Chapter 8: The Temple of Malicoe

*****

It was only a few hours after dawn. The sun was now bright enough in the eastern sky to burn off the fog that remained in the foothills of the Sorellan interior. As they moved further toward the mountain, his visibility became better until the entire countryside was open to his eyes.

Barak kept a steady hold on the reins of his horse. One false move in this kind of terrain could quite easily spell their doom. He looked down from the path they were following to the nearby edge of the current hill. If he took his eyes off of it for a moment, one bad step by the horse could send them careening over the side.

It was something he thought about often once they reached the hard terrain of the Sorellan interior. Realistically, death could find them at any time, but he much preferred a short death from a musket to a long drawn out one from falling off a cliff.

Instinctively, his eyes sought out the wagon in front of him, struggling up the narrow path while being drawn by four horses in two pairs of two. The most harrowing part of their entire journey was making sure the wagon stayed on the path and making sure those horses stayed healthy. There was no way they could move that amount of treasure as quickly on their own, let alone meet all the physical demands of moving a heavy wagon full of gold up a mountain. Yet, that was what they needed to do.

"Otis, pick up the pace," Barak yelled at the man in charge of the main wagon. "And for the love of all that's holy, hug the hillside!"

The man did as he commanded, and the wagon lurched forward along the narrow, rocky path. Behind him, Barak looked around to scan the countryside they'd just passed through. Most of it was green, lush and fertile like he would expect from the coast. Apart from some groups of ex-soldiers and the occasional robber, much of the countryside was beginning to show signs of calming down.

That fact made him grimace. For this plan to succeed, they needed to move quickly and let the chaos of the surrounding countryside hide their steps. If Heron and his creatures started to bring some peace to these lands, their chances of reaching the coast with Daimanos' gold and the temple treasure greatly diminished. At that point even escaping with their lives intact was almost ludicrous.

Regardless, he continued on. There were enough surprises left behind for any followers in their wake that he was sure they'd meet their deadline. His man, Melitos, was a capable fellow if not completely unscrupulous. He could still be counted on to do his job for the right amount of gold. Right now, they needed all the time he could buy them with their slow going.

It hadn't started out that slow of course. They had made excellent time on the well-maintained roads leading out of the East Sorellan capitol yet hauling this much gold greatly reduced their speed. They had long since reached the point where any respectable person would have ditched the horses due to the state of the path but Barak couldn't care less about that. The beasts were there for a job and that was it.

What happened next showed no clearer indication of this lack of sentiment when the horse of one of his men got its leg caught in a deep hole on the way up the path. The beast made a hell of noise as it buckled, nearly throwing the man to the ground before he had a chance to slide off. In the next moment, the horse completely collapsed, nursing a clearly broken leg. The beast still tried to get up once more, but its mobility was already severely compromised.

Barak said a silent prayer that it wasn't one of the horses hitched to the wagons. That would have delayed them significantly.

"Manos, get back on your feet," said Barak to the man who was still trying to dust himself off. "I want you to get on with Spiros' horse."

"Share horses with Spiros?" questioned Manos, giving a look of disdain.

"It's either that or walk," said Barak with a shrug. "You just say the word if you don't mind walking all the way up the mountain from here. It bothers me not."

Manos let out a deep breath as he jogged to catch up with Spiros. Barak just about stopped his horse and let the two men behind him pass by while he hung around the rear with the wounded animal. As soon as the main group was just about out of sight, he stopped his horse and leapt off before walking toward the wounded one. He put his hand against the beast's face and listened for the sounds of labored breathing from the animal. It wasn't a pretty sight. There was only one thing that could be done in a situation like this where time was of the essence.

Getting back to his knees, he removed his musket from the rack attached to the back of his horse. The morning air was quickly pierced by the sound of gunfire, causing a small flock of birds in a nearby tree to scatter. Once he was satisfied with the results, he secured the weapon back on the horse, threw his leg over the animal, and hurried to catch up with the main group.

It wasn't the best solution, but it was the easiest. It was also the only thing that made sense given their current timetable. If they weren't loaded down with treasure and on the coast at dawn at the appointed time, they'd miss their ship. And if they missed their ship, the time spent trying to find one of out Sorella would surely let Heron's troops catch up to them.

