The Misfits spilled into Misfit Manor and hunched over in heavy panting. They had sprinted all the way here, and now they were finally able to breathe. Bash glanced at Enna, noticing again the seeping wounds that she'd suffered at the hands of Edgar Caldwell's men. He shook his head and waited for everyone to calm down enough to speak. As he stood panting, he noticed the delectable scent of dinner on the air, and he heard the tinkle of dishes from the kitchen.
While still catching her breath, Enna whispered a spell, and green magic flowed into her and Sooka. The bleeding stopped at last, the bolts fell to the floor, and the wounds healed over. Soon enough, except for the stains on their clothes and armor, the two looked whole again. Feeling a little more relaxed, Bash sat on a couch, and Enna joined him. As Aribis perched on the back of a chair, he waved his hand, and a second later, a shimmering fox appeared in the middle of the room. It lay down regally, and a healing warmth emanated from it, stitching together the last of the cuts and scrapes. Sooka waved her hand to dismiss the blood and grime before she, too, took a seat.
First to recover as always, William stood with even breaths and turned to Enna and Sooka. "What happened?" he asked rather calmly, considering the blood that had just been lifted from the floor.
"That's a pretty good question, if I do say so myself," added Aribis.
"We just wanted to look around!" said Enna, gesturing wildly. "He was so rude!"
Sooka nodded vigorously.
"Who's 'he'?" asked Bash.
"Edgar Caldwell," spat Enna. "You would be so mad if you saw how he treated Sooka!"
The museum owner, surmised Bash. With enough money to open his own museum, Caldwell must surely have been an important figure in Agneward, though the name hadn't crossed Bash's contacts. With money came power, and with power came connections. Bash frowned to consider the possibilities.
"What about all this?" asked William, motioning to the bolts on the floor.
"We were just hanging out!" continued Enna, as if they hadn't been near death an hour ago.
"This is not—" William sighed in resignation. "I suppose that sometimes our 'hanging out' does result in things like this. But why were they chasing you?"
"We weren't supposed to…" Enna stopped herself for a moment before restarting. "Kazax wanted us to look at things for the Age of Arcanum. I don't really know the details, but we just looked around! Edgar was really rude, and I charmed him, and—"
"You charmed him?" demanded William.
"That sounds about right," muttered Aribis.
Bash rubbed his forehead. Charming a citizen would not lead to good places. Why hadn't they just taken him with them? A flare of anger at being left out – at being unconsidered in such a situation – rose inside his chest.
"Sooka found a secret passage right as the spell was wearing off, and—"
"Why didn't you just leave?" asked Bash, realizing that this was something he could have helped with. Secret passages were his favorite thing. Enna should have known that.
"Why didn't you wait for us?" added William.
Suddenly flustered, Enna glanced around and put her head in her hands. "I don't know!"
"I mean, I can understand," piped up Aribis. "Why would you wait?"
Bash threw his hands up in exasperation and then pointed at his chest. "Best thief in the city, right here!"
"Yeah, but were ya there?"
"Exactly!" exclaimed Bash. "Why wasn't I there?"
"I don't know! What were ya doing?"
"I was trying to get there! I thought they were dying!"
"There is strength in numbers," admitted William. "But right now, I think we have a bigger problem."
"I didn't think we were going to get into too much trouble today," mumbled Enna.
"Well, next time, come find me before you try to sneak in somewhere!" shouted Bash. "That's literally what I do for a living."
"Bash, are there going to be any legal repercussions for this?" asked William, unperturbed by the rising tension in the room.
"They broke into a place and got caught," Bash replied flatly.
"Miasma," said Sooka quietly.
"What?"
"I almost forgot," said Enna sourly, covering her face again. "Caldwell is a retired member of the Miasma."
