Connor stayed silent, his eyes fixed on the ground. She could see him processing this all in his head, and just wanted to go over and hug him.

Andrew was also processing this in his head, and found something that worried him. "He stole a Kobalos pendant?"

Eirene narrowed her eyes. "Yes. Do you know what the pendant does; if it yields any power?"

Andrew was shaking his head, panic in his eyes now. "He's an idiot. That bloke's a bloody idiot if it's true. If he's really doing what I think he is…"He shook his head again. "We have to go. We have to leave now so we can catch him before he uses that pendant and ruins everything."

He was already out the door when Eirene rushed after him with Connor tagging behind.

"Wait, slow down! What do you mean? What does the pendant do?" She matched his long strides easily, but Connor had trouble keeping up.

"There's a Greek engravement on the back of the pendant that says 'Diagrafí̱ skotádi'. That directly translates to 'Erase darkness', and is a philosophy held by the Kobalos that states the only way to true enlightenment is to erase all ignorance from your mind." He took a sharp turn and continued walking, faster now. "That pendant, to a normal Kobalos just makes them really wise. But to a human like Dennis…" He shook his head, cursing even louder.

"What, what does it do?" Eirene prompted. They were already on the lobby floor and Andrew was checking them out. Once they exited the doors, he resumed talking.

"It can give mortals the sight. It makes those who can't see through the mist see."

Dear Zeus. How had Dennis gotten his hands on something like that?

"But... but maybe he doesn't know what it does. Maybe he just took it because it was shiny and pretty and he wanted to steal it."

Andrew gave her a sideways glance. "While I'd love to put Dennis's thievery down to shiny and pretty, I think he has a much more malice intent." He stopped abruptly and put his head on the wall, wincing.

"Andrew?" Eirene approached him, but he held out a hand to stop her.

"I'm fine; it's just a slight headache." He continued walking; ignoring the wary looks he was getting from them. It's just a slight headache, he told himself as he tried to control his heavy breathing. I'll be fine.

"Andrew, you can't be serious." Connor rushed to catch up to him. "Dennis, Dennis wouldn't do anything with that pendant. Whatever you're thinking, he wouldn't do something like that. It has to be something else."

Andrew let out an irritated sigh. "Connor, wasn't it you who said sometimes the pranks Dennis would pull would seem mean rather than funny? How do you know he wouldn't do something like this? You knew him for one summer."

Connor stayed silent, his brow furrowed and eyes averted. Andrew turned to Eirene, his eyes questioning. "Where is Elon? Do you know?"

She told him of the forest, and he nodded with understanding. "Good, good, I know where that forest is. It's away from the city directly in the country." He picked up his pace. "Hurry, if we can catch the train now we'll be able to get there by evening."

Eirene kept her eyes on Connor, who stared at the ground as he walked, his brows knit in frustration. He caught her gaze and threw her a half-heartedly smile. She held his arm and gave it a squeeze, reassuring him.

"We'll find Dennis and Matthew, and we'll make them explain. It's going to be okay, Connor."

He shook his head. "I'm not worried about finding them. We'll find them, I know. It's just…" Damn it, how bad of a judge am I when it comes to people? First Luke, then Dennis, and now Matthew. Who's next? He looked sideways at her. Eirene? He shook his head, smiling back at her as he placed his hand on top of hers, returning the squeeze. "I'm just worried. But thank you, Eirene."

They smiled shyly at each other, but Eirene could tell what he was really thinking.

And from the corner of his eye, Andrew watched them, jealously slowly, carefully, creeping into his heart.

-Timeskip-

The trio was able to catch the train on time, and Eirene held onto her ticket so tightly Connor feared she'd puncture a hole in it with her nails. He put his hand on top of hers, softening it. "Why are you so nervous?"

She didn't want to tell him the truth: That she'd never ridden a train and the bumpy enclosed space frightened her. Not only that, but the sounds. It was like nothing she'd ever heard before. She felt childish just thinking about it. She just shook her head, giving him a small smile.