Barak clutched at his breast pocket and made sure the letter was still inside. He took it out, his eyes scanning over the contents for the hundredth time since receiving it. The letter belonged to his paymaster, the organizer of this little scheme with the intention to completely destroy the Sorellan people and occupy their island.

Daimanos had been a fool, and like most fools, he had chosen not to ally with Barak's new paymaster when he had the chance. The paymaster did the next best thing: he approached Daimanos' government to see who inside could be persuaded to work in his favor in exchange for payment. Even though it had taken some convincing to make Barak ultimately betray his own people, he knew that all that really mattered in this world was money. And at the end of this little excursion, he was set to become a very wealthy man. Wealthier than even Daimanos.

Barak smiled grimly at the fate of the foolish king. Charging into battle with that oversized sword of his, he'd been beaten by the very man he'd so unwisely tried to betray. As if that wasn't enough, all that he'd worked for to become the only king of Sorella evaporated once he was killed by Jack Easterbrook.

Barak had watched it all happen.

He was also the one who didn't stick around to see the consequences. Disappearing quickly into the forest, he managed to steal the first horse he could find and ride at a gallop all the way back to the East Sorellan capitol city. Luckily for him, his new paymaster's envoy was still in the palace, the very man who convinced him to do this one, little task before becoming endowed with all the riches he could want. By stealing Daimanos' treasury, he could deliver a golden fortune that was capable of changing lives. Even still, his paymaster wouldn't be satisfied with just the dead king's gold.

Barak shivered as he remembered the order to ransack the Temple of Malicoe as well. The ancient temple contained one of the largest treasures he'd ever heard of with countless artifacts from the legendary age of Sorella and its first kings. That treasure alone could make a man wealthier than his wildest dreams, enough to buy up entire countries and islands at will or to spawn his own fleet of battleships.

Even still, the very idea unnerved him. He'd heard all the stories growing up. The curse that existed for mortals who tried to touch the treasure. Those were great fables and fairy-tales, his new paymaster had said. Besides, once he delivered the gold, he'd have no time for curses as he got to enjoy all the pleasures that it brought with it. And for once, he would truly escape Sorella and set up his own home far away, protected on his own island and in his own grand house, enjoying the money until the day he died.

That was the dream at least. They only had to get up this damn mountain to make it happen. And prevent that lame king Heron and the fool Easterbrook from catching up to him. He wanted to be the one sailing away on the warship right as Heron and Easterbrook reached the coast and realized they were powerless to intervene. Especially once they got sight of the powerful, Swabian warship carrying him away.

For it was the Swabians that were his new paymasters. The Swabian Lord Avila was his new partner, and the one who had given the order to steal all the gold from Sorella. Barak had to admit his plan was a good one. Once weakened by disorder and civil war, the island would be unable to rebuild itself without any money in its coffers. Unable to tax a broken population and facing a starving people and looming crisis, the Sorellan people would be ripe for conquering. And there would be far too few of them to resist this time.

It was an interesting new method for them. For too long, the Swabians had been known to take what they wanted by force. Island after island fell to their might until their empire was by far the largest one in the entire Vector, dwarfing the lands of the ill-fated Galicians. Yet, they'd run into one tiny hiccup along the way. Forty years ago they'd tried to conquer Sorella by force, but had been thrown back with the might of Sorellan fire.

This new plan was the start of a new tactic for the Swabians. Instead of brute force, they would try a novel approach and use subversion as a method of conquering their enemies. And then all of this land around would settle under the heel of Swabia. All that mattered was that he fulfilled his part of the task and deliver the gold to Lord Avila while he conquered the Sorellan people.

To those that asked why he was so willing to betray his own people, Barak just shrugged. What did it matter to him if Sorella was ruled by Sorellans or Swabians? In the end, the strong ruled the weak, and that's how life would always play out. Better now for him to be on the side of the strong than for him to die on the side of the weak. As long as he could get out and make himself wealthy, it was of little consequence.

After a while, his horse had caught up with the main group as they began to take a bend around a hill that led them closer to Mount Tarpeious. In a short while, they'd be able to see the landing that the temple occupied and be all that much closer to their goal.