Bash swore. The Miasma – the Misuse of Arcane Spells, Materials, and Artifacts – was a group of magic enforcers from the Silverspire Mages. Their entire duty was to ensure that nobody abused their magical powers the way that Enna had done. To charm someone just to get into a building was sure to yield a harsh punishment. The Miasma would not let such a thing slide.
"How much trouble are we in, Bash?" William asked again.
Bash thought for a moment. "How do you want me to measure that?"
"On scale of one to ten," offered Aribis.
"Ten," replied Bash.
"Oh, cool! That's great."
"Okay, hang on… Did they know who you were?" asked Bash. Perhaps they could sneak their way out of it.
"Yes," came Enna's muted reply.
Bash sighed. It was hopeless. Sooka and Enna had ruined them.
"Should we just go turn ourselves in?" he suggested. "Maybe they'd be nicer to us. Or maybe you two should turn yourselves in," he added scornfully.
"If anyone turns anyone in, it should be all of us," inserted William with a pointed look at Bash. "Or we wait here. It seems they'll be wise enough to know how to find us."
There was a tense silence that came over the room, and Bash looked at his companions. Enna still held her face in her hands, clearly perturbed by her sins, Sooka looked down sheepishly at her oversized boots as she clicked the toes together, and William stood stoically with his arms crossed.
"Aribis, you're being unusually quiet," said Bash.
"I'm not sure… if I just impersonated somebody I shouldn't have. It's fine."
"Oh, so we get to add that to the charges!"
"Why not?"
"Excellent!" Bash threw his hands up in surrender.
"At this point, we might as well go ahead and turn ourselves in," shrugged Aribis. "Or, on second thought… let's just go to bed, have a good night's sleep. And then, we'll deal with it in the morning."
"Our last bit of freedom will be wasted on the stress of this situation," said William.
At that moment, Unger, who had been slaving away in the kitchen, poked his head into the lounge. Bash had always enjoyed the half-orc's cooking, and now, his attention shifted back to the delectable scent that had filled the first floor of Misfit Manor. His mouth watered to smell beef and bread.
"Are you guys ready for dinner?" asked Unger as the tusk on his right ear bounced around, butting into his neck every second or so.
"Yes," replied William, and he took a step toward the dining room.
"Alright!" said Unger happily. Then he looked at each of them in turn and frowned. "Why so glum? The Vigil's next week!"
The cook thrust a fist into the air, grinned, and ran back to the kitchen. Soon, the sound of plates and bowls could be heard, and the Misfits stood sadly and meandered into the dining room. Unger placed several bowls of stew at their places, and a basket of warm rolls was placed in the center.
"Roasted zensin stew," announced Unger. "Along with my own recipe for yeast rolls!"
"Thanks, Unger," said Enna as she sat down, but Bash wandered over to the bar and began rifling through the cabinets. Their stores were getting pretty low, and Bash shook his head.
"What are you looking for tonight, Bash?" asked Unger as he pushed into Bash's space and took over. "Light, medium, heavy?"
"Let's go medium this time."
Nodding, the cook retrieved a bottle and a small glass, poured it, and handed it over. "Will you be taking the bottle?"
"Nah."
Bash grabbed the cup and downed it before nodding to Unger and sitting at his place by Enna, although at the moment, he didn't feel much like being there. Still, the smell of food was enticing.
"I'll let you get to your dinner, then."
Unger retreated to the kitchen, and presently, the sound of dishes being washed met them in the dining room. Bash glanced at the others. Enna and Sooka were clearly upset, barely picking at their food. Some part of Bash felt smug, knowing that they had brought this on themselves. If they'd wanted to break into a museum, they should have come to him. He would have been able to do it. He would have been able to get them what they wanted. And he could have done it without anyone knowing he'd been there.
As he took his first bite of stew, his mouth was filled with a delectable flavor that reminded him of his childhood. Despite the pleasantness of the experience, he sat chewing angrily as he stared at the wall across the room.
They should have told me, he thought.
