Pluto will think he is wretched today and the world of him again tomorrow, and this is what keeps Nick moving. All through the forest without a bite to eat or a drop to drink, Nick keeps moving.

The absolute silence of the forest doesn’t bother him, dark and unnatural though it is. Pluto’s is what upsets-or at least annoys- him more, as the young prince was a fussy, precious thing who’d never tolerate a tireless hike so quietly in other circumstances. Five hours in Nix drops unceremoniously to his knees and offers Pluto his back. The prince doesn’t take up his offer, so Nix grabs him and forces him to. Pluto doesn’t fight back but he doesn’t hold on either, forcing Nix to encircle his legs. Awful brat, Nix thinks, but he says aloud,

“There wasn’t anything for them we could do. Or that we’ll ever be able to do.”

“Am I heavy,” the Divine Prick says, and Nick can feel him pouting into the back of his neck when he says “no”

The quiet doesn’t bother Nick-easier to hear footsteps that didn’t belong to them.