Within two weeks snow blanketed the landscape, flakes falling in steady sheets. Phoenix remained unfazed, but her travel companions were feeling the chill. Very little conversation passed between them on their route, most of them too busy chattering their teeth and shivering to say much of anything.

Phoenix spent her time creating little fires to keep Noelle, Abigail, Frieda and Trey - the woman and boy they'd saved - warm. Trey did better than Phoenix would have guessed, having been wearing warm clothes and gloves when he'd been taken.

"Why would they take an eight-year-old boy for execution?" Noelle asked Victor, the man who'd stood tall next to Abigail, ready to face his executioners without showing fear.

"We don't know. They dragged me out of my home in the middle of the night, threw a bag over my head, and carried me out of town. I didn't see anyone else until they pulled the burlap free."

"And he was there?" Phoenix asked, holding a small flame in her hands and holding it out to Noelle as they walked so her friend could warm her hands.

"The boy? They brought him in a few hours later. He didn't even cry, just sat quietly. I asked him his name, where he was from, who his parents were - things like that, but he all he'd say was 'Trey'." 

Noelle and Victor discussed the best way to get Frieda and the Chuck home - they had no interest in joining the Militia and seemed to have been dragged out of Osha to make Abigail's capture seem organized. Meanwhile, Phoenix dropped back to where Abigail walked with Trey, his little head dropped low as he marched onward.

"How's he doing?" Phoenix asked in a low whisper to Abigail. 

"He's quiet, but strong," she replied, putting her arm around Trey and pulling him into he side. "He's a good boy."

Trey, Phoenix had noticed, reacted best to Abigail and Finny. Their kind tones and loving treatment seemed almost motherly toward him as they pulled little smiles from him through the day.

"Has he...told you anything?"

Abigail shook her head. "He hardly says a word."

With a nod, Phoenix moved to Trey's other side. Abigail released him and stepped away, but stayed within reach if Trey felt the need for her comfort.

"Trey, we're getting closer to where we're going," Phoenix said, glancing down at his shorn copper hair. According to Frieda, they'd chopped all of his hair off when he arrived. "We need to know how to get you home." When he said nothing, she pressed. "Do you know where your home is?"

Trey's head swiveled from side to side.

"Where are your mommy and daddy?" 

His little brows furrowed as his lip puckered out. He shook his head again. With a sigh, Phoenix shifted in front of him, stopping him in his tracks as she crouched down in front of him, meeting him face to face.

"Trey, I know things have not been going so great, but we want to help you - that's why we saved you from that platform. But I can't help you if you don't talk to me."

"I don't have parents."

His little voice didn't catch, didn't waver. He stated a fact, his eyebrows still scrunched up over the bridge of his nose.

"Where did they take you from? How did you end up at that base?" 

"I lived with a lot of other kids. In an orphanage."

"And they just came and took you? Did they say why?"

Trey shook his head. His eyes, deep brown and soulful beyond his years, remained steadily focused on hers, and Phoenix had the impression he studied her just as much as she did him.

Cupping her hand against his face, Phoenix decided to do what hadn't been done for him yet. "All right, Trey - where do you want to go? What do you want to do next?"

Trey's eyes widened. "I get to choose?"

"You get to choose."

For several seconds, Trey weighed her heavy offer. "I want to go with you."

"Me?" It was Phoenix's turn for surprise.

"You and her." Trey pointed at Abigail, who had stopped when they had. Phoenix grinned over at her, and Abigail smiled back. Phoenix turned back to Trey.

"Well, I can't promise we're going the same way, but I can promise you'll be going with one of us - whichever one can keep you safest. Sound good?"

Trey nodded, his little lips pulling up in a smile. 

"We should catch up - they're a bit ahead of us now," Abigail said, gesturing to the group that had kept on. Maverick stood somewhere in the middle, watching their conversation several paces forward.

"Here we go." Phoenix twisted around, gesturing over her shoulder. "Hop on up, Trey. We'll run to catch up."

When Trey was secure on her back, Phoenix and Abigail jogged to Maverick before running to catch the group. 

#

That night, Phoenix sat beside Maverick at the fire, watching Trey sleep with his head in Abigail's lap.

