I shifted closer to her as another breeze blew through our camp making Myra shiver. It was colder at night here and Myra refused to touch me. Why? She had no problem with it before? Now she avoided me like I had some kind of disease. We had been traveling for about a week now and we still were in these damnable woods! No civilization in sight. I inched closer to Myra hoping some of my body heat would help her. I didn’t touch her. I’d learned that painful lesson the first night when I tried to gather her in my arms and she swung her knee between my legs. That was painful! Now I just came closer to her and if she clung to me, great! If not at least she was warmer. I couldn’t sleep and I could tell she was having nightmares again. She’d make this strange whimpering sound in the back of her throat and toss and turn in her sleep. I could see her eyes racing beneath her eyelids.

  Yes, I could see in the dark now better than I could see in the day. The green cast made sense now. I wasn’t colorblind I had night vision. The sun was rising fast to the east. At least that didn’t change here despite that many things had. I rolled over. The sun would warm Myra now.

  I could contemplate my dream a little better. There was a gray-green-eyed girl about my age. My twin and she had silver hair in a long braid. She had been my only friend and we understood one another best. I remembered sharing my secrets with her and she with me. I wonder what happened to her.

  A scream tore from Myra’s throat and jerked me out of my reminiscing. It was time to wake up. Myra was sitting up and panting whispering to herself harshly.

  “Why did you do that? They’re safe! They aren’t here! The fire witch doesn’t have them,” she whispered. I narrowed my eyes at the words. Who did what? Was someone tormenting her? And if so, who? I glanced at her pale face. She had black smudges under her eyes proclaiming her sleepless nights. They were increasing and I was beginning to worry. She turned to me and smiled.

  “Sorry, I woke you didn’t I?” she said, getting up from our natural hideout. These root alcoves were everywhere and were big enough for the two of us to hide in. It was better shelter than a tent! Myra gathered the metal bowl we had found in a camp a few days ago. We had snuck in and stolen some provisions. Mostly cooking gear and some condiments like eggs.

  Myra cracked the last of them and put them in the bowl, setting it over the fire she made. Her fire was in better control. Not great but better. We no longer had crispy critters for dinner. She took out the long metal spoon and stirred the eggs. She pulled the metal bowl out of the fire and I sent a little wind to cool it before I was given a thing that looked like a fork and spoon together. I dug in. Myra ate her half after I was done. I always made sure to leave her slightly a bit more than I because...well because!

  “We need to find a body of water. I need a bath,” she said, lifting her arms and smelling. She wrinkled her nose.

  “That bad?” I asked, smirking.

  “You don’t smell like a bunch of roses either you know.”

  “I hope not. I hate roses,” I muttered, taking a whiff of myself and wrinkling my nose. Thank god I don’t have super smelling. I did smell pretty bad.

  “Ok, you win,” I said. “We’ll find a lake or river.”

  “Yes!” she cried and hugged me. I was getting used to her hugs. I didn’t freeze as much anymore and even raised my arms to pat her back. She was so used to these hugs and I was the only being around to hug unless she started hugging trees. That would be weird and put a whole new meaning to a tree hugger. She doused the fire and washed out the utensils then packed them in the silk ribbon which I tied my hair up with. We were good to go and I put my super hearing to good use and hunted for a hint of trickling water. I found some a few meters ahead.

  “Come on. There’s water near here,” I said, leading the way through the forest. She smiled and zoned back in smiling. I hadn’t noticed she had zoned out again. That was becoming more of a regular thing too and I was beginning to think that maybe she wasn’t all there and that maybe the cost of her gifts was more than she could pay. I led her to the small brook and we traced it to a large lake several miles in.

  “Don’t peek,” she warned and I nodded, turning around and crossing my arms. I rolled my eyes. Who would want to see her anyway? I remember the glance of leg I saw and blushed. Ok, so she wasn’t so ugly but still! I wasn’t like that...right? I turned slightly.

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  “Ah ah! Turn around Jonah,” she said and I blushed at being caught.

  “I wasn’t looking!” I said, moving closer to the small shrub that blocked the view of the lake. Why oh why weren’t there trees when you needed them? She took about ten minutes and took out her original clothes while her other clothes dried from their washing. We stole what looked like soap from the camp and had used it sparingly til now. I heard a splash and her muttering.