"Let us enjoy our last night of freedom," said William, and he downed a glass of nearly black liquor that Bash hadn't notice him grab. Bash had tried the same liquor only last week; it was some bitter stuff, but William seemed to keep it down well enough.
At William's comment, Aribis fervently agreed before rushing upstairs. A few minutes later, he reappeared on the landing carrying a cask that was as tall as he was, and he marched over to them and slammed it on the table. Then he snatched a glass from the bar, put it under the spigot, and poured himself a glass. A golden liquid flowed from it, and almost immediately, Bash could smell the faint scent of honeysuckle as it wafted across the table.
Intrigued, Bash watched carefully as Aribis gulped down some of the mead and then recoiled at Aribis's expression. It appeared that Aribis had tasted something so terribly disgusting that he was struggling not to vomit.
"How does it taste, Aribis?" asked William.
"Oh, tastes great!" lied the chicken.
"I'll take some," said Enna sullenly, who had barely looked up from her food, and soon Aribis was handing out his drink to everyone.
"I am not drinking that," replied Bash flatly, and Aribis merely shrugged before handing some to William.
William, Enna, and Sooka all tried the drink, although Sooka only tried a sip, which she promptly spat back into the cup. William and Enna made faces very reminiscent to Aribis's, except they didn't manage to keep it down as well. Suddenly, both retched onto the floor, and Bash's once-voracious appetite vanished.
In a hurry, Unger approached with a sad look on his face.
"Was it really that bad?" he asked.
"No, no, it was something that I made," dismissed Aribis as he grimaced at the floor.
"Your food was delicious," agreed William even as he wiped his mouth.
"Would you like some, Unger?" asked Aribis, holding up his glass.
"Is that your brew?"
"Yes."
Unger grinned cautiously. "No, I'm okay. Enjoy your evening!"
The half-orc waved at them, glanced at the vomit, and made for the front door.
"Hey, Unger!" called Aribis. Slightly afraid, Unger turned and waited. "That tooth hanging on your ear… Is that yours?"
He chuckled. "Yeah, this is mine. I call this one Lefty! It was too pretty to throw away!"
"Aye, it looks very handsome on you, sir."
"Thank you…" He glanced down at the floor again. "Should I call Poppy?"
"Yes! Please!" pleaded Bash as he fought against his gagging reflex. Then he stood, eager to move as far away as possible from the stench that was beginning to fill the room.
"I'll be back!" called Unger as he left.
"I'm out. Bye, guys!" Bash ran toward the stairs as Sooka, Aribis, and William worked on opening some of the windows on the first floor. A few minutes after he reached his room, he noticed Poppy and Daisy approaching on the grounds, and he shook his head.
What a mess, he thought. In every sense of the word.
As he stood gazing out his double doors – they were closed thanks to the firm chill of the end of Frostfall – he wondered what would happen. The Miasma were not to be trifled with. He only hoped that they wouldn't spend the rest of Aribis's life in prison.
Darkness began to fall over Agneward, and Bash noticed from his reading chair that the werelights were beginning to come to life. He'd spent the last hour reading, trying to ignore the situation in which they found themselves. Frustratingly, he hadn't been able to focus much.
I need a new hobby, he realized. Something to keep my hands busy. Maybe Ethan could teach me how to carve.
He let out a bark of laughter. Ethan carved through druidcraft, a magic that Bash would never be able to harness. Still, his mind began to flutter with ideas of how he could spend his time.
Then came a knock on the door downstairs. The sound was muted, but it tuned Bash's ear to the sound of Ethan, who announced that members of the Miasma had arrived.
Bash took a deep breath. That group really wasted no time.