At that moment, his man Manos came jogging back to him. He must have dismounted from the backside of Spiros' mount and he walked up next to Barak in a huff.

"What is it?" asked Barak impatiently.

"There's men on the trail ahead. They look like soldiers," said Manos while pointing in front of them.

"How many of them are there?"

"No more than four. That's all I can see," said Manos.

Barak grabbed for his gun once more. "We have to move quickly. Grab the others but leave two men with the wagons. We need to take out these soldiers."

Manos nodded excitedly and went to inform the others. As Barak swung off his horse and prepared his rifle, he vowed to do his utmost to destroy the soldiers in his path. He would let nothing come between him and securing his future.

Nothing.

*****

About thirty miles to the east, another small party was making its way through the foothills of the Sorellan interior. This party was much more cohesive as a group, huddled close to one another in conference as the trail continued to narrow. It was close to dusk and they'd pushed hard after the events of the morning. Jack didn't want to waste any more time with their side excursion from this morning and insisted on riding hard until they came to their meeting point with Heron's soldiers and passed off their horses.

He was saddened to see them go. In a race where every minute mattered, giving up the strong and steady creatures felt like the worst possible news. He only took solace in the fact that by the state of the trail ahead of them, it would be just as slow going for the Barak's wagons as it would be for them on foot.

Although they'd lost the horses, they'd gained a new companion as well. Jack turned his head to look for Kat, finding the woman not far from him, her gaze already watching his back. She offered him a small smile before turning her attention back to the road. The woman was a mystery so far. Who she was seemed to be a question that he couldn't quite answer. She didn't speak much, but when she did, it seemed to be something that was deep or profound. Very often her words matched her beauty, stunning and delicate in equal parts. One thing was for sure—he wanted to find out more about this woman and who she was. Why was she in Sorella?

As the sun started to dip below the western sky, the group found a small patch of ground not far from the path but sheltered by a small grove of trees in order to make camp for the night. As Vera began preparations for food, the rest of them gathered around a small fire to discuss the plan to tackle this latest threat by the local thief, Melitos. Their discussion at the moment dealt with the logistics of reaching the man.

"We can reach the Dark Forest by this path," said Nikias while addressing the group. "Most likely we can be there tomorrow afternoon."

"How did it get that name?" asked Vera. "Why's it called the Dark Forest?"

Both Nikias and Heron looked at each other before looking back to Vera and the rest of the group. "Odd things tend to happen in the forest. Unexplainable things. Some of those who enter never come back out. Others who do are never the same if they come out. It's a place best to be avoided if one can help it."

"Those very qualities would make it a perfect sanctuary for a gang of thieves," said Jack finally. "No one is going to go exploring inside and just happen to find their lair."

"It still begs the question though," said Heron. "How does he make his home there with all the stories of the bad things inside?"

"Maybe he's found a way around it?" suggested Jack. "How big is this forest?"

"Big enough," answered Nikias. "It's a few leagues in length and depth. You'll know when we get there too."

"Why's that?"

"Dark doesn't just reference the unexplainable things inside. The overhead canopy of the forest is so dense that it's hard for one to determine if it's day or night once inside," said the minister with a solemn expression.

Jack nodded. "Still, we have to go inside and get this Melitos. Especially if he's out attacking civilians for no purpose other than to rob them."

"Jack, I want to bring order to my own country as much as the next man," said Heron. "But why do we need to take care of this particular thief while it may distract us from going after the real treasure?"

"Because," said Jack quietly. "Barak paid this man to put him in our way."

Heron's expression darkened. "You're sure of this?'

Jack nodded. "I'm certain. The man admitted it right as he died. He whispered Barak's name in his last breath. That's how he's been getting paid. Barak knew he wouldn't be able to get away with the gold without someone coming after him. Now that we're on his tail, he needs to keep space between us. That's where Melitos comes in."

"It makes sense," said Vera. "Distract us to keep us as far away from him as possible. It's not a bad idea."

"She's right," said Nikias. "Maybe Barak is craftier than we realized. We'll have to be careful."

"We need to take down Melitos before we can get to Barak," said Jack. "Otherwise, we'll have to worry about him in our rear, and who knows what kind of mischief he can get up to while our backs are turned."

