IT HAS ONLY been three days since we got here, Ti!” Doom exclaimed as Tiwaz methodically packed her backpack. “Stop it.”

Eyes focused on the task, she stated without inflection, “We have already stayed too long. I can travel.”

Eyes rolled skyward in exasperation. He half begged, “Please, let’s just wait a few more days. You need more time to recover.” He grabbed her wrist, not budging when she tried to pull free. “Be reasonable!”

“How many times did I have to fight when I was still injured?” she demanded. She jerked hard just as he released her, forcing him to jump and catch her before she tumbled backwards. Her face flushed with embarrassment but would not concede the argument to him. “I am able to travel. We need to keep moving.”

“No! You are not ready to travel yet, Ti!” Doom bellowed, at wit’s end with her. He briefly wished she would be as daunted by his physical presence as every other human was. When she managed to get the backpack onto one shoulder, she stood shakily and walked to the edge of camp, turning to wait for him. “Blast it to all the hells, what is it with you? You never argued with me about resting so you could heal.”

Looking away briefly, she finally said, “We were never free.” Her voice was quiet. “You are finally free. I want you to stay that way.” A ghost of a frown touched her features. “You do still want to be free, don’t you?”

“Of course. I want you free, too,” he replied in a calmer voice, walking over to pull her into a hug. “But more importantly, I want you to stay alive.”

She pushed away from him slowly but firmly. “I am alive and I am well enough to travel. Let’s go.”

Doom sighed. “Fine. It’s clear nothing is going to dissuade you from this stupidity and you’re just as likely to go alone if I refuse. Which you know I wouldn’t not follow you.” Most of their gear packed in case they had no choice but to move, he quickly gathered the rest. He then took her backpack from her.

“I can do my share,” she began, too slow to grab it back.

“Your share is to heal. We’re going. Don’t think I’m about to let you hurt yourself by doing too much. You’re still recovering.” Doom looked at his map before they began walking, forcing her to a slower pace. “We’ll have to stay near the main roads. The terrain will be easier.”

“Near the roads is where others might be more likely to find us?” Tiwaz frowned at the implication. “No. I can go wherever it will be safer.”

Stopping short, he took her by her shoulders and turned her to face him, his demonic yellow eyes staring into her vivid green ones. “I don’t want you to push yourself too hard. I almost lost you too many times over the years. This last...” He shook his head to dislodge the nightmarish memory. “I won’t lose you now. Not when we’re finally free of him. Understand?”

Bristling for a moment, she sighed and looked down, shoulders sagging in defeat. In that moment, she was not the strong warrior of the gladiatorial arenas but a naïve and uncertain child, unsure how to behave without anger and hatred, even with her lifelong companion. Doom smiled and resumed walking. “Good. Now.” His abruptly hesitant demeanor made Tiwaz frown. She kept her eyes on the ground, having to focus where she placed her feet to avoid a disastrous misstep. “Ti, do you still trust me?” he asked after several minutes, his uncertainty plain in his voice.

The question bewildered her enough that she risked looking sideways at him. “Do I trust you? Of course I trust you! What kind of stupid question is that? Doom, I have known you all the life I remember! You saved my life so many times, how could I not trust you?” She stopped and looked up at him in acute puzzlement. “Why are you asking me this now?”

He sighed heavily. “Because things are different now.”

She looked perplexed. “How so?”

He fussed with the straps of one bag uneasily. “Well, it’s just that I can…well, I can do more than you can. I learned how to survive out here. You…you didn’t. I don’t want you to think I’m telling you what you should do.”

Her frown eased once she understood what he was alluding to. “You think I would see you as Master? Doom, you have been telling me what to do ever since you started taking care of me. I have never minded it, and I won’t mind it. I always choose whether to listen to you for myself.”

The gromek had to laugh. “You have a point. But you have never argued with me so much before. Or so adamantly.”

“Before, we weren’t free.” They fell into a companionable silence, walking several hours until Tiwaz stumbled and just about fell.

Doom caught her by the arm. “We’re stopping here.” He held up one finger when she opened her mouth to argue. “No. We made good distance and the weather will hold. There is no dishonor in stopping.” He helped her over to a fallen tree, easing her down before shucking the backpacks.

She grimaced, arms wrapped around her middle. “I’m sorry I could not go further. But I will do better next time. I promise.”

Kneeling in front of her, he studied her face intently. “Why are you pushing yourself so hard? You don’t have to. Master…” He shook his head sharply. “Alimar believes you are dead and that I am going to be for losing you. There is nothing for us to fear anymore. We are free, Ti! Well and truly free.”

She could not meet his eyes. “But for how long? He will become bored. If he doesn’t find something new to hold his attention, he will try and torment our souls. I have seen him do it, Doom. When he discovers we are not on the ‘other side,’ he will know we are alive. He will know and he will start looking for us.” She closed her eyes tightly. “We have to get farther away than he will believe possible for us to get.”

Doom clenched his jaw. “That means we have to go farther than we can. But, Ti.” His voice gentled as he tilted her chin up. “If you push too hard, we won’t get anywhere at all because you won’t’ be able to go anywhere.”

“Then leave me wherever I drop and keep going.” His eyes widened at her blunt words. She clasped his massive hand in both of hers. “You must stay free.”

“Abandon you?! Never!” He stared in shock at the suggestion. “I could never leave you, Ti. Where did you get such an idea?”

With a soft exhalation of breath, she answered his unspoken question, avoiding meeting his eyes. “I would never leave you. But the strongest of us must remain free to make sure M-m-m-” The struggle to repress the title for their former master brought a modicum of solace to Doom. He squeezed her shoulder with sympathetic understanding and gentle encouragement. “We have to make sure Alimar pays for what he did. Make sure he never hurts anyone else.” She put her hand along his cheek. “That is you, Doom. You are strong.” Her expression was stern. “If it comes down to Alimar finding us, you had better leave me behind. Someone has to live to someday go back and repay his ‘kindnesses.’”

“You are right. But.” He held up a finger, drawing her eyes back to his. “We will go together, Ti. It is both of our fight. We will see this to the end together.” Tiwaz smiled weakly, nodding. She followed him with her eyes as he rose, dumping their gear onto the ground next to her. “Now, I think we should see about getting something to eat. I’m starving.” He felt the tension in his shoulders ease when he saw the tiniest of smiles touch his friend’s lips for the first time in far too long.