“Miradoon, can you please take your stupid little toys and get out of the way?”

Miradoon, hands spinning a worry stone between his fingers, stepped away from the puzzle his companions were arrayed before. He leaned against the opposite wall, stuck his hand in a pocket, and exchanged the stone for one of the other little objects he’d picked up from the dungeon’s floor to fidget with.

Gareth sighed. “Hestyana, you ought be kinder to him. He might not speak often, but he’s a clever lad. Do not treat him so roughly.”

Hestyana, attention fixed on the puzzle, snorted derisively. “I want out, Gareth, and I grew weary of moving him.”

Robin shuffled a few knives and vials around their bandolier as they spoke. “Still, you needn’t be mean about it. He was clearly looking at something. We should ask what.”

Gareth nodded and, ignoring Hesyana’s sigh, called across the room. “Apologies, Miraddon. Hestyana will mind her words in the future. Did you spy something? Have you some insight?”

Miradoon, hurt leaving his eyes, glanced up at Gareth and shook his head. Silently, he walked over to where Hestyana was now standing and waited until she, with an angry huff, stepped away.

Miradoon held up the rune-marked stone they’d found on the floor a few rooms back and slid it into a small gap in the door, which burst to life with runelight as it split down the middle and opened outward, revealing a small cavern and a forest beyond it.

Gareth laughed and clapped Miradoon on the shoulder. “Gods bless your compulsive fidgeting! Let us leave these horrid halls!” Hestyana lingered for a moment, but then dashed to catch up to her friends as they left behind the site of their latest victory and headed toward a new adventure.