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I hear the soft exhale. A sigh. “Yes. For a time.”

“What happened?”

“He became more of a pain in the ass.”

“Did he take your heart?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“You’d have to ask him.”

“Do you want it back?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

He stops in a small clearing of pine trees and glances at the dark sky. “Being heartless makes me an efficient killer. I like my job and I’m very good at it.”

“Were you a killer before he took your heart?”

His gaze drops to me. “I was a soldier, so yes.”

“How did you lose your arm?”

“Do you always ask this many questions?”

“To distract myself when I’m alone in the woods with a heartless killer, yes.”

The corner of his mouth lifts and a small huff of a laugh escapes him.

Why do I feel like I’ve won a rare prize?

“My arm was a casualty of war.”

“Oh. That’s awful.”

“It could have been worse.”

He makes a decision on our next direction and trudges forward.

“And Gabriel?”

“What about him?”

“Why was he in the West’s dungeon?”

He stops again. There’s a chill in the air now and our breath puffs out white between us. I’m suddenly grateful for the new clothing and the extra layer the armor provides, even if it is extremely stiff and heavy.

“Men do not inherit magic in Oz, that’s why the Wizard is so special. But with Gabriel, our mother tried to manipulate the outcome. Her magic comes from animals, living things, and when she went into labor, she had a dozen different species trotted in. Animals to burn for power.”

A shiver runs up my spine.

“A hawk for sight. A bear for scent. A lion for bravery. The list goes on. She channeled the power into the birth and as Gabriel got older, it was clear he was different. He didn’t have power like the Wizard, but he could track much better than I could. He could see for miles. Could hear and scent much better than the rest of us. Of course, he didn’t know any better. He just thought he had good senses.”

“How did that lead to him being imprisoned?”