"What are you suggesting, Jack?"

Jack thought to himself for a moment. "Perhaps what we need is a little bit of bait."

"Bait? What do you mean?" asked Heron.

"I mean what do you think thieves in general like the best? To find easy prey, right? People who are easy targets and won't resist. I'd say if we can get close enough to this Dark Forest without detection, we may be able to lure them to us."

"And destroy them on our own terms instead of going to them," finished Greg.

"Exactly."

"That's a big 'if' though, Jack," said Nikias. "What if he chooses to ignore us? Then what would we do?"

Jack shrugged. "He shouldn't if Barak is the one paying him. Other than that, we just need to make sure we offer a big enough target that he can't possibly ignore us. Something that will have blinded them with greed to the point where they have to try an attack."

"That's not bad," said Heron with a nod. "What do we use as bait?"

Jack looked over from the rest of the men to the three women in the group. Elektra was already watching him intently and seemed to be already thinking what he was. Vera's look was still of confusion while their newcomer, Kat, looked on quietly without offering any advice to their strategy.

"I think Elektra already knows," said Jack cryptically.

The entire group turned to look at the princess who wore a coy smile. "It's simple. These men were after one thing when they attacked Kat," she said while pointing to the blonde-haired woman. "If they happen upon three women in the forest without means to protect themselves, they'll be too tempted by lust to just walk on by."

"Absolutely not," said Heron while throwing his arms across his chest. "We need to take enough danger as is with this journey that I'm not throwing the last daughter I have left out as bait for a gang of thieves!"

Elektra stood up to console her father. "Papa, it's okay. I agree with Jack. This is the best way for us to lure them in. Besides, it's not like I'm defenseless." She casually tapped the musket at her side.

"But they could do anything," argued Heron. "Once they are on top of your position, who knows what could happen? What's more, you'd be putting the other women at risk as well! It's not safe, Elektra."

"I can handle myself, Papa," said Elektra with more steel in her voice. "Besides, it's not like the rest of you wouldn't be close by to assist if things got dicey. Right, Jack?"

Jack nodded. "There are ways we can hide ourselves until the women need us. They won't even know we're there until we're ready to spring into action."

"How will we hide ourselves?"

Jack thought for a moment before turning to Nikias. "Nikias, this Dark Forest, do you know what kind of trees can be found inside?"

Nikias rolled his eyes in thought. "Oak mostly. A lot of maple and birch as well but that's about it."

"Oak is good for climbing. Maple as well," said Jack quietly. "They're tall trees and their upper reaches are well clustered with leaves. Perfect for hiding men with weapons."

Heron contemplated the idea for several moments as his eyes flickered back and forth between his daughter and the rest of the group. "Isn't there another avenue we can try that doesn't put my daughter at risk?"

She put her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Papa, but that's what I signed up for. Not to worry, we'll be perfectly safe. I know all of you will take care of us when we need it. The rest of the girls aren't scared to do it at all, are we?"

"Not at all," said Vera with a confident smile.

Kat didn't respond but merely nodded her head in agreement.

Heron let out a deep breath. "Fine. But I want to do this the right way. We pounce on them the moment they get close enough. I don't want any of the women to so much as smell the breath of these thieves before we launch the attack."

Jack smiled. "I think we can make that happen, Heron."

"All right. You can count me in then," said the king finally.

"Me too, this sounds like a good idea," said Nikias.

"It was my idea, so of course I'm in," said Elektra with a chuckle.

"Wait just a second," said Greg suddenly. "I'm not too convinced that we need to launch this fight." The Marine crossed his arms in opposition.

Jack's expression changed to confusion as he looked to his Marine friend. "What's on your mind?"

"A few things," started Greg. "For one, we don't know how many of them there are for sure, and while we do have the advantage of firepower, that almost wasn't enough to save us during Daimanos' last assault on Heron's city. We could get overwhelmed again with enough odds."

"That's a fair point," said Jack while weighing his friend's words. "They could still outnumber us greatly but then again, let's look back at the attack on Kat this morning. There were only five of them, and we killed three. Now if they know we're coming, they may have sent out their largest group for a possible confrontation with us, right?"

