It doesn't take me very long at all to realize the locals stare at me.

     I'm not talking casual glances, I once erratically held eye contact with a girl my age for almost three minutes. During that entire time not once did she say anything. She only glared at me with an ashy expression on her face. It made me uncomfortable beyond belief, mostly because I didn't know why. I thought it might have been because of my alliance with the Queen at first, but as this continued it became painfully obvious it was definitely me they were so maliciously focused on.

     "I just don't understand why," I groaned and held my head in my hands.

     "Hm." Peri tapped his beak, which was covered in blackberry juice. "Probably cause of your smoking hot bod, honestly."

     "Peri!" I blushed and shook my head at him.

     Seeing a parrot smile devilishly at me has lost its surprising effect by now. "As your familiar one of my primary jobs is boosting your self-esteem. These people have been away from the mainland for a hundred years Craig, they weren't ready for you wolf boys and your god-like proportions. Kids of all genders can't keep their eyes off of you."

     I pulled the hood of my poncho over my face and shrieked into the fabric. Peri was cackling into his complimentary bowl of mixed fruit. At that moment Jason walked over and sat down next to us, Lafayette on his arm. He was a lot more upbeat now that his falcon had returned, even if Lafayette hadn't managed to find our friends. Which I was very worried about.

     "What are you guys talking about?" Jason asked, frowning in amusement.

     Peri's head shot up and I threw my poncho over him. "Nothing! I've just been noticing I've been getting weird looks from the locals."

     Jason nodded and stroked Lafayette. "Yeah I'm not surprised."

     I paused and tilted my head at him, my embarrassing parrot forgotten. "You're not?"

     "Yeah," He shrugged, "You're the only green-handed Daímonas here. You're just like them only not radically discriminated against. If I were a Daímonas I'd be jealous."

     His reply struck me in the face like I'd just stepped on a rake. I frowned and stared at my palms almost fearfully. He was... right. I hadn't known what this was when it first appeared but as I thought back... I hadn't gotten any grief for it. If anything, it only made me feel worse for these kids.

     I bit my lip and closed my palm. "I never thought about it that way before."

     Jason was unbothered. "I'm sure they'll get over it. If not, I'll go and have a chat with anyone who's bothering you, just say the word."

     My heart skipped a beat. "Right, sure thing."

     Peri, who had squirmed his way out of the Poncho of Smothering, nudged my arm with his beak. I looked down at him and he had the audacity to wink. I scoffed and oved him off my leg and back onto his fruit bowl.

     "How's Percy doing?" I asked, changing the subject.

     Jason made on of his trademark nonchalant shrugs. "Haven't seen her leave the tent. She's going to have to come out eventually, ask her then."

     "Oh." I said, disappointed. "Do you mind if I ask you something?"

     He raised an eyebrow.

     "You just... when she was being kidnapped you seemed so eager to rescue her, now it feels like you don't care." I glanced up at him nervously.

     "Oh." Jason's bow furrowed in deep thought. "Well she's still a human being and our Queen, I just don't agree with what she's done with the place. By that I mean this place, this island. It seemed shifty to me."

     "You honestly believe she did this on purpose?"

     Jason glanced up at me and catches hold of my surely distressed face. I felt like my lungs were turning into ash. It was crazy and stupid but Percy had been there for me more than once, she felt like one of my friends. He frowned, it was a sour look and filled me with, what is possible, more anxiety?

     "I... I don't know." He admitted. "But I don't want to the in the middle of it when the world finds out."

     I clenched my hands nervously and thought about that for a moment. He was right, again. Whatever her intentions where, the deed had been done. If Bundi's negotiations went through, all of Zoo was going to find out about Thanatos. It would certainly cause some sort of uproar. The idea makes me nervous.

     "Can I ask you something?" Jason asked out of the blue and snapped me out of my thoughts.

     "Of course?" I replied, too eagerly.

     "Your mom was a mage, right?"

     "Yeah, why?" Why Jason would want anything to do with my mom absolutely boggles me.

     "Does she treat... dreams?" He asked very quietly.

     My brow furrowed. "Dreams? Like magical ones? Usually those are good, right? Are you getting bad dreams?"

     His eyes widened ever so slightly and he runs a hand through his oak-colored curls. "Uh, never mind."

     Oh Kosmos, I've messed it up. I asked to many questions and scared him away. I'm instantly filled with regret and panic because the awkward silence between us is getting longer.

     "It's okay." I say, sincerely, even if a little late.