Tentatively, he stepped up to his door and waited. The whoosh of Aribis's wings went by, and he deemed it safe. Quietly, carefully, he opened his door and stepped into the hallway. Then he crept down the stairs, pausing at the first-floor landing. He peered between the posts and watched as Lord Kirin, five knights of the White Orchid, two members of the Miasma, and a human that Bash decided must be Caldwell entered the sitting area where the other four Misfits waited. Lord Kirin seemed irritated, the Miasma members indifferent, and Edgar incredibly smug. He grinned as he looked down his nose at the manor, judging every piece of furniture and every piece of art. Silently, Bash was grateful that they'd managed to clean the carpet so well.
Kirin sighed heavily and watched the floor glumly. "Well…" he began.
"Ah, Lord Kirin! How are ya?" asked Aribis, annoying as ever.
"Not good, Aribis," he replied with a meaningful look. "Not good."
"That's a shame. I'm doing quite well, myself."
Bash rolled his eyes.
Caldwell sneered at Aribis and pointed at him. "That's the one. That's the guy."
"Yes, just give me a minute," interrupted Kirin with an eyeroll of his own.
"What did Aribis do?" asked William.
The knights retreated toward the door, notably blocking their path of escape, and Ethan and Therion put wary hands on their weapons. They looked to the other Misfits for direction, and all four waved to dismiss their fears.
"We'll step outside," said Ethan tentatively, and the pair moved awkwardly past the knights to wait on the porch.
Hands behind his back, Kirin stepped forward, and Caldwell crossed his arms and smiled. With a sigh, Kirin rubbed the ridge of his nose and said, "Please tell me that the Natural Misfits did not break into the abode of a respected member of the Miasma, deface said property, attack the guards, and impersonate a member of the White Orchid working on an investigation."
"We didn't do any of those things," said Aribis obediently.
"The Natural Misfits did not break into the abode of a respected member of the Miasma, deface said property, attack the guards, and impersonate a member of the White Orchid working on an investigation," copied Sooka.
Bash stifled a laugh, though he noticed that Enna stood unamused. In fact, she was twirling strands of her hair in her fingers over and over, and when she finally managed to stop that, she reached up and began gnawing on the panther tooth in her necklace while she rocked on her toes. She was nervous. Afraid.
"See what I mean?" scorned Caldwell. "You hire riffraff, and this is what you get!"
"Excuse me?" said William.
"Caldwell… Just give me a minute," insisted Kirin. He held up a hand to silence Edgar.
"Is this the racist one?" asked Aribis.
Enna nodded.
"Oh! Well, speaking of riffraff…" Aribis pointed at Caldwell. "You, sir, have no business being here. Our business is with Lord Kirin. You may leave now."
Seeming to agree, Kirin looked pointedly at Caldwell, and Caldwell's face turned into a smirk.
"Alright," conceded Caldwell. "I'll go. But I'll be seeing you all very soon."
Then with his head high and nose in the air, Caldwell marched out the doors. Bash could only imagine how uncomfortable Ethan and Therion were now, out on the porch with such a pig of a man.
Kirin sighed again. "My friends, you have put me in a very, very difficult situation. First of all, I have it not only on Edgar's word, but also several of his guards, that you broke into his establishment, that each and every one of you were on location. Aribis, is it true that you impersonated a member of the White Orchid and used that authority to enter the museum?"
Aribis thought for a moment. "Technically, it wasn't impersonation, I don't think."
"Are you a member of the White Orchid?"
He hesitated again. "In a way," he finally said.
Kirin shook his head and turned to the others.
"Enna and Sooka, did you cast spells on the persons in question?"
The pair looked down in shame, and Enna's rocking continued.
"Sorry," said Sooka in a young, penitent voice, and Enna nodded sadly.
Crossing his arms, Kirin spun away and paced lightly. "Normally, I'm not even involved with something as petty as a break-in. The problem is that I put my neck out on the line to support all of you. I deputized you all! I am not going to stand here and say that I'm not thankful for what you did for the city. But Caldwell, believe it or not, has an incredible influence here. Wait, where's Bash?"
"Caldwell was also a racist, pigheaded idiot," pointed out Aribis, and Bash breathed a quiet sigh of relief when Kirin answered him and forgot his question.
