bizarre symbols. They don't even appear to be Native American." Henry's comment intrigued me. The thought of them being Native American crossed my mind, but he seemed so sure they weren't. What else could it be?

The time to uncover the Helm was approaching. I had the others follow me to the Hanging Tree. It was what my great-grandmother called the large willow in a small clearing. We gathered around the Helm. I had placed it on a dead tree trunk I was utilizing as a makeshift table. We said some prayers and chants per instructions in the journal. I felt foolish but the Helm is supposed to bring good luck, according to Jacqueline. In my mind, it was desperately needed.

"Attend to yourself." The others hushed as I uncovered the leather casing. Inside was a fragment of silver armor. There were 24 spots with slight notches, as if to place something inside. I propped up Jacqueline's journal so I could read properly: "We hold in our hands 'THE HELM'. Turn your gaze from everything surrounding us and look to the Helm. Even with the most cursory self-observation, we perceive the Helm to be an ancient and powerful device, which must be treated with respect. We must never touch the Helm unless one of us is directed to. We must never allow other objects to cover the Helm, unless being stored after consulting. To disrespect the Helm is to invite misfortune on us or our families. To honor the Helm will bring good luck."

I motioned for the others to pick up a side and lift it above the fire. This next step was critical as I would go on to explain. "If one of us needs to utilize the Helm, a member from each family must be present before proceeding. Remember to hold it by its edges and place it in an area that is visible to everyone else."

It started to glow as I finished reading. "Did anyone else feel an electrical surge?" Henry glanced at each of us. I saw Ellis give a quick nod as well as Jenni. I replied that I felt something as well. A bright light encased the Helm for a few moments. As it diminished, I could see our four family crests engraved in its center. I continued reading.

"There will come a time when one of us will need to place a symbol of our family crest upon the Helm: violet flame for Rosenthal, emerald falcon for Porter, crimson stag for Sterling and navy owl for Borne."

"How did it know what family we came from? This is getting to be discomforting. There has to be some kind of logical justification for this," said Henry.

"Sometimes, there are events and things that defy logical explanation. This is something otherworldly indeed. We need to be careful with this sacred relic," Ellis replied.

"If that time comes," I read, "carefully pick up the Helm and place the family symbol on the desired spot. When completed, place the Helm back in the exact spot it had once been. We are told that if used properly, it will increase our fortunes and bring renown to the family that seeks its guidance."

After reciting another prayer, I instructed the others to lower the Helm back to its original spot on the tree trunk. Placing the Helm carefully back in its casing, I caught Henry out of the corner of my eye. It appeared he had found something. "What are you looking at, Mr. Porter?" I didn't mean to be nosy, but he seemed to be transfixed on his find.

He approached us, holding up an old mask. "This is a burial mask. I see the name 'Wayne' inscribed inside. What an unusual name. Unsure what it is doing all the way out here. Do you know if there are any bodies buried out here, Juniper?"

"It would not surprise me at all if there is an unmarked cemetery here. We all know a lot of death has occurred on this land. Not to mention those who may have died on their travels to explore out west," I replied. But it still gave me the chills to think there were dead bodies beneath me.

Henry gave me a thoughtful look. "Well if you allow me, I would like to take this home and study it more. Find out where it could have come from or who it belongs to." I gave him a nod and he placed it inside his knapsack. A dark figure flew by and knocked all of us onto the ground. A black smoke started to settle, causing us to choke on its stench.

"What the hell was that?" Ellis shouted. Before I could answer him, the pungent smoke consumed me, and I felt myself start to fall. I felt warm arms catch me before I hit the ground. They cradled me as they started to run out of the woods and back to my home. Everything was in a fog and I couldn't speak.

"Juniper! You're going to be okay! We're almost there!" It was Henry's voice. He sounded close. He must have been the one carrying me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the flash of Ellis' rust-colored jacket and it appeared Jenni was on his back.

As we raced into the house, the rest of Jenni's unsettling story popped in my head. She hasn't been back to this house until she arrived to help my family. When she was trying to go to sleep that first night, she claimed to hear a tune being hummed softly, so she went to investigate. Memories of that night came flooding back. When she saw that doll again, Jenni said she was not afraid. She was happy her friend had come back. What could that possibly mean? I thought. Dolls couldn't come to life. I felt something soft beneath me. I was back in my room.

"It'll be okay, Juniper. Ellis will get some medicine. Hang in there!" Henry's voice sounded close, yet far away. Was he in this room? Or was all of this going on in my head? In my blurred vision, I saw something move out of the room and I felt my eyes grow heavy.

