Violet and Sage walked back down the path leading to the main road, hands grasped and urgency in their feet. As they passed by the temple, Sage's fingers brushed against the stone fleece of the decorative statues of sheep. The artist had done such a magnificent job capturing the soft curls of wool that Sage was momentarily surprised when his fingers grazed unyielding marble. Yet, as he petted it, he thought he heard a bleat.

Violet had no reaction and kept walking, her hand pulling him along. What trick of the imagination were the gods playing on him now? Was Tawny sending him another message?

Then he heard it again.

Sage swiveled his head back towards the statue, but it remained stubbornly still.

"Did you hear that?" he asked, turning towards Violet.

"The sheep?" she answered with a question in her voice, one brow raised quizzically.

Sage nodded. She had heard it! "Where is that sound coming from?"

Violet chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Probably from those sheep." She gestured towards a tavern that Sage hadn't noticed in his early morning rush to arrive at the temple by dawn. Next to the side doorway, three sheep were tethered to a stake in the ground. "Mutton stew tonight, I'm guessing."

Sage laughed at his stupidity. "I guess I didn't sleep too well last night." Then he gripped her hand tighter as they walked up the hill and away from town.

The past day had been a whirlwind: his father had cast shadows of doubt across the story he had been told all his life about his birth, two different gods had visited him, and now Violet revealed she knew his truth all along. Knew his truth and loved him, regardless.

His anger from yesterday had now morphed into something new: determination. And having Violet on his side only made him feel more resolved in his quest.

As they hiked along the winding coastal road and through the agrarian lands that surrounded her father's farm, the sun continued to rise. Long shadows shortened as Xanthus urged his chariot ever onward.

"So... you've always known?" Sage asked, slipping his now-sweaty palm away from hers in order to allow his arms to swing freely in the growing heat.

"Hmm." Violet seemed to consider his question. "I always knew you were a boy, but... you have to understand that I have a younger brother."

Sage kicked at a loose stone in the path, sending up a small plume of dust. "Jason knows too?" A ball of dread condensed in his stomach. Did everyone know his private information?

"No!" she scoffed. "I just meant that..." her voice trailed off.

Sage turned to look at her and saw that Violet's cheeks had turned a deep shade of pink. "Are you okay?" He adjusted his satchel's shoulder strap and wished he had thought to fill his water skin when they were near the temple's spring.

Violet looked up at the sky. "Are you going to make me say it?"

"Say what?"

She let out a long puff of air. "Jason was always, you know, peeing on rocks and... well, I just always remember being aware that you... you didn't."

"I never peed on a rock in front of you? That's what revealed my most intimate secret?" Sage chortled. It seemed so absurd.

Violet giggled. It began as a nervous chitter, but after a few more steps along the quiet path, it deepened and became louder. Soon they were both raucously laughing, tears stinging in Sage's eyes.

It felt good to be laughing. A release. "Thank you," Sage said as he wiped the corners of his eyes with the palms of his hands.

"For what?" Violet said, fighting for composure.

"For loving me despite my flaws."

She just shook her head and grabbed his hand back.

The path had wound away from the cliffs, and they were now skirting the edge of cultivated land. Violet's farm was visible in the distance. They continued to walk, the distant crashing of waves carrying on the breeze.

When they finally reached Timaeus's land, the sheep pen was empty, the gate swinging loose with a gust of wind. Hawkeye was also gone.

Sage's crook, however, remained on the ground where he had hastily left it that morning. He bent over and picked it up, curling his fingers around the section of wood that was worn down by his familiar grip.

"Do you think your brother took them out to pasture?" Sage asked, looking at his crook, a tinge of worry coloring his words.

Violet gave a half-shrug. "Probably. You know my father wouldn't."

At the mention of her father, Sage's blood cooled. "I promised him I would sleep with the sheep to keep them safe, and now I've abandoned them again." He left his primary fear unspoken: that now Timaeus really would call off the wedding.

"I'm sure Jason is with them. What are you worried about? That wolf returning?" Violet placed a reassuring hand on Sage's shoulder.

Sage faced her, his expression serious. "The wolf that attacked the flock was Carmine in disguise."

"What?" Concern etched between her brows. "Why didn't you tell me that before?"

He threw up his hands. "Between Tawny and... and everything you said, I guess it slipped my mind."

She ignored his gesturing hands and asked, "Why would a god attack our sheep–attack you–and then advise you to seek another god's guidance?"

Sage had the same questions, but didn't have any answers. The ways of the gods were unknowable. All he could hope was that if he found the plants Tawny mentioned, she'd be satisfied enough to help him gain an audience with Aurelia.

"I don't know," he said. "But let's go find the flock."

"How will we know which pasture Jason led them to?"

Sage pointed to a pile of dark pellets and smirked. "Just follow the sheep shit."

So they walked down the path around the sheep's pen and inland. There was a grazing meadow closer that edged next to the deciduous forest of the foothills. It was Sage's least favorite place to take the sheep. Sure, the wind was more tolerable than on the coast, and the midday shade was nice, but you couldn't see very far beyond the wall of trees, so it was impossible to know what was lurking in the darkness.

Although, if Sage had learned anything the previous day, it was that danger could lurk anywhere and come from any direction.

