They finished setting up camp in silence. Pete had laid the girls down on his bedroll after giving them something to eat. They had wolfed it down, but exhaustion overtook them after they managed to still their worst hunger.

  "Thank you for helping me free them." Pete broke the tension. "I did not think it through and I acted on impulse, but I am not sorry for freeing them."

  "I will take first watch," Diana said, moving a few feet away. She was telling them she would be listening, but this was their problem to talk about.

  Michael looked at Pete. His eyes were full of emotion. Pete thought he saw a small tear. So Pete waited and just sat there, giving Michael time to sort through his emotions and say what he wanted to say.

  After a few minutes, Michael opened his mouth. "You did good, old man. I'm... not mad at you. It's just." Silence again. Pete felt guilty for letting his friend struggle with words, because of his actions. Their focus should be on his mother and sister. Still he waited for Michael to sort it out.

  "I'm mad at you for doing the right thing." Michael's voice was louder now. "There is so much wrongness in this world, and I have learned to close my eyes to it. Every now and then I kill a slaver and tell myself it's to make the world better, but that's a lie." Michael's voice faltered.

  "Look at those girls. You saved them, and that's a good thing. They won't have to go through whatever Anna went through. And I don't know why, but it also makes me mad. It makes me so mad, I don't even know what I'm mad about."

  "There is a lot to be mad about," Pete said. "But you don't have to do it alone anymore. You saved those girls as much as I did. We do what we can, one step at a time, and we do it together."

  "I concur," Diana simply said.

  That broke the tension and Michael and Pete both started laughing. Pete caught a knowing smile on Diana's face, before they went to sleep. Pete, lying on his spare bedroll, thought about guilt.

  He had spent so much time feeling guilty, he had a good idea what Michael was going through. Pete promised himself he would do all he can to save Michael's family when they found them. Definitely when and not if. What else did he get these powers for?

  ***

  The next morning they all had breakfast together. Michael did his best to make a proper meal with the supplies they had.

  When everyone was eating, Pete looked at the girls properly for the first time since the escape.

  The older one had dark brown hair, matted and tangled from days of neglect. Maybe ten years old, though the hollowness in her cheeks made it hard to tell. Her eyes were sharp and watchful, tracking every movement around the camp like she was cataloging threats. A fresh cut ran down her forearm, still red but no longer bleeding.

  The younger girl was seven, Pete guessed. Lighter hair, closer to blonde, but the same eyes, marking them as sisters. She kept close to her sister, one small hand always touching Sera's arm or shoulder. She stared at the food in her hands like she couldn't quite believe it was real, before attacking it.

  Both wore torn, filthy clothes that hung loose on frames that were far too thin.

  But they were here. Alive and safe.

  Pete cleared his throat. "My name is Pete. This is Diana and that is our party leader Michael. You are free to go wherever you want and we won't hurt you. Do you have any questions for us?"

  Both girls remained quiet and just focused on their breakfast.

  Pete tried again. "May we know your names?"

  It was the little one who surprised Pete by speaking up. "I'm Lily and this is my big sister Sera."

  Sera.

  Pete felt something jolt inside him when he heard her name.

  His vision narrowed for an instant.

  Not Sarah. Sera.

  A different girl in another world.

  He took a deep breath and forced a smile. "What beautiful names you have. Would you like to travel with us a bit longer? I can't promise it will be easy, but I promise we will take care of you if you want us to."

  "You don't have to decide right away," Diana said in a surprisingly gentle voice. "Take your time and talk it over with each other." She looked at Sera. "I have a little healing magic. May I heal the cut on your arm?"

  Sera cautiously held out her arm towards Diana. Pete hadn't known healing magic existed, so he watched with full interest.

  Diana's hand glowed faintly amber, the same color as her eyes. She touched Sera's arm gently.

  The cut closed. Not instantly, but over several seconds. The skin knitted together, leaving only a faint pink line.

  Pete watched in awe. He had no idea how she'd just done that, but it was beautiful. Magic that healed instead of destroyed.

  "All done," Diana said with a warm smile and a warm glow in her eyes. Pete was very impressed with the soft side the warrior woman showed. He had only just met her, but his first impression was already being refined.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  Sera cautiously flexed her arm a few times. She looked at Diana and for a moment Pete thought she wanted to say something, but she ended up nodding in thanks to Diana, who accepted it with a gentle smile.

  "Would you like some healing magic too Lily? I'm sure Pete wouldn't mind carrying you the whole day." Both girls looked up at Pete after hearing that. "But if you and Sera decide to go off on your own, you need to be strong."

  Lily and Sera looked at each other, and had a talk without words between sisters. Sera gave Lily a small nod and Lily put out her hand towards Diana.

  Pete concentrated again, hoping to pick up something, but it was over in seconds. He did catch something that warmed his heart. Lily smiled at Diana!

  "Wow Sera, I really do feel stronger now." She hugged her sister and the whole party smiled at the scene.

  "I'm glad you're feeling better girls," Michael said, surprising Pete. "Last night I made you something." He pulled out 2 capes made from rough linen. Pete recognized Michael's own cape cut in half. He must have stayed up half the night cutting and sewing it to size.

  "We can't have you young ladies wandering the Borderlands without a cape," he said while handing both a cape.

  Pete wanted to say something nice to Michael, but kept his mouth shut.

  "We can keep this?" Sera said, after she wrapped herself in her cape. It wasn't the best quality or particularly well made, but Sera seemed to stand a little straighter with it.

