“Here you go, Izzy,” said Myth, handing me a plate of food. “Enjoy.”
“Thank you,” I muttered as I stared at the ground, too upset to look at her. What Bumble had said just a short time earlier was still bothering me.
Maybe I should leave Myth alone for a while, I thought, let her decide for once whether we should spend time together.
I waited until Myth sat down, then I made a point of sitting across the fire from her. It felt so strange—so lonely—not to sit beside her.
Bard and Bumble were sitting by the fire, too. They sat across from one another, Bard was to my left and Bumble was to my right. And they would not stop glowering at one another. Both of them looked utterly deranged.
Bard took a bite of the raw onion that he was eating, glowering at Bumble as he did.
Bumble took a swig from his flask, glowering at Bard as he did.
I stole a peek at Myth. She looked to her left. She looked to her right. Then Myth scrunched up her face as if something was puzzling her.
“It’s mine,” muttered Bard as bits of onion flew out of his mouth. “Mine. Mine.”
“Shiny things,” muttered Bumble in between swigs. “They belong to Bumble.”
I peeked at Myth again. She was glancing around the campfire. When she saw me peeking at her, Myth smiled.
Hastily, I looked down at my food. No more spying on Myth, I told myself. It’s rude.
“They want it,” said Bard, glancing wildly at the rest of us. “It’s mine, but they want to take it from me.”
“Thieves,” said Bumble, clenching his hands. “I’m surrounded by thieves who want to steal Bumble’s shiny things.”
What’s Myth doing? I wondered.
I tried to be strong, Buster. Really, I did try to stop being so nosy. But I could not help myself—I peeked at Myth yet again.
Myth was hunched over her plate of food with the palm of her left hand pressed against her cheek She looked distracted, playing with her dinner as if some problem weighed heavily on her mind.
“I won’t let them take it,” said Bard.
“They’ll have to kill Bumble first,” said Bumble.
Both of them leaped to their feet simultaneously.
“I’ll swat you good, you annoying insect!” roared Bard.
At the same time, Bumble shouted at Bard, “I’ll rip your throat out, you talentless bard!”
“Hush, boys,” said Myth quietly as she continued to play with her dinner. “Look, it’s obvious that both of you intend to betray the rest of us and take the treasure for yourself. But can’t it wait until after we find the treasure? Personally, I’d like to enjoy a quiet evening before both of you stab me in the back.”
“Fair dam—” said Bard. “Myth, I would never betray you.”
“Nor would I, Babe,” added Bumble.
“Uh-huh,” said Myth, still playing with her dinner.
Bard and Bumble sat back down. Bard bit into his onion. Bumble drank from his flask. They glowered at one another.