     "Nah it was a stupid question... I was asking for a friend." He looks at the ground before standing up, Lafayette chirped at him in annoyance. "I'm gonna just... I'll be back."

     I watch him go with a deep longing in my chest, like his own unsaid struggles are weighing down on my ribcage. I'm almost positive that besides us, his friends are non-existent. I wish he would talk to me. Especially since I can so obviously tell he wants someone to talk to.  If he was having nightmares... well I was no expert on magic, I could only make a luck charm on a good day, but that seemed like something that needed hashing out. I sighed and stood up. Jason Griffith, our resident emotionally stunted bad boy and man after my own heart, needed a break it seemed.

     I found Bundi's tent and hesitated on whether or not to knock. It's a tent. I finally decide to just pull back the flap and peek inside. Bundi is sitting inside on their chieftain throne, staring at their half-finished map which was now laid out on the table in the center. They glance up as I do so and a cheeky grin alights upon their face.

     "Craig, what brings you to my humble abode? I hope our last talk didn't shake you up too much, that would be entirely my fault." They laughed apologetically. "Nole's admittedly better at the whole parenting shtick."

     "Is he not here?" I asked, looking around but not seeing him.

     "He's down by the docks, we saw some ships heading towards us, looks like new kids." They explained. "Did you want to see him? I can take you down there."

     "No, it's fine." I say, kneeling down respectively in front on their table. "Not that you're my second choice or anything, I don't mean that at all, I apologize if is came off that way-"

     "Slow down there, kiddo, you're fine. Go head, what's been ailing you?" Bundi laughed, before taking a similar kneeling position on the other side of the table, they pick up a feather pen and start scratching in more geographic details.

     "I'm... homesick. I'm worried about my friends and my family." I said quietly. "Is there anyway we can get a boat back?"

     Bundi pursed their lips. "I'm not sure... only because if word gets out about Persephone's location we could be attacked. Without the proper illusionary militia tactic prepared ahead of time, I could be either sending a bunch of kids into a battle they'll lose or I'll be giving away our best chance at a fair and equal life. I'm truly sorry."

     My hands clenched into fists under the lips of the table and Peri shoots me a concerned look. "No, I understand,"

     "You are welcome to send any previewed messages via flying familiar," Bundi adds, trying to make my hopeless situation better. "Have you not been able to get in contact with friends and family?"

     "Lafayette couldn't find them." I explained bitterly.

     "That just probably means they're looking for you," Bundi's eyes shone with reassurance, "if your pals are anything like you, I'm sure they'll make their way here soon enough."

     Their words do bring me some solace and qualm my pounding heart. "Th-thank you?"

     Bundi shot me an encouraging pair of thumbs up. "You got it kid. Anything else I can help you with?"

     I frowned. "I don't--"

     At that moment the tent flap pulls back once more and Nole's grizzly orange face pokes through. "Oh hello! Sorry to interrupt, but we got a returner."

     Bundi's eye open wide. "Oh?"

     Nole opens the flap more and suddenly I'm looking into two grey-green eyes. Eddie's eyebrows fly up in surprise (I'm sure I look equally as startled) and for a moment we can do nothing but stare at each other. What's he doing here? Is Apophis with him? Is Felix?

     "Edmund!" Bundi said, grinning from ear to ear. "How's my favorite little pyromaniac doing these days?"

Eddie struggles to say something for a few moments, then finally breaks eye contact with me. I feel... strangely flustered? My face was hot and I find once he glanced back towards Bundi my gaze is fixed on my shoes. Kosmos, what is wrong with me?

"I-I'm... I'm doing great." He says, stammering, and took a kneel next to me.

I forgot that you can feel the energy between us.

"That's wonderful. Craig, this is Edmund, he was a former resident of Thanatos, and one of the kids I smuggled out in my rebel days." Bundi was still grinning.

"I... I know?" I said, clutching onto my arm. "We've kind of... met?"

Bundi's gaze flicks back and forth between the two of us, they squinted slowly. "Were you...?"

They made a vague hand gesture that's between clapping and a fist bump.

"No!" Eddie and I loudly proclaim at the same time.

"Oh, come on Ainwir, stop giving me the vibe." Bundi scoffs. "How did you two meet? You've tickled my curiosity."

"And mine." Nole butts in, equally as amused.

"We're..." I glance at him as I struggle to find the words, Eddie refuses to make eye contact and he actually looks... thoroughly pissed off? "It's a long story but he kind of helped kidnap my best friend."

Bundi frowns. "Oh dear, probably best not to go into that. What brings you back, Eddie?"