Greg nodded while remaining quiet.

"So if their largest group was no more than five guys, I'm thinking we're dealing with a small band of thieves. Maybe no more than ten in all, and I'm sure we've already wounded them greatly by taking out three. I highly doubt we're dealing with that many of them and I'm sure the three of us with our firepower will be more than enough to take them out."

Nikias nodded his head as well. "I'd have to agree with Jack on this one. This area of the country is known for having this type of robber element—thieves and the like. They usually operate in small bands. Once they get too big, that's when the army gets sent in, so I doubt we're dealing with a coordinated group of professionals here."

"Okay," said Greg before continuing with his argument. "But say one of us gets wounded or takes an unlucky shot during this upcoming attack. Our mission will be compromised having to care for one of the wounded."

"Our mission was always going to be dangerous from the beginning," said Jack quietly. "It's not unusual that we might take a casualty. We all knew the consequences when we decided to go on this journey."

"That was for the pursuit of Barak though," said Greg. "Not to go chasing after his Melitos and his band of thieves."

"Melitos is just an extension of Barak at this point," said Jack. "We may even find out more about locating Barak by getting to Melitos. Besides, if this Melitos is causing trouble in the interior, he must be stopped."

Greg took a step closer, lowering his voice so that only Jack could hear. "It's not our fight though, Jack. We have our mission and it's to stop Barak. As much as I like Sorella and its people, we can't be waylaid by trying to chase down every village thief that crosses our path. If we can get around Melitos, I think it'll be all the better."

Jack nodded his head in understanding. "Normally, I'd agree with you and leave this character to his own fate. But we must use him to get to Barak. We don't know what he intends to do with all that gold, but it can't be good. If we can shut down all those in Barak's hierarchy, we have a better chance of shutting him down."

"It's not our fight, Jack," said Greg quietly.

"I disagree with you there," said Jack firmly, surprised at seeing this side of his friend. Normally, Greg could be counted on to be ready for action at all times but seeing him like this was truly surprising. It wasn't like him.

"Greg, I don't want to have to worry about Barak in front of me and Melitos in my rear. We already have enough threats around us without adding one more to the list." Besides, they had tried to attack and rape this new woman, the blonde-haired wanderer, Kat. Although she had listened to their discussion instead of speaking, her eyes hadn't left Jack's for much more than a minute for most of the day.

Greg noticed Jack's stare. "It's because of her, isn't it? Because they tried to attack her? Is that the real reason why we need to neutralize Melitos? Is it for Kat?"

Jack took a deep breath. "It's part of it. I feel bad for her to some degree. Losing her only companion in such a cowardly attack. Not to mention, who knows what would've happened had we not arrived at that very moment? Something far worse perhaps? There's something about her that I can't quite put my finger on."

Greg looked back over to Kat. "She is beautiful, I'll give you that. But I don't know if it's worth changing our plan just because she was attacked."

"This Dark Forest is on the path in front of us. If it was behind us or out of our way, then I wouldn't be pushing to do this as much as I am," said Jack honestly. "But this is the very thing we're here fighting for. To end the cruelty and barbarity that has engulfed this island. Yes, Melitos may be a thief, and there may be a hundred like him, but we can send a message right now that we're putting Sorella back to the way it should be. I think Heron understands that as well, and that's why he's onboard too."

Greg nodded. "I just hope we can catch up with Barak before he gets away. We're still far behind him."

"If we play this right, we won't lose any time," said Jack. "Just by picking the right spot in the forest and by making the bait big enough. We can dispose of Melitos and his band and be right on our way in the morning."

"And if they don't attack? If they don't find the bait big enough and we find ourselves at the start of a new day empty-handed? What then? Will you give the order to move on?" asked Greg.

Jack thought about it for a moment before answering. "I will. We do this only as time allows. You're right about one thing though. We can't allow ourselves to get further behind Barak."

Greg clapped him on the back. "I'm in then. In and out. Let's get this done and get back on the road."

The two men shook hands and then rejoined the rest of the members of their group. At this point, Vera had dinner nearly ready, and as she began to scoop their porridge into bowls, the group ate while engaged in light chatter. For the most part, Greg was the storyteller tonight, telling his rapt audience of Vera, Elektra and Nikias all about some of his adventures back in Java and some of the hairier battles he'd been a part of throughout his service.

