Chapter 48: Second

~ ZEV ~

It took as long to reach the village at Sasha's pace as it would have taken him to get to the City alone. He was carrying both bags, but they weren't overly heavy. On his own he would barely have been slowed. But it was no matter, he reminded himself. Having Sasha here was all that was important.

When they were within a mile of the village, he'd stopped talking to Dunken—it was only depressing and worrying anyway—and dropped back to walk with Sasha, urging Yhet to go forward and join Dunken.

She held onto his arm, her eyes wide as she examined the forest around them. But she didn't say much, letting Yhet and Dunken tease each other, and Zev call the occasional comment.

It wasn't like her to be so quiet.

"Are you okay?" he asked her at a whisper. The others would be able to hear them, but she likely didn't realize that yet, and he didn't want her to cover. They would be polite and pretend they couldn't hear.