  “I’m not going to do that!”

  “Do what,” I asked, smirking. She seemed scandalized by whatever she had thought to do.

  “Um, nothing, I’m done. I’m getting out. No peeking!”

  I smirked and turned slightly to get a rise out of her. She was behind a shrub but I could see past it to her form. I turned back blushing. Well, that didn’t work out as I planned! I better get rid of the blush before she reappears. A few minutes later she was facing me in her modern clothes and wet hair.

  “Your turn,” she said smiling. I nodded and headed for the bush where I undressed and headed for the water. It was freezing! I swam in and dunked myself under before picking the soap and washing my hair first. Always my hair first. I was vain about it! Then I washed myself and my clothes? Well, I just put soap on the stinkiest areas and meshed the cloth around a bit before dunking in the lake. I didn’t know how to wash clothes. It wasn’t something I had to learn in either of my childhoods. I got out and donned my modern shirt and jeans leaving the cape.

  “I’m not doing that,” I hear her mumble. That’s the second time. Do what? Was someone suggesting something? Was someone in her mind? I was beginning to worry. I shadow-lanced myself behind her, reappearing and placing a hand on her shoulder. She came ablaze and I yanked my hand from the fire.

  “Yeoch,” I cried, shaking my hand and blowing on my fingertips.

  “I’ve told you not to scare me, Jonah! Let me have a look at that,” she said, grabbing my hand and inspecting the fingers.

  “This is a second degree at least,” she muttered then zoned out for a few minutes before blinking and touching her fingertips to my burnt ones. I felt something cool pass over my fingers and figured she was using water to calm the burns but after I didn’t feel the burns. I looked at my hand. A golden glow came from her fingers and surrounded my hand.

  “Wha-what is this?” I muttered as the glow faded and my hand was released.

  “Apparently a new skill set,” she muttered, zoning out.

  I inspected my hand. It was healed of the burns. “Thanks, Myra?” I said, waving a hand in front of her eyes. She zoned in again.

  “Hmm? Oh, you're welcome,” she said, walking over to my clothes which I had lain out and washing them correctly. I stared at her. She can heal now? What’s next? Waking the dead? I shook my head and followed her to the bank of the lake, where she had squatted and was furiously scrubbing my shirt. She must be as overwhelmed as I felt.

  “Hey, you’re going to shred my shirt like that,” I said.

  “Huh?”

  She must have zoned out again. I wasn’t mad or annoyed by repeating myself this time. I was worried.

  “You’re going to shred my shirt,” I said pointing to her furious scrubbing.

  “Oh! Well, it’s done anyway. Lay it out to dry and pass me the pants.”

  Myra, is there someone in your head? Is the fire witch in there?” I asked.

  She stops scrubbing before blinking. Then she starts laughing. “I wish! No.no. it’s just me in there no one else,” she said resuming her scrubbing. “Although sometimes I wish..nevermind”

  “What? What do you wish for?”

  “Be back on Earth for one,” she said, finishing her scrubbing and standing with my wet pants. “We’ll leave these to dry in the sun like my dress and leggings. We can blow dry them in a bit. Let’s just relax for a few.”

  “Sure, whatever,” I muttered. I have a feeling that wasn’t what she was about to say a minute ago. I really want to know what she’s hiding. It has to do with her abilities I know it does! Am I really so bad that she won’t tell me her secret? What if she zones out while we’re fighting? Then what? She isn’t getting any sleep and she’s been zoning out more and more. What can I do to keep her anchored to reality just a while longer? I didn’t know where she went every time she zoned out, just that she left this reality for something else. And it was happening more frequently. My dreams came to me then more specifically my runes training and I smirked. There was something I could offer her.

  “Myra?” I called.

  “Hmm?” she replied.

  Good, she hadn’t zoned out.

  “I remember my runes training well most of it. Want to learn?” I asked, smirking.

  She leaped to her feet and hugged me...again.

  “Yes! What will I learn it on though?”

  I patted her back awkwardly. “Well, there’s a village near this water source. I can hear the cows and chickens at least.”

  “Alright! I guess we have to blow dry our clothes and change again. Remember I am your slave and you are Kin,” she said.

  I smirked. This was going to be fun!