"We'll arrive at our destination is a few more hours," Andrew clued in. "I'd advise you both get some sleep. It would probably be a long search for Elon in the forest…"

"I can't sleep," Connor ruffled his hair and pulled on his face. His voice was anxious. "I have too much on my mind."

Andrew sighed. "Don't we all,"

Close to an hour later, Connor had fallen asleep. Eirene was starting to feel the heaviness on her eyes, and her head drooped every once in awhile.

"Just sleep." Andrew suggested, after watching her in amusement. "Or don't. Watching your head loll from side to side is quite funny."

She glared at him. "Don't tease me." She closed her eyes and leaned her head back. "I wasn't even feeling sleepy."

"You're mouth was open; you were almost drooling."

She scolded him with a slight shove, and he laughed. "Why aren't you sleeping?" She questioned.

"I told you, I've got a lot on my mind."

She paused. "Is it about Dennis?"

Andrew sighed, crossing his arms. "Unfortunately, yes." He let out a frustrated sound. "I just hope he hasn't used that stone…he doesn't know how much trouble he'd be putting the world into. The secret of the gods are a secret for a reason," He hissed, pinching his brows together.

"We'll find him, and stop him before he can use it," Eirene reassured him, but she wasn't too sure herself.

"I'm afraid he already might have used it," Andrew thought back to the two girls they'd met earlier—the self-proclaimed monster hunters. Over the past year, the list of mortals with the sight had grown. Fortunately, it wasn't a high number, but it was still higher than it had been in years.

What the hell was that kid planning?

"Hey, Andrew…"

He looked at her. She was staring at Connor with a concerned look. When she returned her gaze to him, he found himself leaning away from the intensity of her eyes.

"Go easy on Connor, okay?" She whispered.

"What?"

"Don't be tough on him, or argue with him too much. He's going through a lot right now." She fiddled with her fingers nervously, still whispering. "Two people who he thought were his friends betrayed not only the entire camp, but his trust. He's very vulnerable right now, and he doesn't trust his judgment." She looked into his eyes. "Promise me you won't upset him further."

Why? Why should I promise you that? You've barely known the boy three days, why do you care so much about him? And what did she think of him? Did she think this information wasn't affecting him either? What makes you think I'm not fighting judgment in my head right now?

He took this chance to study her face; her emotions. Her eyebrows were stitched together in worry, and her eyes—her eyes were a very pretty blue, he thought. They were alit by the sun shining through the window, though it was not only hitting her eyes. Her entire face was illuminated by the lustrous glow of the sun—it made her golden hair shine even brighter, like a crown on her head. He could then see the tiny freckles that were spread out around her nose—undoubtedly gotten from the many years she spent on the run.

His stubbornness made him want to say no. But when he thought about it, thought about Connor, he knew she was right. Andrew was much more used to dealing with his demons and emotions silently, he wasn't naturally used to trusting people. Connor was, and he knew this must be hard on him. He sighed grudgingly; either way, he couldn't look into those eyes full of emotion and say no.

He nodded. "Okay, I promise." He had looked at her face too long, and started to feel a twinge in stomach. "Now go to sleep."

She smiled at him and obeyed, leaning her head back and letting sleep overtake her. When she was asleep, her head lolled to Connor's shoulder briefly, then moved onto Andrew's.

And for the rest of the train ride, he was acutely aware of her presence.

.

.

Eirene awoke hours later, shrugged awake by Andrew's shoulder.

"We're here."

She awoke groggily, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Andrew made a strangled sound.

She jumped when she saw his bloodshot eyes. "What's wrong? Are you sick?"

He shook his head. "No."

"Then what's wrong?"

"Nothing." He gestured to Connor. "Wake him up,"

Then she heard it, the sluggish way in which he moved, the woozily way he spoke. "Were you awake the entire ride?"

"No, of course not," Yes, not a single wink. he thought. "I just didn't get enough sleep." Because of you.

She looked at him skeptically, and he rushed to wake Connor before she could say anymore. He sleepily got up, looking around at the exiting passengers.

"We're here?"

"Yeah, now come on, we have a long trek ahead of us."