The Lost Girl

The town was louder than Aren expected.

Music filled the streets.

Lanterns hung between buildings, glowing above the crowded roads.

Merchants shouted over one another.

Children ran between groups of people.

A small band played somewhere near the center of town.

It was some kind of celebration.

Aren didn't know what they were celebrating.

He didn't care.

He just wanted food.

Rhys, however, seemed fascinated.

"This place is great."

"It's loud."

"That's what makes it great."

"It's annoying."

"You say that about everything."

Aren ignored him.

Elise walked beside them, looking around at the decorations.

"I've never been here before."

"Neither have I," Aren said.

Rhys pointed toward a street lined with food stalls.

"Food."

Aren immediately changed direction.

Rhys laughed.

"See? You do care about something."

"I care about eating."

"That's something."

They moved deeper into the celebration.

The crowd became thicker.

People bumped into one another.

Aren kept his eyes forward.

Elise stayed close behind him.

Rhys, meanwhile, seemed completely comfortable.

He moved through the crowd without much trouble, occasionally stopping to look at something before catching up.

Then a group of performers passed between them.

Aren stopped.

Elise was on the other side.

"Elise?"

She raised her hand.

"I'm here."

Another group of people moved between them.

Aren waited.

Then another.

When the crowd finally cleared—

She was gone.

Aren looked around.

"Elise?"

No answer.

Rhys appeared beside him.

"Where'd she go?"

"I don't know."

"You lost her?"

"I didn't lose her."

Rhys looked around.

"She's pretty easy to lose in this crowd."

Aren sighed.

"Stay here."

"Why?"

"I'm going to find her."

Rhys grinned.

"You're worried."

"No."

"You are."

"I'm annoyed."

"Same thing."

Aren walked into the crowd.

Elise had no idea where she was.

One moment, she had been walking behind Aren.

The next, a group of dancers had passed between them.

Now she was surrounded by strangers.

She tried to retrace her steps.

Nothing looked familiar.

She turned down one street.

Wrong.

Another.

Even worse.

"Great."

She sighed.

A child bumped into her.

"Sorry!"

"It's okay."

The child ran away.

Elise looked around again.

She had completely lost sight of Aren and Rhys.

She wasn't particularly worried.

Not yet.

She just needed to find the main street again.

She continued walking.

Aren searched through the crowd.

Nothing.

He stopped beside a fountain.

Rhys caught up.

"No luck?"

"No."

"You know..."

Aren looked at him.

"What?"

"This is kind of funny."

"What's funny?"

"You spent all day complaining about her following us."

"Rhys."

"And now you're the one looking for her."

"I'm looking because she's going to get lost."

"She already did."

Aren stared at him.

Rhys smiled.

"Right."

Aren continued searching.

They passed several stalls.

Nothing.

Then Aren heard a familiar voice.

"Aren!"

He turned.

Elise was standing on the other side of the street.

She waved.

Aren sighed in relief before he could stop himself.

Rhys noticed.

He grinned.

Aren ignored him.

They crossed the street.

"What happened?" Aren asked.

"I got separated from you."

"I noticed."

"I tried to find you."

"And?"

"I got more lost."

Rhys laughed.

Elise looked at him.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing."

"You two were looking for me?"

Aren answered.

"I was."

Rhys pointed at himself.

"I was moral support."

"You were eating."

Rhys looked down.

He was holding a skewer of grilled meat.

"That too."

Elise smiled.

"You really don't take anything seriously, do you?"

"Not usually."

Aren looked toward the street ahead.

"We should leave."

Elise frowned.

"Already?"

"It's too crowded."

Rhys nodded.

"Agreed."

Elise looked surprised.

"You agree with him?"

Rhys finished the skewer.

"No. I just want to see what else they have."

Aren started walking.

The other two followed.

They eventually reached a quieter street at the edge of town.

The noise from the celebration faded behind them.

Aren stopped.

"We'll stay here tonight."

Rhys looked around.

"Where?"

Aren pointed toward a small inn.

"There."

Rhys smiled.

"Finally. A bed."

Elise looked at Aren.

"You planned all this?"

"No."

"Then why do you look like you've been planning it?"

"Because I'm tired."

Rhys laughed.

"He's always tired."

Aren looked at him.

"You're going to pay for your own room."

Rhys's smile disappeared.

"...I take that back."

Elise laughed.

The three entered the inn.

For the first time that day, Aren felt like they could actually rest.

But as he walked toward the stairs, he glanced back through the window.

The celebration was still going.

Hundreds of people filled the streets.

Music echoed through the town.

Lanterns illuminated the night.

And somewhere among that crowd, Aren knew, there were people he couldn't see.

People who might know about Elise.

People who might know about him.

People who might already be watching.

He turned away from the window.

For now, it didn't matter.

They had a roof over their heads.

They had food.

And Elise was safe.

That was enough.

At least for tonight.