Sweat beaded on Tam’s brow. With wide eyes, he stared at the wall of flame. He had fallen into a crouch, his mind rested around a spell, chill and tingling, ready to grab it and pull it into the corporeal plane. Outnumbered, certainly, but perhaps not outclassed. Tam’s mind raced like a great river, branching out into every possibility, hand tightening on his spear in anticipation. 

Yet, the girl that bent fire to her beck and whim surrendered. A safe decision, but and odd one nonetheless. He coughed, and rose to stand, smoothing out his clothes with one hand. 

A small chuckle escaped him; he’d forgotten the flowers. The smile melted quickly into a thin line. 

“I am not here as part of the ambush,” Tam said, and though he spoke to Louise his eyes weighed Mergoux as she approached, and was surprised by what he found. “Why I came to you is no longer relevant, it seems.” 

Even before the half-elf cracked a fist into the girl, Tam had her painted as dangerous, and that just reassured it. He daren’t move. Now he was alone, surrounded by foes - herons watching for a single fish below water - that one reason to kill. One hand was held up by his head, but the other rested on his spear still. 

“Jehenne,” He said calmly, eyes flicking between her face and Mergoux’s, “Your brother… did he - is he…?” He tripped on the words, choking in his throat. Always, it was so hard to ask,  “I did not see him at the market today, do you think I ever will?” 

[@letter bee] [@landaus five-one] [@Zoey White] [@Overlord Thraka]