"They took him from an orphanage," she repeated, shaking her head. "Who would remove a child just to send him to death?"

"Maybe he's powerful," Mav suggested. "Maybe he's a Guardian, or has a powerful gift."

"Or maybe the Army is full of wicked people who do horrible things because it suits their needs," Roman said as he and Noelle joined them. "Until we find out what's special about Trey, we need to consider that they did this for nothing other than to cause mayhem."

"What better way to keep an orphanage of children in line than to threaten them with being taken away?" Noelle added in agreement. At Phoenix's frown, she shook her head. "I'm sorry, Phe, but he's right. Eric may have goodness in him, but that doesn't mean Narissa or Bainon do."

True. Phoenix sighed. She'd have to ask Altair or Castor if they knew anything when she had the chance. She hadn't seen either since Castor had taken her into Eric's dreams.

Sudden, radiant light burst around them, nearly knocking Phoenix over in surprise. Elyo and Selene stood side by side just a few feet from the fire, their eyes on her. As most of the others shouted in surprise and fear, Phoenix shot to her feet and went to them.

"You're here!" She hugged each of them and then pulled away as suspicion hit her. "Why are you here? What's wrong? What's happened?"

She hadn't seen them since shortly after they'd reunited with Finny, when she'd finally told them about Ares. The mixture of excitement and dread that had coursed through them left conversations heated and feelings raw. Phoenix wanted Elyo and Selene to go to Eric at once and explain to him who they were and who he was, but they'd refused.

"After all the magic Narissa must have used on him, he won't believe a word we say," Selene had said. "He doesn't know us, and we can't force him to."

"Besides, if he were to think us a threat he could attack, and he would be the one to get hurt. We can't let anything happen to him. Not when we've only just discovered who he is."

Knowing their familiarity with these things, Phoenix had bent to their will, but not until she'd exhausted her points. Eric, they said, would need to come to the truth on his own.

"It's happening," Selene said, taking Phoenix's hands in hers. "We waited until you were secluded enough for us to come to you, but it's happening - it's been happening."

"What's happening?"

"He's changing," Elyo said, green eyes bright. "He has markings just like yours, and he's questioning things around him, even if he isn't willing to admit it yet."

"His royal mark is fading - the fake mark." Selene nearly vibrated with happiness. "There's so much we can't see for him. It's so hard not to watch him only, but," she sighed, "he's not our charge. Castor watches over him. We have to do our duties."

"Which we shirk sometimes, just so we can watch him." Elyo grinned, if not a bit guiltily. "He's difficult to view. We believe Narissa keeps a dark cloud over him, something nearly invisible that kept us from noticing him all these years."

"That and a few convincing lies told to people who would believe them," Selene added with a snort. "I can't tell if someone's telling a lie if they believe a lie they're told."

It was just like when she'd entered his dreams. He'd had markings there. "Praise Adonai."

"We've been dying to tell you," Selene said, "but we didn't want to draw any attention in case there were enemies nearby. We--" she paused, glancing over Phoenix's shoulder, her eye catching something of interest. 

Elyo followed her gaze, his brow quirking. "You sense that?"

"I do." 

Phoenix glanced around at the crowd watching them, just out of earshot. "What do you sense?"

"Who are these people?"

"Prisoners we've saved." Phoenix searched her companions, looking for what her parents might be seeing. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but still Selene's eyes roved over them.

"What is it?" Phoenix asked.

"Ares." Elyo stepped forward, moving back over toward the fire. Selene followed him, both of them ignoring the gaped mouths as they inspected the travelers.

"Here," Selene said, stopping at Abigail. "This one."

Elyo joined her, cocking his head to the side as he considered her. "She shares memories," he said. "She knows his memories."

Abigail, though stunned to be faced with two Ancients, kept her calm. "I do. Would you like to see one?" She held out her hand with only the slightest tremble. 

The moment passed quickly, both Selene and Elyo touching Abigail's ungloved hand. When they pulled away, Selene kept her eyes on Abigail, but spoke to Phoenix.

"Keep this one safe, my darling. I think she matters greatly to your brother's survival." To Abigail, Selene smiled. "Thank you for loving my son." 

#

The next morning, Selene and Elyo were still the talk of Youlden, Chuck, Victor and Frieda. Abigail kept mostly to herself and Trey said nothing.