Jack watched with a small smile on his face, his eyes flickering every so often to Kat. More often than not, she was watching him. She sat by herself and ate her meal quietly, although Jack couldn't blame her for not being more engaged with the group. They were all strangers to her largely, not to mention she'd just lost someone important to her this very morning. It had to be a surreal feeling to find herself with a band of strangers while she was on her own quest. Yet, he made a note to himself to talk with her once they had a moment of privacy. There was much to be learned from their beautiful stranger.

There was someone else who also wasn't partaking in Greg's stories. Heron was kind enough to watch the rest of the group respond to the Marine before turning his attention back to Jack. After finishing his meal, he went to sit next to the other man.

"Feel like a walk around the camp?" asked Heron. "Nothing against Greg, but I wouldn't mind a little conversation right now."

Jack chuckled. "Not in the mood for war stories either?"

"I've lived through too many of them," said Heron with a laugh. "I'd say that I've had my fill for the time being."

"Come on then," said Jack while getting up from his log. "Let's take a walk."

The two men started to walk away from the campsite and emerged into the nearby forest. For once, Jack was able to leave his walking stick behind, finally feeling capable of walking on his own unencumbered since the fight with Daimanos. It wasn't that he didn't feel the effects of those wounds still, and it still hurt him when pressure was applied to some of those scars but being able to be fully mobile again was a gift in itself. He didn't feel nearly as helpless as he did before.

"Beautiful country this is," said Heron finally after they had strolled out of listening range from the camp.

"It truly is," agreed Jack. "You rule a great country, Heron. Full of good people and beauty."

Heron chuckled. "I'm surprised that you still think that way after all that you've seen since you've been here. I have wondered if it might have jaded you."

"Not at all," answered Jack. "Apart from a few bad apples, it seems the more Sorellans I get to know, the better I like the people as a whole."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that in the very least," said Heron. "It's not easy to rule them sometimes. Especially when I feel like I can barely rule my own household."

Jack squinted. "I take it you're talking about Elektra, aren't you?"

Heron nodded. "Don't take this the wrong way. Your plan is a good one, and I have to give that one to you. I just wish it didn't have to put her in harm's way, even for a moment."

"I wouldn't have suggested it if I didn't feel like she could take care of herself," said Jack. "Even just until we spring the trap on any would-be attackers."

"And I know that she can take care of herself as well," said the king as they walked deeper into the forest. "I don't know what it is. I just want to see my only daughter loved and married. All of this soldiering on her part puts a knot in my stomach."

"It seems like she's adamant about her role in all of this," said Jack with a chuckle. "She wants to be a soldier. She wants to be in the thick of the action. You can't fault her for that."

"Nor do I," said Heron quickly. "But it also reminds me of someone else who always wanted to be in the middle of all the action. Someone else who was more military-minded than the rest of his family."

Jack swallowed hard, guessing at whom Heron was referring to. "I take it you mean your brother?"

Heron nodded. "I don't need to remind you how bloodthirsty Daimanos was. My biggest fear is that some of that blood runs within Elektra. That his hotheadedness and impulsivity will eventually find its way to her."

"Surely you don't think it could turn to that?" asked Jack. "Elektra is not your brother. That's plain as day for everyone to see."

"I know," said Heron quietly. "I struggle with this myself. Part of me thinks it's crazy to even think it let alone say it out loud. But there are some resemblances. I can see it myself because I've been around the both of them long enough. Daimanos wasn't always a cruel tyrant, and there was a time when I called him brother, no matter how strained the relationship got. What if Elektra starts to show more of his qualities? What if by encouraging this behavior, I'm unleashing the very same beast that consumed Daimanos?"

Jack listened to the king speak for several moments without interrupting. Heron's hands were very active during his speech, waving about in a shaky motion while he postulated his theory. It wasn't hard to tell why this was on his mind. While he never shared the same martial instincts that his brother did, his daughter had inherited those traits in spades. It was a link to her uncle, and as faint as the link was, it still made the man nervous.

