Tav hates seeing anyone struggle like this. Watching Byerly upset makes Tav's own heart ache. There's no judgment from Tav when he returns and shakes his head at the offer of the apple.

"You take it," Tav replies. "I won't need it for a while longer."

Not that elves can go without food indefinitely, but Tav has ventured through the wilds and not starved. That said, nearly all of Tav's multitudes of freckles are now hidden by bruising. Not his first rodeo with torture and not his first rodeo with holding firm.

"We'll get out of here," Tav attempts to reassure.