"It doesn't matter what he is; it matters what he has. And that's power."
"So, you don't deny it?" challenged William.
"I hate the man," Kirin admitted freely. "I detest what he is. But, in Agneward, we have the law. And nobody is above the law, not even the heroes of Agneward. Now, Caldwell is calling for you two—" he pointed to Enna and Sooka "—to be taken to the Alabaster Fort for a minimum of thirty days. And impersonating an officer of the White Orchid on duty is usually punished with banishment."
Kirin paused, and the weight of their transgressions settled over them. Bash's breath caught to think that Aribis might be cast out of the city, never to return. Thirty days in prison wasn't so bad, but banishment? The others seemed to share his sentiment, as they all shared nervous glances.
"Because of services rendered, I am willing to give you a break, one last time," continued Kirin. "But this is the end of your deputization."
"You're an angel, sir," cooed Aribis.
"But I'm not done," snapped Kirin. "Because of your infractions—" he nodded again to Enna and Sooka "—this is the Miasma's business, and I have no authority here."
With that, he retreated to lean against the wall, and the two members of the Miasma stepped forward. The two half-elves wore the traditional gray robes of the Miasma, and the woman spoke first. Her black hair swept across her face in a rebellious sort of way, but her eyes betrayed no misgivings.
"Good afternoon," she said. "My name is Lyndis, and this is my brother Lambert." She gestured to the taller of the two, whose platinum hair was braided down the side of his face. "It is a very serious crime which you have committed. If there was provocation, I'd understand."
"What counts as provocation?" asked Aribis.
That's what I was going to say, thought Bash. Then Enna stepped forward, and Bash smiled. That's it. Explain what happened. Let them have it.
"The blame should fall on me, not Sooka," she said, and Bash frowned. "I got angry because Edgar was speaking so negatively about my friend, and for no reason. I got angry, and I reacted. I was the one who charmed him. I was the one who put us in that situation, and she reacted accordingly. She followed my example. The responsibility is mine."
Bash's heart sank even as it swelled. Such pride in Enna's integrity was soon grossly overshadowed by shame. Enna had presented herself as the sole aggressor to protect her friends, and here he sat, hiding and cowering while others were punished. He had been so focused on protecting himself, pushing the blame off on others to avoid a sentence, and now Enna had done exactly the opposite. He lowered his head and sighed. Enna deserved better. Everyone deserved better.
Lyndis shared a glance with her brother.
"I feel like that counts as provocation," suggested Aribis.
"Provocation means that life is at risk. Were your lives threatened?" asked Lyndis.
Enna glanced at Sooka and ran her fingers along a dragon tooth in her necklace. "Edgar did cast a spell on us," she offered. "And they were shooting at us. Both of us were hit by the bolts. They started—"
"Yes, it was described in the form here," interrupted Lyndis, and she reached into her pocket and unfolded a paper. "Edgar came to us immediately after the infraction. He said he cast a cone of cold in self-defense after a spell was cast against his guards. And you charmed him." Lyndis looked critically at Enna. "But I believe that particular spell happened before any of this guard business."
Lyndis refolded the paper and tucked it away.
"This is pretty serious. We cannot let magic users run around causing problems. That is what the Miasma is here for. Because of Lord Kirin's influence—" she nodded to him "—this is the sentence we have chosen. For ten days, Enna and Sooka will wear arcane inhibitors."
Bash stood at this, warring with himself. He watched with dread as Lambert reached into his robe and extracted two matching cuff bracelets. Even from this distance, Bash could see that the silver bands were decorated with magical runes, and a single diamond gleamed in the center of each.
"Do you know what these do?" Lambert asked.
Enna and Sooka shook their heads.
"These do not destroy your abilities or keep you from casting spells. But should you cast a spell more powerful than a cantrip, there will be serious consequences. You must wear them for ten days. Once they are attached, they cannot be removed until we remove them. You can accept this sentence, or we can take the case to an arbitrary court. You have the right to a defense."