"We're getting very close," Finny said as they began their journey. A harsh wind blew and the snow seemed, according to the others, colder than usual. Phoenix did her best to block Trey from the elements, letting him ride piggyback so he could stay close to her natural warmth.

"How many days?" Roman asked, his cloak hood pulled up over his head for warmth.

"We're very close," Finny repeated. "We'll see the Militia soon."

Phoenix glanced around, noticing their number was one short. Bringing up the rear, Noelle trudged along, her tiny frame nearly lost in the blizzard.

"Hang on!" Phoenix called over the roar of the wind, heading for Noelle. "Roman!"

He was at her side instantly, the two of them reaching Noelle in a few long strides. 

"G-get on my b-back," Roman said, offering Noelle a shivering smile as he gestured to his shoulders. "I can c-carry you."

"I don't n-need help!" Noelle slogged along, passing them at a snail's pace. "I won't be the one who needs r-rescue."

"Dash your pride," Phoenix said, stopping her with a hand to Noelle's shoulder. "You don't have to be ashamed of having help."

"You don't need h-help!" Noelle shot back. "Y-you're in sleeveless without a cloak!"

"I'm practically made of fire!"

"Just get on his back already," Trey shouted through the howling over Phoenix's shoulder. "I'm riding piggy back and I'm almost as big as you."

Phoenix snorted with laughter and Noelle's lips, which were nearly blue, parted in a smile.

"Great," she said, finally obeying and gesturing for Roman to crouch down. "I'm being sassed by a child."

"You were acting like a child," Trey said with a smile as Phoenix guffawed.

The plan had its flaws.

Within an hour, Roman had slowed. Noelle didn't weigh much, but in the cold, with her heavy cloak being weighed down by thick layers of snow, the two of them struggled almost as much as Noelle had alone.

"Mav," Phoenix said, stopping everyone again. "She won't affect you. You carry her."

A funny look crossed over her brother's face. "No, I don't think so. Why can't you do it?"

"I have Trey."

"I'll take Trey."

"He doesn't have a cloak of his own. He needs to be with my heat. Just take Noelle. What's the problem." With the wind, no one except Maverick could hear her.

"I just- I don't like it. If we're attacked I won't be able to protect the group properly. You're already encumbered. We can't lose the both of us. Especially when Roman has been slowed down by this cold. His best defense is his speed and he can't do much in this weather."

Phoenix glowered at him. His words weren't untrue, but there was hidden something beneath his logic. "Well Roman can't carry her, so what do you suggest?"

Loudly so all would hear, Maverick called out, "Youlden - could you carry Noelle?"

The giant bobbed his head in agreement, moving over to where Noelle had slid from Roman's back. As Youlden scooped her up, holding her close so she might benefit from his body heat, Phoenix had the absurd desire to laugh. Noelle appeared no more than a child in Youlden's arms, such was the difference in their size. 

"Satisfied?" Maverick asked Phoenix, who stuck her tongue out at him.

"You're hiding something. I don't know why you don't like her, but I'll figure it out." Phoenix turned and nodded to Finny, who gestured for them to start on again.

"I like her just fine," Maverick said through gritted teeth. "She just--"

A screeching noice halted them again.

"What the hells was that?" Phoenix asked as Maverick drew his sword.

"I don't know, but it didn't sound friendly."

"It didn't sound human," Roman said, coming up beside Maverick. 

Phoenix squinted through the blizzard, her vision unable to adjust in the flurry. She closed her eyes, blocking it out to concentrate on her other senses.

Sounds of feet crunching through snow - faint, but there - were followed by the steady thrum of signatures she'd failed to notice, emotions focused as they moved closer.

Her eyes flew open and she grabbed Maverick's arm. "We're about to be under attack."

Aaaaaand end of chapter.

I know, I'm so evil.

But I have to stop, this one is already twice as long as some others! See?! I am nice in some ways.Selene and Elyo have seen Eric's changes(some). Yay! They met Abigail! 

What do you guys think of Trey? What about Maverick's treatment of Noelle? Let me know YOUR thoughts in the comments as well as what YOU think will happen next.

Let me tell you, things could get interesting...