Zebulun left to hunt. Sarah left to gather fruit and root vegetables. Davion and Quinn sat alone by the fire.
"What do you make of Zebulun’s new religion?" asked Davion.
"I think it’s neat!" said Quinn. "It’s got style."
"But do you believe it?"
Quinn shrugged. "Believe? I don’t know. I never know exactly what’s true or real. But I can tell you that Zeb believes it. I mean, you saw the change in his eyes."
"Change?" asked Davion.
"Oh, that’s right," said Quinn, "you never actually look at people when you talk to them."
Davion looked up at him. "I don’t?"
Quinn grinned. "Not until someone surprises you."
"Huh," said Davion. He looked at the ground. "Do people think I’m rude?"
"Nah," said Quinn, "I think people think you’re just weird."
Davion looked back at the fire, his eyebrows raised. "Oh. Okay."
"Zeb’s eyes are different," said Quinn. "Before, they were… I don’t know. Hollow. Exhausted. Haunted. I never saw emotion in them unless I did something silly enough to make him almost laugh. Since last night, there’s a new warmth there — a kind of calm. I think Zeb feels right for the first time in a while."
"Hm," said Davion, his brow furrowed.
"You know," said Quinn, "In a way, it’s like that strange brew gave each of us what we wanted."
"How so?"
"Think about it," said Quinn. "You got a city with a giant library full of knowledge about all the boring things you love to learn about. And you got to meet a cyclops."
"Whereas I," he continued, "got a huge party with lots of food and booze and a horde of beautiful naked people. I could have done without the horrific twist ending, but the lead-up to that was grand. And I got to talk to a dragon."
"So," said Davion, "what did Zeb get?"
"Task and purpose," said Quinn.
Davion frowned slightly. "Explain."
"Zeb’s a soldier, right? Has been for twenty-three years. He’s all about honor, and duty, and doing the right thing. But he’s obviously had some doubts about whether he was really doing that by soldiering for the kingdom. Now he’s offered a way out, and a greater task, by none other than the creator of the whole wide world. I imagine there ain’t much rank higher than that, in his eyes."
Davion stared into the fire. "You understand people well, don’t you?"
"I love people!" said Quinn. "They’re my favorite subject. I try to meet at least one new person every day."
Davion looked amused. "You and Zeb are the only two people I’ve met in some time."
"You should get out more!" said Quinn. "Come to the bar with me some time."
Davion smiled, his eyes down. "Maybe someday."
"Speaking of meeting others," said Davion, "aren’t you friends with the fairies? The star folk, I mean?"
"Sure!" said Quinn. "I often play with them in the middle of the night when the rest of you are asleep."
"Is that why you sleep so late?" asked Davion. Quinn smiled and shrugged.
Davion stared down at the earth, deep in thought. "Can you introduce me to them?"