They returned to the warmth of the inn, shaking off snow and both huddled together by the fireplace in Mariel’s room. Though it had been quite a task to be allowed outside the walls given the blizzard, including no small amount of begging. Out in the snow, the girl had bid them both farewell and disappeared into the thick snow without any further words. Having come back, Mariel could not help but feel no small amount of sadness. It felt cruel, wrong and perfectly awful. Looking at Siravin, she failed to see even a sliver of remorse or regret for his actions, and she caught herself calling him a cold-hearted bastard under her breath.

“What?”

“Nothing… I can’t believe you’d just go along with that back there… You put everything on the line for me, but for nobody else… I don’t get it.”

“I have priorities.” He responded curtly.

“Why can’t your priorities extend to someone else?”

“I don’t trust them.”

“Why won’t you just give me a straight answer?”

“…”

A short pause followed. In which they both exchanged gazes. Hers was filled with sadness and irritation. His; cold and calculative. Eventually, she resigned, and left the confrontation to lie down to rest. She could feel that he remained in place, locked in the same appearance. Eventually, he too sat down and began to go over the content of their bags. This continued for a time, as Mariel began to feel her eyelids going heavy on her. She was just about to nod off into sleep, when his voice roused her.

“I’m going out for supplies.”

She made no reaction, and just waited until the door closed behind him.

‘I know what you’re thinking Mariel. But at the end of the day, he is right. You could not have done anything, whatsoever. Sure, you could add a few days to her life, but as soon as you move on, she will die.’

“Why are you taking his side too?” Mariel rolled her eyes.

‘Because I am rather fond of you, and know full well, just like you, that you’re living on borrowed time. As soon as that serum runs out, you’d best be far away from where you’re planning to go.’

“I try not to think about it…”

‘I’ve realized. And what will you do now?’

“Fix it.”

‘Good, give me a word when we reach the next stop on the journey. The cold season is awful… And please put something more on your head… I’m freezing every time we’re outside.’

She nodded and felt the mindling somehow curl up and fall asleep in her mind. A strange picture, but a calming one regardless. She slid back into her clothes and left to find Siravin on his supply run.