The Fateful Heart

James glanced back at the camp, keeping his eye on the others.

He didn't know when Elrick and Nathan would return, but he knew Elrick was capable of traveling underground. He wondered if he would use that to snoop and eavesdrop. James decided it would be best to keep his voice down, and be careful about what he said.

"The others seem to really like you," he said. "How are you doing? I know this came upon us very suddenly."

Evaline let out a small smile, following James's lead and turning to face the whole camp as well. A horse behind her started to sniff the side of her head, right next to her ear so she could hear his heavy breathing. She was unfazed with this now, but it was funny to think that she would have been spooked over a sniffing curious horse were this to happen in her early days at Nye.

"I'm holding up fine, if not a little overwhelmed," she said with the same hushed voice, just in case. "It's strange how they accepted me so fast. I even get the feeling that they think I'm going to stay here permanently."

She paused, turning her head to look at him. "You know I don't want that, right?"

James stroked the side of Elliot's face.

"I had a feeling," he said with the hint of a smile. "But it's nice to hear you say it."

He paused, grabbing a tuft of Elliot's mane and brushing it to the side.

"If we're not staying though, you'll have to tell them that. Because I think they've assumed - or at least, some of them seem to have assumed - that you're going to stay. We'll also have to decide when we want to leave."

Still with the same slight upturned smile, Evaline looked at the ground and gave a slight nod.

"Right," she said quietly. She wasn't looking forward to breaking the news to them, but it was inevitable. "I will."

She paused to think about his next question. Although she didn't ask James about his experience, she picked up enough cues to find out that it wasn't as great as hers. He was probably itching to leave.

"When do you want to leave?" she asked.

James's eyes flicked to Evaline and then back to Elliot.

"The latest I would want to leave is in the morning," he said. "That is, if you want to stay the night. I don't know if or when we'll ever get another chance to meet more mages, so I want you to be able to enjoy this experience if you so desire."

Evaline pursed her lips in thought, looking back up at the camp surroundings. The kids were off in the distance, talking and giggling at a tone loud enough that could just barely mask their conversation to any secret nearby eavesdroppers.

Not that they were saying any big secrets or anything. But it did make Evaline nervous anyways.

The mages were a bit overwhelming, but it was still a refreshing change of pace. She was itching to see more of Nye, and although she had only gone into two towns, she wouldn't run into another mage camp for quite some time, if ever again. It was nice to be around other people, especially people who already seemed to trust her.

"We can leave first thing in the morning," she finally said. "But only if you think it's safe. I also know this probably isn't easy for you."

James scoffed.

“You know, this might be my best interaction with people who know who I am to date. They won’t turn me in, and they haven’t tried to kill me or capture me. So I’d say it’s going well,” he said with a wry smile. The smile faded though, as he took a deep breath and sighed.

“With how often they check the area and keep watch, I’m not worried about it not being safe while we’re here. We’ve already lost half a day to them, so I don’t think it’ll hurt to stay a little bit longer.”

He paused.

“Besides. Free food.”

Evaline smiled and rolled her eyes. "You make a convincing argument," she said, leaning back on the post again. "I'll let them know we'll leave in the early morning, then."

James said it was safe, and she trusted his words, but it did make her wonder. Staying overnight meant that they'd lose a whole day of gaining distance from Butch, and that made her nervous. She felt like they barely escaped from Woodhearst in time, but she still didn't know how far or close they'd be. The dogs probably eventually walked around the perimeter of the town and smelled James, right? They couldn't have been far.

But he was right. Even if anything were to happen, this would be the place for something to occur. The mages were all on their side, and although Butch was big and likely skilled in fighting, Elrick alone could probably easily take him on.

She silently sighed and pushed the worries at the back of her mind. If James was okay with it, she was too.

"Well," she said after a long pause with a blank face. "Just give me a look if anyone is making you uncomfortable. I'm already practically their saint. I can use my impeccable people skills to help you out."

James clicked his tongue and grinned.

"Eve, you greatly underestimate my abilities to avoid conflict when I want to."

Evaline looked over and raised a brow when she realized he called her Eve.

"That sounds like a challenge... Yoen," she said.

James's gaze drifted back to Eve, and he eyed her with a sly smirk. He lowered his voice in pitch just a little.

"Oh. How long did it take to dig that one up?"

Evaline smirked back, crossing her arms and leaning further back on the post.

"About a month ago, maybe two. It's hard to say when you're traveling with the world's most wanted criminal."

James was stroking Elliot's nose, but he paused just to roll his eyes.

"Not you too," he muttered, though his smirk still remained.

Evaline snickered, taking this one as a win. A few moments passed and then she turned back to James, smile almost faded, but not quite.

"Do you still call me Eve?" she asked. "In your head, I mean."

James's smirk slowly disappeared, and he looked to the side.

"...Sometimes," he admitted quietly.

"Yes."