The trail of fresh droppings led to the flock, as Sage expected. As soon as Sage and Violet came into sight, Hawkeye bounded towards them. A moment later, Jason looked up from where he had slumped against a bounder.

"Thank the gods!" he yelled, standing and shaking his loose blonde curls from his eyes. He lifted one hand in greeting, then ran his fingers back through his hair and left it holding the nape of his neck. "I was getting so bored. I think I might have actually fallen asleep. How in all-that-Aurelia-finds-holy do you do this day in and day out, Sage?"

Sage grimaced. Would Jason ever agree to watch the flock as he set out on his quest? Was this the complication that Tawny had foreseen? "Well," he began, trying to rearrange his face into a more jovial expression, "Hawkeye makes the best company. You can never be lonely when he's around."

The dog, seeming to know he was being talked about, lifted one ear and gave his tail a wag.

"See?" Sage bent down to scratch Hawkeye behind the ears. "He's both a wonderful listener and a gifted conversationalist."

"No, but seriously," Jason continued, his eyes glancing between Sage and Violet. "No wonder you find my sister so fascinating. Compared to watching sheep all day, any girl would seem..."

"Watch it." Sage raised a finger in warning, although a smile played at the corner of his lips.

"And that's just one more reason I love you." Violet leaned over and kissed Sage's cheek. "You stick up for me when my little brother makes rude comments."

"Gross." Jason muttered, shaking his head, his curls glinting gold in the late morning sun. "And speaking of gross..."

"Careful. There's a lady present," Sage joked.

"My sister? Well, after the disappearing stunt you two played this morning, Dad is convinced that, well... How to put this delicately? That my sister is no longer a lady, if you catch my drift."

Hawkeye yipped.

"Even the dog caught your drift," Sage muttered.

A blush rose on Violet's cheeks. "Wh-what did he say? Where did he go?"

"Just that you two were up to no good. Not sure where he stormed off. Maybe your parent's place?" Jason nodded his chin toward Sage's family home. "I mean," Jason stopped and held up his hands, "I don't want to know, but you guys are practically married, so I'm not sure why it's so scandalous."

"W-we weren't–" Violets stammered.

A rock sank in Sage's gut. If Timaeus became angry enough, would he call off the wedding? Or, if he thought they had been intimate, maybe he'd call to push up the wedding, not wanting to risk his daughter's reputation.

It could go either way. And Sage knew he needed to force the gods' hands to change his body before he exchanged any vows of marriage. Even if Violet said it didn't matter to her, she might change her mind. And it mattered to him.

So, either Timaeus would lock Violet away from him, or he would force an early wedding that Sage wasn't prepared for. Neither option sat well.

"Jason," Sage interjected, shutting off Violet's mealy mouthed protests. "You can believe me or not, but after the wolf's attack, Tawny visited me to thank me for my bravery. She then gave me a quest, which I cannot talk about yet. Your sister must come with me."

"What?" Jason squinted at him dubiously.

Violet looked between Sage and her brother and then supported Sage's half-truth. "I saw the goddess with my own eyes, Jason. Tawny shimmered into the air and commended Sage on how he chased after the beast."

"What?" Jason repeated, eyes widening and wonder invading his voice.

"It's true." Violet held up one hand, as if swearing an oath.

"But she also told us we needed to find you before we left," Sage added to his story.

"Me? Tawny knows who I am?" Jason placed a steadying hand on the boulder behind him.

"You are the only son of one of the most prominent ranchers in Creathe. Of course, she knows who you are! And she holds you in very high esteem," Sage fabricated. "When she gave us this quest, which I may not discuss, she told me I needed to make sure the flock was left in good hands. Your hands."

Jason seemed stunned. His jaw hung slack, and his eyebrows creased. "What do I tell Dad?"

Sage and Violet exchanged a glance. "Nothing," she answered. "Don't let him know you saw us. Tell mother, if you want, so she doesn't worry, but he can't come after us."

"You'll just be following Tawny's advice," Sage tried to reassure the teen.

"Of course," Jason answered, seeming to wake from his momentary stupor. "I can't believe that Tawny mentioned me by name!"

Sage felt a twinge of guilt for his lie, but he also knew it was the quickest way to get Jason to cooperate. And he needed Jason's quick and easy cooperation.

"We'll be heading off south, but should be back by tomorrow night or the following morning. Don't worry if it takes a little longer," Sage said.

"Is it a dangerous quest?" the boy asked in a low voice.

"No, no, no," Violet reassured him. "Nothing like that. We just need to carry something and we are unfamiliar with the roads. I wish I could tell you more, but I can't."

Feeling the urgency burn in his gut, Sage placed a hand on Jason's shoulder. "Thank you for doing this for us. And for Tawny. You have no idea how much this means to me."

"Of course." Jason nodded.

Then, without more fanfare, and feeling confident that he'd fulfilled his duty to his flock, Sage and Violet walked toward Cerikipos.

They had just nearly crossed the field when they heard a yell and turned. Jason had cupped his hands around his mouth and was shouting something.

"What is he saying?" Sage asked.

"I think he's reminding us how much he hates sheep and saying that we owe him one," Violet answered with a laugh.

Sage knew it was true. He was definitely in Jason's debt.