"Do you have anything that'll help Juniper? She's mumbling nonsense and has barely moved since being attacked by whatever that was," Henry spoke frantically. "I wonder if this has anything to do with the Helm."

Ellis seemed to ponder Henry's comment. "It's a real possibility. The Helm is a powerful item. I'm sure there are others out there who have heard of it. It's also conceivable someone may know that the Rosenthal's have possession of such a great relic." He reached inside his doctor's bag. "I'm not sure if I have anything to 'cure' her, but have something that'll help with the foggy head." He handed Henry a small vial and he hurried down the hall. There was a childish giggling that made Ellis' head turn. It was Jenni. There was a huge, disturbing grin on her face.

"You know, Dr. Sterling…that lullaby never left my head, even after all these years," Jenni said. "Unlike any other children, they want to be my friends."

Ellis stared at her. He had no idea what she was talking about. "I don't understand, Jenni. Who are you referring to?"

She giggled at his response. "Unlike other children and adults, they want to be here and to play with me. They are my real friends and I understand them." A chorus of singsong voices echoed from down the hall, and the pitter-patter sound of little feet was growing louder. "They are approaching. I'm so happy to have my friends finally here."

"What the hell is that?" Ellis peered in the direction of the sound, and he saw hundreds of tiny dolls approaching. Something slammed at the window and Ellis saw the shadowy form they saw in the woods earlier. It was staring at him and continued to pound on the glass. This didn't seem to faze Jenni at all.

"They are my friends!" Jenni exclaimed. She was holding a doll that looked like the ones coming down the hallway, but larger and more disfigured. "This is Vincent. He is known as the Playful Porcelain Doll. He's the one beckoning our other friends to come and play. Don't worry. They may look scary, but they just want to play with you and Juniper and Mr. Porter. If you don't play with them, they will kill you."

"Ellis, what's with all the noise –" Henry was cut off as he stepped out of my bedroom and saw the dolls in the hallway making their way toward Jenni and Ellis. Upon hearing him, they stopped their march to turn and face him. I heard him race back into the bedroom and slammed the door shut. "It's okay, Juniper. I won't let them get in here."

Everything was still hazy; however, my head was feeling less foggy. "What's going on, Mr. Porter? Is everything all right?" I asked as I tried to sit up. But I was still too dizzy and fell back on the bed. "Where are Ellis and Jenni?"

"They're out in the parlor. They'll be in here soon to see how you're doing," Henry said. I could tell he was trying to maintain his composure, but I couldn't figure out why. "Please try and rest. Don't strain yourself."

The sound of glass breaking caught our attention. I saw Henry's figure hurry out the door, slamming it shut. I thought I heard the faint sound of scratching at the door. "What is that?" I said to myself. I sat up again and saw tiny dolls appearing from a hole. I rubbed my eyes. I had to be imagining that. Dolls don't come to life.

As I opened my eyes again, the number of dolls that came through increased dramatically. They appeared to be making their way onto the bed when something stopped them in their tracks. I heard a low growl and hissing. As quickly as they came, the little dolls ran back out through the hole as Atticus raced after then. He caught a couple in his mouth and ate them. Sensing the danger was over and combined with the dizziness in my head, I laid back down on the bed as exhaustion took over.

Henry had been able to make it to Ellis and Jenni. The figure from the woods had broken its way into the house and was approaching them. It opened its eyes, revealing empty sockets with bright red pupils. The mystery figure and Jenni walked toward each other and embraced one another.

"I am here, my child. I see the puppets have been summoned. You are doing a wonderful job. Now the time comes to do the dirty work. We need to kill those that are here and we can lay claim to this place once and for all." The figure turned its attention to Henry. "You don't know me, but your ancestors know exactly who I am. I have been a slave to your family for decades, but I was finally set free." He turned toward Ellis. "I can thank your grandfather for doing just that, Dr. Sterling."

"What are you talking about? Do you know what happened to my grandfather?" questioned Ellis. "I never heard any mention of a shadow figure from his excursions. You speak blasphemy!" The dolls started to form a circle around us, preventing us from leaving.

The figure gave a hearty laugh. "Your grandfather is the reason I am what you see before you today. I used to be a farmhand on this property for the Porter family. My name is Tucker. I have returned to take back what is mine."

Henry looked around for a weapon to use. In the kitchen, he saw a claw hammer sitting on the table. He made a dash for it and was able to grab it. He ran toward the figure. Henry managed to leap over the circle of dolls and took a blind swing at Tucker. The hit caught Tucker in the shoulder, but it didn't seem to faze him.