Bash's heart sank, and he silently swore. What would such a device do to Enna, whose magical essence flowed from nature? His anxiety was reflected in Enna, whose shoulders dropped alongside Sooka's. The pair stepped forward and offered their arms as their reply, and the half-elf clasped the bracelets on their wrists. Immediately, Enna began fiddling with it as the foreign object forced its power over her. She grimaced, and a shadow fell over her eyes. She was defeated.
"This is your first warning," explained Lyndis. "If something like this happens again, the consequences will be much more severe. You don't want to go there. I do appreciate your candor and willingness to own what you did. That makes our job and your lives easier."
Bash gritted his teeth and balled his fists. Then, allowing his footfalls to be heard, he moved down the stairs and into the lounge.
"Oh, the other one is here," said Lambert. He nodded at Bash, and Bash nodded stiffly back before he took up a place next to Enna. Then the siblings left the manor without ceremony.
Not even looking at them, Lord Kirin turned toward the door but stopped just shy. Eyes fixed on the floor, he said, "I know you all are more capable of good than this. Next time, either don't get caught, or make it worth the consequences." Then he left, and Ethan and Therion ventured awkwardly back into the room before shutting the door. A pained silence fell as Therion watched them carefully, and he opened his mouth as if ready to say something. Then he shook his head.
"Nope, I don't want to know," he dismissed.
"Probably best not ask," agreed Aribis.
Bash turned to Enna, prepared to say something, although he wasn't sure what. Before he could formulate anything, William approached Sooka and asked to see the bracelet. Sooka obliged, holding up her arm for him to see the scuffed and dented band that so many before her had tried to pry off before its time. From this distance, Bash could see a soft, magical glow about the thing.
"If I had been there…" muttered William. He frowned and then turned to Sooka. "I would have received a more severe punishment."
Sooka offered a half smile at the sentiment, and Enna put a hand over her mouth, though her eyes remained fixed on the floor.
"Will you be okay?" asked William.
Sooka nodded slowly, touched William's arms in thanks, and sauntered up the stairs.
Then decided, Bash took Enna's hand, wishing with desperation that he could impart some level of comfort to her. He wasn't sure if words would be able to do anything for her, but he knew that he could never comprehend what she had lost. Perhaps through his mere presence, he would be able to help. But she pulled her hand back, shook her head, and walked out the door.
Why wasn't I there? scorned Bash as he watched her leave. Why can't I think beyond myself? Why is that so difficult?
He glanced at Aribis and William, but they seemed focused on Sooka. Then following the thread of his heart, he chased after Enna.
The air was cold on his face and fingers as he stepped across the snow-dusted lawn. It wasn't long before he spied Enna exactly where he'd expected her to be. There, by the only tree in the yard, the tree through which her family had traveled a few weeks ago, she sat with her head leaning back against the rough bark. Wishing he'd brought his Mireguard cloak, Bash wrapped his arms around himself until he came to the tree and sat near her.
Under the canopy of branches, they were protected from some of the snow, but he still noticed some tiny flakes shining bright white in her black hair. Still, he wasn't sure if she wanted to speak. For some time, he waited. In the end, he decided that even if she didn't want to converse, he couldn't help himself. He needed to say something.
At barely more than a whisper, he spoke.
"I'm sorry." Then a little more loudly, he added, "I should have been there with you. I'm sorry."
He hoped that his tone had conveyed the depths of his grief. Even now, he detested himself, that he would allow Enna to suffer alone. He waited for her response, watching as she stayed in place, not even opening her eyes, and then finally took a deep breath.
"You don't have anything to apologize for," she said. "You didn't do anything wrong."
Bash fought the urge to scoff as a thousand wrongs flitted through his mind. But this wasn't about all that. This was about today. This was about now.
