“What was that sound?” asked Tarun, looking around for the source of the unearthly scream that hung in the air. 

“With any luck, we won’t have to find out,” said Seth, glancing nervously at the last light of dusk that was fading in the west. “Though somehow I don’t think we’re going to be that lucky tonight.” 

Tarun and Seth walked on in silence. They had left Mayor Marissi barricaded in the old town hall that afternoon, and followed his directions towards Vdekshi’s stronghold. Marissi had told them that if they followed his directions without stopping, they should be able to arrive at their destination before sundown. But that was before a familiar voice had sent them on a detour. 

The distant scream peeled through the night air again, and Seth held his lantern a bit higher to light their way. “Are we sure this voice in our minds is truly Shon giving us instructions?” he asked. “It was only last night we were tricked by imposters, and I’d rather not fall for that again.” 

“It’s Shon,” said Tarun. “I’m sure of it.” Seth looked over at Tarun and saw a twinkle in his eye that for a moment reminded him of the white light that had shown through him earlier that day. Tarun was sure, and for the moment, that was enough for Seth. 

“But how did he manage to reach us?” Seth asked. “Has he ever been able to use his magic at such great distances before? Why didn’t he contact us sooner? And why did he send us on a path that takes the long way around to rescue him?” 

“When Shon reached out to both of us, he only shared the basics,” Tarun explained. “He’s been sharing several more details with me as we’ve been walking.” 

“Oh,” said Seth, trying to not look hurt. 

“Don’t take it personally,” said Tarun. “Using his ethereal magic at this range is new to Shon, and he’s nervous that others may be able to listen in if he’s not careful. He thought he may be able to keep the information more private if he focused on only a single mind to communicate with. And since my mind is the most familiar to him, it was easier to focus on me.” 

“Of course,” said Seth, feeling foolish. “You’re his friend, and you’ve known him much longer than I have. It makes sense he would reach out to you.” After a moment of silence, Seth added, “Is it safe to share what he passed along to you?” 

Tarun took a look around them. “Yes, I believe it should be safe,” said Tarun. “Shon informed me that Vdekshi has recalled all of his forces back to his stronghold, including any spies that may have been listening before.” 

“How did Shon learn that?” asked Seth. “Did he find a way to read Vdekshi’s mind and find out what’s going on?” 

“Better,” Tarun said with smirk, “he’s been talking things over with Vdekshi in his parlor while drinking mint tea and eating wheat cakes with honey.” 

“You’re joking,” said Seth. 

Tarun shook his head and chuckled. “You know, I’m a lot stronger than I look, but Shon is the one that everybody makes the mistake of underestimating. He’s full of surprises.” 

Tarun then explained to Seth about Shon’s encounter with Gravine in the dungeon, his discovery of the spool of magically conductive wire in his cloak, and how he had used his magic to start piecing together the web of deceit that seemed to keep everyone in the stronghold at odds with each other. “When I shared our plans to heal Vdekshi instead of killing him, Shon seemed to agree with the decision,” Tarun added. “From what he’s told me, it seems Marissi’s description of Vdekshi and his motivations was accurate.” 

“And your opinion of him now?” asked Seth. “Does forgiveness come so easily to you, Tarun?” 

Tarun’s expression turned grave, but not angry. “There’s been nothing easy about it,” Tarun replied. “I have no doubt that Krall told me nothing but the truth when he described his old master, and yet…” Tarun trailed off, and they walked in silence for several more minutes before he found the words he was looking for. 

“Sometimes people see us at our worst,” Tarun said quietly. “The situations we share with them are monstrous and cruel. It doesn’t excuse what Vdekshi has done, but… But what he’s done and how Krall remembered him doesn’t define everything there is to know about him.” 

Tarun rubbed the scar on his arm. “When we met just a few days ago, if you hadn’t healed my arm and cleared my head, I might’ve killed you simply for insisting I spare someone’s life. Your death would have been a loss for the whole world, and I would have been the monster responsible. But even when I was ready to strike you down, you saw me as something other than a monster, even though I was acting like one.” 

“I’m glad the lantern led me to you and Shon,” said Seth. “You’re good. Both of you.” 

Seth sighed, and then continued. “My father raised me alone and kept everyone at shillelagh’s length, including me. There was no closeness or warmth, though my father seemed to feel guilty for not providing it. And there was certainly no forgiveness. How could he forgive anyone else when he could never forgive himself? The only thing he believed he could pass on to me for an inheritance was the same shame that his father and grandfather had passed along to him.” 

