“Oof,” he said, blinking up at them. They eased him fully upright. He took a few steps, testing his balance, then let out a breathy laugh and dusted off his hands. “Well,” he said, “that could’ve ended worse.”
Up close, Ethan caught the smell first—sharp, sweet, unmistakable. He hesitated, then said, “Have you been… drinking?” The man blinked, then smiled sheepishly. “Fermenting,” he said. “Wild grapes grow up near the ridge. I may have gotten a little ambitious with the batch.”