  "It's all yours," Michael said with his disarming smile. "And for you Sera, I have something extra."

  Sera instinctively pulled back from Michael when he said that, but recovered immediately. Pete noticed.

  "I noticed you're the protector in the family. So you need a weapon." Sera's eyes went wide when she saw the small knife Michael showed. "I'm sure Diana here will teach you how to use it if you choose to stay with us." He looked at Diana, who gave him the smallest of nods.

  Sera took it carefully, as if it were made of glass. Then her fingers closed around the handle.

  She looked at the knife like it was a legendary sword. Like Michael had just knighted her.

  Her back straightened. Her chin lifted.

  For the first time since Greyport, Sera looked like more than a victim.

  "Thank you," Sera said, still eyeing the knife. "We will stay with you a few days." Sera looked around the group and seemed to acknowledge them for the first time.

  Pete chose to focus on the strength Sera showed. For now he didn't want to think about what these girls had been through.

  ***

  "Bird!" Lily called out, pointing at something high in the air.

  "Good eye," Michael said. "That's what scouts do. They watch everything and protect the party with their eyes."

  "I'm a scout!" Lily announced proudly.

  Pete felt her small hands grip his hair for balance. Felt the weight of her on his shoulders.

  It didn't feel uncomfortable.

  He'd carried Sarah like this once. A lifetime ago in a different world.

  But maybe that wasn't a bad thing to remember. Maybe it was okay to feel this again.

  "You're an excellent scout," Pete said.

  He felt Lily settle more comfortably against him, her earlier tension fading.

  Trust. She was learning to trust. Pete had to laugh inwardly at that when he realized she wasn't the only one. The only difference was he needed to learn to trust himself again.

  They didn't encounter much with Pete letting a little of his aura out for protection. Michael explained it to the girls, they might feel some weird and terrifying magic, but it would be for their own protection. For some reason they didn't seem affected.

  Diana was intrigued though. Her eyes glowing when she looked at Pete.

  Sera walked beside Diana now, watching her every move. The way she carried herself. The way her hand rested on her weapon. The way she scanned the surroundings.

  Diana noticed. Of course she did.

  "You hold a knife like this," Pete heard her say, adjusting Sera's grip. "Not like a tool. Like an extension of your arm."

  Sera nodded seriously, adjusting her hold.

  "Good," Diana said. "You're a natural."

  Sera's expression didn't change, but Pete saw her stand a little straighter.

  It was good to see.

  They fell into a rhythm and after several breaks it was time to set up camp.

  ***

  The girls had fallen asleep quickly, exhausted from the day's walk, after they had their meal. Michael waited until they were breathing deeply before speaking.

  "We need to change our plans," Michael said.

  "I was not aware we already had a plan." Pete's surprise was written clearly on his face.

  "Sorry, old man. My plan was just to have you kill them all." Michael at least had the decency to look guilty. "I know you CAN do it, but I also know I can't LET you do it. Especially now..." He waved vaguely in the girls' direction. They were huddled together on Pete's bedroll on the other end of the fire.

  Pete snapped a thick branch, like it was a small twig and added it to the fire. The crack echoing through the camp. All three of them glanced at the sleeping girls.

  "Sorry," Pete muttered. "If that's the only way, you know I would do that for you." The campfire light dancing on Pete's face made him look grim.

  "I know, old man, and I appreciate it, but I can't let you do it." Michael looked at Diana. "You're more powerful than anything I've ever seen, but you're still so frail. You might even be more innocent than our young Sera here."

  Pete visibly flinched at that.

  "That's what I mean, and it's not a bad thing. Well the things you've been through were bad, but you have a good heart." Michael sighed again. Clearly it was difficult for him to say this. He looked at Diana again. "Would you mind sharing your opinion on this?"

  "I believe I know what you mean," Diana said, her eyes glowing amber. "Last night you were having bad dreams and were talking to yourself." Pete's face went into shock. "You seem to say your thoughts out loud when you are sleeping, and so I learned of how troubled you are with the things you've been through. Michael and I have a certain hardness you do not have."

  "Why didn't you say anything?" Pete looked at Michael. Something unspoken passed between them.

  "The first night I heard you talking to yourself, I didn't really know what to do, or knew if I even really cared. But the better I got to know you, the harder it was to say something about it." Michael inhaled and exhaled loudly.

  "It also helped me. Hearing someone so strong, having so many doubts and fears about himself. You helped me work through my own problems. You are a good man, the best I've ever met. And I need you to stay that man. No," Michael corrected himself. "We need you to stay that man."

  "I didn't know I did that," Pete remarked dryly. "That might be something I picked up wandering alone for weeks."

  Pete looked at the ground, trying to put his thoughts in order. "It really hurt me, leaving those kids behind. Even with all this power, I still feel powerless or inadequate. You are already carrying me through this world. I did not want to dump this on you too. But I guess I did and I don't know how I feel about that."

  Diana responded before Michael could. "You have not said or done anything that makes me think you should be ashamed of yourself. If all humans were like you, the borderlands would be a better place."

  Diana stood up smoothly and moved to her bedroll to give them the pretense of privacy. "Don't forget first watch," she said before lying down.

  "I've heard it's a common affliction among the elderly to talk to themselves." Michael just went for it.

  "How long have you been sitting on that one? Not long, I hope if that's the best you could do." Pete replied with a grin.

  "I did bring you something to help you sleep." He tossed Pete a flask.

  Pete opened it up and took a swig, fully knowing what was coming. "Greyport Knock." He said with his throat burning.

  He slept a little more lightly that night.