Seth swung his shillelagh in the air, making a whooshing noise as it moved. Then he held it up to his lantern and looked at it with renewed interest. “But I think it’s like you said, Tarun. There’s more to monsters than we might think. And so why couldn’t there be more to my father than simply being Seth the Liar? Or more to my grandfather than being Seth the Thief? Or more to his father than being Seth the Traitor? There must have been more to them than that, which means there can be more to me than that, right?” 

“Of course,” Tarun replied with a smile. “Just be careful where you swing that thing.” 

“Despite only knowing you a few days, you and Shon feel to me like the kinds of brothers I’ve always wanted,” Seth said. “I think that’s why The Ancient One sent me here. Because he knew I wouldn’t be strong enough on my own to do what he expects me to. And being around you two strengthens me. I can tell already.” 

“You strengthen us too,” said Tarun, the bright twinkle returning to his eye. “You’re one of us now, and I hope you’ll continue with us after this business with Vdekshi is over.” 

Seth’s face brightened, and so did the lantern in his hand. “Thank you,” he said. “That means more to me than I can say. I’ve always wanted to be part of a family.” 

Seth held up his shillelagh, and the light from his lantern seemed to move and dance across the intricate carvings that ran along it. For a moment, Seth thought he could almost read the meaning of what those symbols had been trying to tell him all his life. “I still want to find out about them though,” Seth said, handing the shillelagh to Tarun for a moment. “Even with a new family, I’ll never stop wondering about the family I came from.” 

Seth hung his head. “That’s how Laronius got the better of me that night when Aluanna and her band had to rescue us,” he said. “Laronius claimed he could tell me about them, and it opened up an old hunger I’d nearly forgotten about. I let my guard down, and I’m sorry. It’s clear now that Laronius was simply lying to me just like he lied to Mayor Marissi. I promise I won’t let him distract me like that again.” 

“But what if he really does know something about them?” Tarun asked. His voice was so low it was almost a whisper. 

“What?” said Seth. “Why would you say that?” 

Tarun took a step closer to Seth, lowering his voice even more. “Shon wouldn’t share the specifics,” he said. “Apparently the information is too dangerous to risk sharing through ethereal magic, at least until he’s had more practice at this kind of distance. But from what he was willing to say, it may turn out that Laronius wasn’t completely lying about knowing more about your family than you do.” 

Seth’s face fell. Tarun clapped a hand on Seth’s shoulder and handed the shillelagh back to him. “Don’t worry,” Tarun reassured him. “Shon wanted to avoid another situation where Laronius can use what he knows against you. That’s why he sent us on this detour on our way to the stronghold.” 

“I don’t understand,” said Seth. 

“Shon thought it was too dangerous to share using his magic,” Tarun whispered. “So he’s arranged for us to meet with someone who can share it with us face to face.” 

Seth spun to look around him. “Someone is meeting us?” he asked more loudly than intended. “Who in their right minds would meet us after nightfall so close to Vdekshi’s stronghold?” 

“That would be us,” said a gruff voice. 

Seth and Tarun turned to see the satyr brothers Roj, Soj, and Toj emerge from a large, wild patch of shoulder-high wheat. 

“But you’re wrong about one thing,” continued the short, dark-haired Roj. “We are definitely not in our right minds if we actually agreed to this stupid gig.” 

“Not now, Roj,” said Toj, the eldest satyr brother. His expression was somehow both less jovial and more friendly than the last time Seth had seen him. “You know why we’re here and why it matters. Can any of us say no to Lady Aluanna when she has a mission for us?” 

“Aluanna?” Seth blurted. “Is she here?” 

“No,” replied Toj. “This was too dangerous to bring the whole band, and with the potential that the events of tonight could disrupt the balance of power in the whole region, she thought it best to stay with them for protection.” 

“Besides,” Toj continued, “Lady Alunna required speed, stealth, and discretion for this mission. And that’s what satyrs do best.” 

“Stealth and discretion?” interrupted Roj. “Have you been hanging out with some different satyrs lately or something?” 

“Don’t take it personally,” said Soj in a smooth, calm tone. The tall, light blonde satyr stroked his shorter brother’s curly black hair to calm him. “We all know you’re the most boisterous, loud-mouthed satyr in all the land. But it can’t always be about you.” 

“Indeed,” said Toj, looking to his brothers. “And as fun as this act is, we don’t have time for it. We’ve got time for one act, and one act only before we need to hoof it back to camp.” 

The handsome, brown haired satyr stepped right up to where Seth and Tarun had stopped during the bantering of his brothers. “Now Seth,” Toj said. “Have I got a story for you.”