"Were you with him, before you ended up here?" I ask, scratching behind Max's ears when he nudges at my hand with his nose.

Mathias has never talked much, and if he's mentioned anything about his brother, I can't remember. I've known him for a while, now, but he doesn't exactly offer up information. Honestly, over the last week, I feel like he's said more words to me than he has in years of knowing him.