The food at the campsite didn’t have a taste. So either the miners were always treated to subpar meals, or there was too much going on in Mav’s mind for him to taste anything. 

For the miner’s sake, Mav hoped for the second option. For his own, he prayed for the first: thinking this much almost always gave him a headache. And it prevented him from enjoying one of life’s greatest joys. 

“So, what’s eating you up?” Maren asked. 

She sat opposite him in a private room Colton had provided for them. It was small, but spacious enough to fit their current needs. Aside from the table on which they ate and the chairs around it, there was a single bed beneath a small circular window. The table could be folded into the wall, which would allow Mav to place a mat on the floor to sleep upon if they stayed the night. 

“Nothing,” Mav said. “I’m the one eating this meatloaf.” 

He ate another piece. Yep. Just as bland as the last bite. 

“I meant,” Maren began, her tone short, “what’s going on in your head?” 

“I... I know. I was joking.” 

Maren stopped chewing. “You were?” 

“Is that so hard to believe?” 

“You’ve made statements like that before, completely seriously.” 

“I have?” 

Maren’s eyes narrowed. “Is this a joke?” 

“Uh, yeah.” Mav scratched the back of his head. “Of course.” 

“Mmhmm.” Maren hummed. “So, out with it.” 

Mav placed his chopsticks down and shoved his tray to the side, scattering the two other full trays he’d made for himself. “I’m torn about this job.” 

Maren ate a chunk of mashed potato, face expectant. Mav sighed. 

“The mine can’t shut down, right? If it does, all these people would be out of work. How many other people are like Kellen and his family? So many lives would suffer because of it.” 

Maren swallowed. “Yup.” 

“But Titans are stopping it! We’re basically as far away as you can get from the Wall and they’re still attacking people. Why else would they act so violently if this wasn’t a sacred site?” 

“Who knows?” 

“And that Cat Titan!” Mav rose, scattering his seat back, and began to pace. “That looked like an adult version of the baby that... that....” 

This time, Maren didn’t comment between his pauses. She also put her half-eaten tray aside and watched him pace back and forth. 

“Maybe that’s the little one’s mother,” Mav said in a small voice. 

“It’s possible,” Maren said. “And if that’s the case, then it’s also possible that she’s retaliating angrily because Sekko stole her baby. She could have roped the other two in, whether they wanted to or not. They seemed friendlier toward you than the Cat. But this is all conjecture. We don’t know for certain.” 

“But if it is true, then our problem’s solved! The mountain might not be sacred at all. If we calm the Cat Titan down, then they’ll stop attacking the miners. Everyone can get to work and they won’t have to worry about closing down.” 

“No.” 

Mav stopped pacing. “What?” 

“That’s way outside the parameters of our job.” 

Mav’s body usually chilled when he lit a fire, but now there was a flame in him that heated his whole body. “Are you kidding me?” 

She flinched at his anger, then rubbed her forehead. “Not at all. And let me explain before you blow up.” 

“Sure. Alright.” There was an edge to his voice, and he likely was glaring down at her. 

“Listen,” Maren began, exasperated, “we’ve done all we need to do here. If anyone can calm these Titans down, it’s Land Shakers and Wind Weavers.” 

“I can connect with them just as well as any Shaker or Weaver.” 

“No, Mav, you can’t. Unless you’re a Vulcan or a Dracon, you can’t connect with Land or Air Titans as easily as Shakers or Weavers. That’s a fact.” 

“Well... I am a Dracon!” 

Maren looked taken aback, blinking rapidly. Dracons were Wielders who’d been Gifted with both Fire and Air, which allowed for much cooler powers than Vulcans – who could control Fire and Land – in Mav’s humble opinion, anyway. 

“I don’t see any Wind Weaver sign on you,” Maren said. 

“I mean... I’m not a Dracon yet.” 

Maren’s face fell. “Just because you want to be a Dracon doesn’t mean you are one! Gah! I’d love to be a Leviathan, but just wishing for it doesn’t make it happen.” 

Leviathans Wielded both Water and Land Gifts and were about as common as Dracons – which was to say, not at all. 

“None of that matters, anyway!” Mav said. “I was getting through to them before the Cat showed up. And if I hadn’t run away, I could’ve connected to it, too. I could have calmed it down already. I could have–!” 

“Mav, stop,” Maren said. “You’re beating yourself up over a theoretical solution. We don’t even know if they’re attacking the miners because the Cat’s upset she lost her baby. It’s entirely possible she’s not the baby’s mother and they happen to be the same type of Titan.” 

“Oh, come on! They’re obviously related.” 

“We don’t know that for certain. But if our theory’s correct, the best solution is to let the experts regarding these types of Titans deal with it. Don’t you want the most qualified people helping these Titans find peace?” 

“Yeah, but what if it turns out we’re wrong. What if the mountain is sacred?” 

“Then it’s out of our hands. The church will decide what’s to be done. And, most likely, this mine operation will be closed.” 

“And you’re just going to accept that?” 

“What do you want me to do?” Maren yelled, rising and stepping up to Mav. Even being more than half a foot shorter than him, she bore an intimidating presence. “Go against the church?” 

“I want you to fight to help these people, no matter what we have to do!” 

Maren looked away and screamed into her hands. “We can’t save everyone, Mav!” 

“We can help the people in front of us, the ones reaching out their hands to us.” 

“I’ve been trying to tell you, we can’t always do that.” 

“Without getting paid, right?” Mav’s fists clenched, his whole body shaking. “Why is it always about credits with you?” 

“I’m trying to provide for us, Mav!” Maren roared, face a furious red and tears in her eyes as she faced him again. “I’m trying to take care of this guild!” 

“By demanding payment from those who can’t afford it.” 

“Why are you so thick-headed that you can’t understand this?” 

“Why are you so selfish that you only care about helping people if there’s something in it for you?” 

Maren’s eyes widened, stepping back as if he’d struck her. 

Mav turned away. He was too angry with her to want to know why his words had wounded her so much. Empathy was usually a blessing, but not when he was finally venting his frustrations. Of which he had one more he had to get off his chest. 

“I can’t believe I left my Siblings for this.” Mav made for the door, refusing to look back. 

“Then why don’t you go back to them?” Maren said, voice thick with malice. 

Mav froze, a whirl of emotions storming in his chest. “I think I will, on my hands and knees, begging forgiveness. But after you have enough members to form an official guild with me gone. I take care of people, even when it doesn’t benefit me.” 

With that, he opened the door and left her alone.