"You once told me that I don't run from my problems. But that's exactly what I was doing. I saw this as everyone else's issue, as if I had no part of it. But that's not true. I…" He hesitated. "I want to be more like you. I want to stand by everyone when the bad things happen. And I want to be by your side while you deal with all this. I know it can't be easy."
Enna opened her eyes, and Bash saw tears welling in them. Still, she did not turn to him but watched the distant garden carefully. The winter wheat had sprung just enough for its winter stall, and it seemed to relish the snowfall as all but the climate-controlled garden was blanketed in white. Even so, Bash supposed that Enna was not really seeing all that.
"But this is different," she insisted. "This… this was reckless. This put everyone and everything we've built in danger. We know what happens to people who get caught doing things like this. Lord Kirin was incredibly lenient." She raised her wrist and eyed the band. Her voice fell. "I knew better… You taught me better… And I put everyone in danger."
Her voice cracked as a single tear escaped her eye.
"But we're alright," assured Bash. "Everyone is alright. We can't change what happened, but we can focus on doing better next time. Or… maybe not doing it anymore." The thought pained him, but he couldn't deny the possibility of his retirement from thievery. He chuckled sourly. "The next step is to get through it, that's all. Ten days? That's nothing. Especially to us."
She scoffed. "It may be nothing to us, but what about Sooka?" She shook her head. "I could have convinced her to wait. I should have walked away with her when stupid Edgar said those things. I'm over three hundred years old, Bash. I shouldn't have led her astray like that." A tear ran down her cheek. "To Sooka, magic is her voice, and I let that be taken from her."
"Don't do that." Bash pushed onto his knees and shifted until he looked into her eyes. They were filled with a sadness that pierced him. "Don't act like you're the problem. Enna, you're not a problem. You're the reason we're whole. So, you made one mistake." He shrugged. "What of it? I've made thousands far worse. I would wager that everyone in that house has, too. Maybe not Aribis, since he's only twelve or something. But…" He watched her earnestly, begging her to understand how he saw her. "Enna, you are the best of us. You are the reason I want to be better. Don't let this mistake take you away."
Suddenly, the tears flowed from Enna, and she began to fight through her weeping as she spoke. Clutching at her shirt, she said, "I let everyone down, Bash. I keep messing up again and again. We may have been lucky this time, but when will that luck run out? When will my mistakes end up with something worse?"
She collapsed into sobs, and Bash planted himself next to her. He wrapped his arms around her as she fell into his chest and wept. He remembered a time when his own actions had led to something far worse than arcane inhibitors. Every so often, his trances would fly back to that moment in the Dandelions, when his heart had been ripped from him in one fell swoop from the Ghost. It was only by the mercies of divine forces that Enna had been brought back to him.
"We can't know the future," he whispered. "All we can do is be there for each other when it happens."
"I—I just want to protect everyone," she managed to say. "I'm not strong enough."
Bash closed his eyes and pulled her closer. "You don't have to be strong all the time. Sometimes, you have to let us be strong for you."
As Enna cried, Bash waited patiently, reveling in the sensation of being so close to her again. He rested his head on hers and breathed in the piney scent of her hair. Even as she shuddered, he held her, and for a moment, it felt as if time had slowed to a grinding halt. For a moment, nothing existed beyond them and the tree. Even the cold no longer seemed as bothersome.
Eventually, the river of tears began to ebb, and her sobs turned to sniffles. At long last, she lifted herself from his arms and wiped her eyes. Then she looked at him with her red, puffy, beautiful eyes. Without direction, his hand reached up and wiped some of the wetness from her face.
"You're not alone," he said.
After taking a deep breath, she said, "Thank you… for being here. And, I'm sorry, for not coming to tell you what we were doing."
He smiled softly. "It's okay. Just remember… We work together. All of us. We're a team."
At last, her mouth curled into a gentle smile. "A family," she said.
"Exactly."