Despite not having eaten since the day before, Crow could only manage to finish a small portion of rye bread for breakfast. He was still too upset about everything that had happened to stomach anything more. If his companions noticed his lack of appetite, they didn’t say anything about it, which he was glad about since he still didn’t feel ready to tell them about it. Instead, they all spoke casually about ways that they could prepare for the upcoming fall weather. Apparently, the others had noticed the dropping temperatures at night too, and they wanted to get ready for it before it became a problem.

Discussing the happenings at their camp helped Crow get his mind off his worries, so he participated in the conversation eagerly.

For the rest of the afternoon, he and the other thieves just relaxed and stayed by the river near their hideout. Crow couldn’t tell if the others were still just feeling discouraged by the poor results of their search for Jaxon or if they were trying to spend time with him to help keep his mind off everything that was troubling him. It could have been either reason, and he was content with their company, so he didn’t bother to question them about it.

However, as the day passed and night fell over the forest, his mood took another turn for the worse. There wasn’t a real reason for it, but he found that it was getting harder to keep his mind off Penelope again. So, feeling unsettled and quite restless, he made a request that was a little out of the ordinary.

“It’s been a while since we’ve all gone to a tavern together,” Crow mused, laying back in the grass on the riverbank with one arm propped behind his head. He gazed up at the darkening sky as he and his companions lounged outside. They had just finished their dinner and were resting while they digested their food. He glanced at the others as he went on, “We should go tonight.”

“That sounds like fun,” Rikki grinned in agreement, nestling a little closer to him from where she was lying curled against his side. Over the course of the day, she had been enjoying the fact that he was no longer pushing her away. While he still turned his head if she moved in to kiss him—it was too soon for him to let her get that close to him when he had only lost Penelope the day before—he didn’t object to any of her other physical advances.

By now, he guessed that the others had figured out something had happened between him and the knight, but since he had made it clear that he didn’t want to talk about it, no one said a word to ask about it. He appreciated their willingness to let him process alone while he sorted through his emotions over everything that had happened.

“I’m always ready to drink,” Alistair chipped in, sitting up from where he had been lying nearby. He leaned over to nudge Hazel. “Want to come with us?”

The herbalist hesitated for a moment before she nodded, “Sure.” Her blue eyes flickered to Crow before she added: “But I won’t have too much. Someone has to look after you rowdy thieves, after all.”

“Alright!” Alistair beamed, climbing to his feet. “We might as well go while the night is still young.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Crow nodded. He got up as well and offered Rikki a hand. Once they were all standing, they headed into the woods, eager to have a few drinks at the Ivory Hatchet in Myrefall.