"I think you are looking too far into this right now, Heron," said Jack finally. "Since I've met you, I've had the chance to talk with Elektra personally and find out more about the woman she's become. Do you want to know what I think?"

Heron nodded.

"I think you don't have anything to worry about. Yes, I agree with you that she has a fiery passion about military matters that is similar to your brother," started Jack. "But just being in the presence of your brother for a couple hours was more than enough time to get the measure of his personality. And it wasn't good. Elektra shares none of those qualities. She's passionate, yes, but she's passionate in a good way. She wants to be a soldier because she knows she's good at it. And her being good at it is the best way she can serve her people. Her motivations are entirely selfless, and that's diametrically opposed to what Daimanos thought about it."

"I know you're right," said Heron. "It just bothers me. Perhaps if I could've seen what my brother had become, I might have been able to stop it or stop her now before it happens."

"I don't think you need to worry about that. You've raised an excellent daughter," said Jack. "She'll make a fine queen one day because she knows the first thing about ruling—it's not about you. It's about your people. As long as she keeps that in mind, she'll be the queen that Sorella deserves."

Heron grinned. "You know, the day that you have to leave Sorella will be a sad day. I'm getting rather used to your company. It's too bad you can't be stationed on the island permanently."

Jack started to chuckle. "I doubt I'd ever be able to get that approved by the chain of command. While I fully respect what we've been able to accomplish with our alliance, my mission was to find multiple alliances. I doubt they'd let me settle with just one."

Heron smiled. "Regardless. You've rendered a great amount of aid to my house and my country. I appreciate all that you've done for us, Jack. Now if we can just complete this last task, I can let you get on with your mission."

"At least then I'll know that I'm leaving Sorella a better place than how I found her," said Jack with a grin.

"Any idea where you'd go? We've talked enough about different peoples and lands that I'm curious if you know your next stopping point?" asked Heron.

Jack shrugged. "It doesn't seem like many of the nearby options are too great. We may have to go further afield. I suppose I'll have to make a decision when the time comes but I haven't given it much thought recently. Just been focused on Sorella at the moment."

"If you do decide to go further abroad, make sure you stop in Picardy," advised the king. "It's a good distance to their kingdom, but they're good people. We've always gotten along with the Picards, and even as many of the nearby nations were transferring their embassies to my brother, the Picards stayed put. I'd highly suggest you start there."

"I just might," said Jack as they rounded around another tree and began to head back toward camp. "What about you? Have you given any thought to what you'll do when we leave? Besides rebuilding, of course?"

Heron pursed his lips. "I think we'll be doing that for quite some time, and that's even if we recover all the gold. Other than that, who knows? Grow older still. Keep trying to persuade my daughter to marry," he said with a humorous tone. "And hopefully, stay away from conflict for a long time coming."

"Amen to that," said Jack with a smile as they neared the campsite. The small fire of the camp was just visible around a small grove of bushes, yet Heron stopped Jack right before they emerged on the other side.

"Wait a moment, Jack. I need a word in private with you," said Heron while holding up his hand. "Something is bothering me, and I need to discuss it with you."

"What's on your mind, Heron?"

The king looked back to the campsite and then back to Jack. "Our new guest seems a bit on the quiet side, no?"

Jack shrugged. "Kat? A little, I suppose. But then again, her only companion was just killed this morning. I can understand if she needs a little time to process something like that."

Heron nodded cautiously. "Normally, I'd agree, but it seems like almost too good of timing."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean we just so happened to be in the right place to catch the assailants in the action before any harm came to her. We know that Barak is aware we're on his trail, and we also know that Melitos works for him. Part of me wonders whether or not this was staged."

Jack's face turned to confusion. "Staged? Do you think she's in league with them?" His mind raced with the possibilities. Granted, it could be true. He knew next to nothing about the mysterious woman who shared their camp but then again, that had been for a lack of trying. She'd only just joined them that morning and her time had been mostly spent in quiet mourning for her companion. Jack wasn't sure if she would open up more with conversation, but at this very moment, they knew almost nothing beyond her name.

"I don't know, Jack," said Heron with a shake of his head. "But it gives me a funny feeling. The timing was almost too good. Until we find out more about her or corroborate her story, this might be a trap. We know Barak is devious, and we can be sure that Melitos will be cunning in his position at the head of a band of thieves so I wouldn't put anything past them. I think we should keep an extra eye on her for the time being."