"For the record, we're on a truce." Eddie insists, and folds his arms. "I actually came here to talk to Craig."

Bundi nodded, then leaned back and gestured at the two of us. "Well you're in luck, I happen to have a Craig."

Eddie turned toward me slowly, still looking at his clenched knuckles. "Your sister wants you to know that they're looking for you. I'm going to go back and tell them that you're safe and here. I'm sure they'll arrive shortly."

I open my mouth, suddenly overflowing with questions, "Ryan sent you? Are they okay? Can I...?" I glanced back at Bundi, "can I go with you?"

"I work alone Ainwir, and we're not friends." Eddie snaps. "They're fine, downright annoying, honestly."

Something off about him, he's usually kinder with me. I'm not sure why I know this. I'm not sure why it's stand out to me. I'm still amazed we're having this conversation.

"You gotta tell me more than that, Eddie," I sighed, frustrated. "Did Ryan come to you? Did... did you go to Ryan?"

His eyebrows twitch after I said that. "She came to me... your sister is very persuasive. Is that all? No wait, Felix is in stable condition, I haven't seen him since I left Zestos a few weeks ago."

I closed my mouth.

"That's all I was required to do. I'll be leaving." He announced, before standing up and giving Bundi a curt bow.

"Aw no," Bundi said. "You just got here Eds, stay a little."

I smiled slightly at Eds. Eddie's face remains cold as marble.

"I can't. I have to get back before Apophis finds out I've left her first-responder group." He does look a little disappointed as the words leave his mouth and slips through the flap before any of us can stop him.

I cringed suppressing the urge to run after him and glance nervously back towards Bundi. They raised an eyebrow and usher me back towards the exit instead. Like some sort of matchmaking chaperone nudging me towards boys they think I like.

"Go! I'm not entirely convinced you two aren't at least friends but you obviously have more to talk about." They insisted, flabbergasted.

I bowed quickly but respectively as Eddie had done before throwing the tent flap aside and chased after that boy with Peri fluttering at my heels. He was walking calmly towards the docks, but when I called out to him he glanced back and go that deer-in-scobi-lights look I was not used to seeing on Eddie. When I finally caught up to him he was back to standing awkwardly and not meeting my gaze. What was with him today? He was almost... rude. It was crazy, but rudeness was the last thing I expected from my sworn enemy.

"Are you..." I wheezed, catching my breath, "Are you helping us?"

Eddie frowned and his eyes flicked up towards me for just a second. "It appears so."

"Does this mean you're... on our side?" I asked.

It was crazy, but I kind of wanted him to say yes.

Eddie scoffed. "I'm not on a side. I do work, I'm paid, and I'm fed. It's as simple as that."

"Oh." I frowned, that was kind of like being on our side. "Well... if was good to see you, Edmund."

He squinted, then dared to look up at me, "I suppose... it's g—"

He stops talking takes a few steps backwards. Suddenly, Jason's hand on my shoulder. I jump slightly, I hadn't even heard him sneak up. He had one hand resting on his bow and gives Eddie a cold and calculation look, still standing protectively over me. I have dreamed of this moment for months but now that's happening I could not want to slap him more.

"Is he bothering you, Craig?" Jason half-growled.

"Wh-what?" I stammered. "N—"

"I was just leaving." Eddie interrupted, and turned with one swish of his dark cloak and head towards the docks.

I watch him go, disappointed. Jason turns towards me with an almost fiery look in his eyes. I push his hand off my shoulder. I can't believe I'm saying this but I was almost angry at him.

"What were you doing? That's Eddie, Craig. The guy who's kidnapped and tried to kill you multiple times." He shook me slightly.

"He came with a message from Ryan, apparently we have a temporary alliance." I said, annoyed, and shimmied out of his grip once more.

Jason squints, his gaze says dubious but in my mind his brain says dumb and prejudiced. It's a weird first. He relaxes slightly and regains his posture. Almost looking foolish. Hey two of us stand there in awkward silence for a moment.

"Oh, I'm sorry." He apologized, rubbing the back of his head.

I hate it but my heart melted a little. "Ah, it's fine. I already got what he came to tell us. He's going to go back and tell Ryan where we are, they'll be here soon, hopefully."

"It's weird that he's helping us, I though he hated you."

I stared at the now ant-sized spec boarding his tiny boat on the Thanatos docks. He was different, changed somehow, like he was under some sort of spell that reset us back to square one. If arch-nemeses could have square ones. I hope things were going all right for him. 

"I thought so too."