"My father talked about you! Why do you speak so ill of my family? From what I was told, you were nothing but good to my aunt. But you disappeared one night and never returned. Seems to me you were the one who didn't fulfill his duties and would rather blame others for your irresponsibility." Henry took another swing, but missed as the figure disappeared and reappeared in the hallway toward my bedroom.

"Careful, Henry. We wouldn't want to do anything rash. I think my friends need to show you both a lesson in manners. Jenni, bring me the Rosenthal girl. The rest of you: attack Mr. Porter and Dr. Sterling!" Upon Tucker's request, the dolls started to tighten the gap and climb onto other another to make themselves bigger.

"Ellis! Stop Jenni!" Henry shouted as the dolls started to climb up his legs and arms. "Juniper needs to be safe!"

Ellis attempted to dodge the dolls as he made his way toward Jenni, but he was pulled back by wisps of smoky tendrils. They wrapped around his legs and he crashed to the floor. His head bounced off the floor, rendering him unconscious.

"Jenni! You don't have to do this! Please! You can stop this!" Henry yelled. She turned around and stared blankly at him. Her eyes seemed dead as she snapped her fingers. The dolls that had followed her managed to break the bedroom door down.

I heard a deafening sound, causing me to snap awake. My bedroom door was destroyed. There were hundreds of dolls and smoke that entered my room. I screamed as I tried to get away. But I was still too weak from earlier.

"It's time for you to die Juniper Rosenthal." I heard a deep voice say. "You will also tell me where you have hidden the relic. You will no longer need it in your possession." I looked up to see a dark figure glowering at me and Jenni was standing next to him. There was a creepy smile plastered on her face.

Before Jenni could command her 'friends' to kill me, I saw Henry grab Jenni from behind and pinned her down. I continued to back away from the scene in front of me. The dolls were getting closer, some even crawling onto me.

"Jenni! Please stop this madness!" I cried to her.

She giggled disconcertingly. Jenni took this moment to mock Henry. "You wouldn't dare kill a child, would you? Oh yeah, that's right! The Porter's are child murderers! But you can't kill me! My friends wouldn't be happy with you and they won't hesitate—". Henry swung the claw hammer into Jenni's head, killing her on impact. The dolls saw this and emitted a high-pitched sound that made my ears hurt.

"Let's go Juniper!" Grabbing my hand, Henry pulled me off the bed and raced to the window. He smashed it open and we fled outside. More dolls kept appearing, giggling, and bent on revenge against us for killing their friend. From the front yard, we heard the floors buckle under the weight of the dolls. I saw Ellis dart from the front door, Atticus in his arms as the house began to collapse. Did I really see dolls come to life and try to attack me? Who was the figure standing next to Jenni? I missed so much due to recovering from the earlier incident.

"You killed Jenni!" Turning to Henry, I couldn't stop my tears from falling. "Why did she deserve that? Maybe those things were controlling her!" I felt guilty that the shock of seeing her death didn't hit me until now. It was hard to comprehend everything. I fell to my knees and wept for my lost friend. Something fluffy brushed against me. Atticus was trying to get my attention which was unusual for him. I stroked his back as I raised my head to see the upper level of my house collapse.

"I'm so sorry Juniper. But we'll be able to get it fixed up in no time. Is there anywhere you can go until everything's fixed?" asked Ellis. "You've been through so much. You're doing a remarkable job maintaining your composure." All I could do was nod as I continued to pet Atticus.

"The structure of the house must've been weakened. There have been many renovations done over its history…or so it's been said. Somehow, I don't believe it." Henry said absent-mindedly. "My father said there are parts that are damaged beyond repair, and that was when my aunt lived there. It's been some time since, so I can't imagine what it looks like."

I slowly stood up and started walking toward the path to town. "I know I should be worried about the current state of my home, but all I want to do is inform Ms. Borne about what happened to her daughter and get some sleep. Let's worry about this later today." I didn't care if they followed me or not. I suddenly stopped. "I need to get the Helm," I whispered. "Unfortunately, it might be in the house. How are we supposed to get to it?"

"Well Juniper, I know you're already irate with me, but I happen to have it…" Henry opened his knapsack and gently pulled it out of his bag. Rushing over to him, I grabbed it and held it close. How could I have been so stupid?

"I figured you wouldn't have forgotten something so important, but after we were ambushed in the woods and you weren't coherent, I slipped it inside my bag before we took off."

"Thank you, Henry for keeping it safe. It really is important and I'm not sure what I would do if something happened to it at this point. Would it be asking too much if both of you gentlemen could walk me into town? I would really like to sleep, but we have a lot to do before that can happen."