Jack mulled the idea over for a few moments. Despite his gut telling him that she was the victim and not the perpetrator in this situation, it didn't hurt to be cautious. He'd been wrong before, and his mistakes had cost lives. Until Kat could demonstrate that she was worthy of being trusted, she would need to be watched.

"I agree with you. You're completely right, and I will keep an eye on her," said Jack with a nod. "At least until we can get more information on her."

Heron gave a relieved smile. "I think it's the best thing for us to do. There's too much at stake with our mission. I don't want us to let our guard down especially when we're surrounded by foes."

"If she does have any nefarious intentions, she couldn't have landed with a better group of people," said Jack with a grin.

Heron chuckled. "Right about that. I pray for her sake, and ours, that isn't the case. Thank you for being my sounding board about that. I didn't want to decide anything else that could have involved her without speaking to you first."

"Of course," said Jack with a nod. "Let's get back to the camp."

The two men walked around the small grove to get back to the campsite. Greg was still in the middle of one of his tales, and by the look on most of their faces, he was giving a completely captivating rendition of the story, full of his own mock explosions that were just good enough to make Jack laugh.

Sitting noticeably close together during the story were Elektra and Nikias. The two Sorellans were close enough to practically be touching, something that didn't escape Jack's eyes. He had to wonder if anything had been said between them behind the scenes or whether their relationship had deepened on its own accord. Nothing about the way they were sitting suggested anything romantic, just the closeness of it all was enough for him to take notice.

After Greg's story came to a climax and darkness had arrived for all of them, the group began to get ready for bed. As all of them got their sleeping bags arranged around the fire, it had to be decided who took first watch that evening. Of course, Jack drew the short straw this time, having escaped a watch thus far in their trip. So it was while everyone else readied for sleep that he took a position on the log around their small fire and steadying himself for the night ahead.

Well, almost everyone that is. As the rest of their group was retiring for the evening, he was joined on his portion of the log by Kat. She offered a friendly smile as she sat down, although she remained silent for the time being. Jack used a stick to poke another log into the fire as the sounds of the others started to curb.

Jack hazarded a quick glance over to the woman and took in her features. There was no denying that she was beautiful, even if there was great pain in her eyes. Even completely dressed down with her hair pulled back, Kat could wake the dead with one look. Yet, Heron's words about not trusting her rang in his head. Perhaps now was the time to find out who she truly was. Or what she intended.

He decided to start simply enough. "Don't feel like sleeping?"

Kat's eyes rose to meet his. "I'm just not that tired yet. With the kind of day that it's been, I don't know if sleep would come easily at all."

Jack nodded. "I can understand that. You've been through a lot today."

"I'd almost rather sit and watch the fire than try to pretend to sleep," admitted Kat. "At least now I have conversation to take my mind off things. Otherwise, I'd have nothing else but to focus on it."

"I take it I'm the one to provide the conversation?" Jack teased.

Kat looked at him with a small smile and nodded her head quietly.

"Well, at least I can be useful during my watch," said Jack lightly.

"Besides, this is the time of day I like the most," she admitted. "When the world is starting to quiet down and the distractions go away."

"There's still quite the distraction right here," muttered Jack while looking over her features once more. Thankfully, she didn't seem to hear him.

"I just like it because it's peaceful," she said finally. "I'm not used to peace where I'm from."

Jack nodded. "Neither am I. Quite the opposite actually. My country is at war right now, and we're just about always in constant danger. Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever see peace again in my lifetime."

"You sound like me now," said Kat with a smile. "I've seen enough conflict to last a lifetime. Unfortunately, I don't think it will get any better."

"Maybe it will here on Sorella at least," offered Jack.

"Maybe," she said while looking away. A few moments of silence passed before her eyes returned to his. "So how did you find yourself on Sorella, Jack? You mentioned earlier that you're not one of them."

He shook his head. "I'm Javan actually. It's a land that's far away from here. Have you ever heard of it?"

Kat gave him a confused look before shaking her head.

"It's one of the three eastern nations. The other two are Ruthenia and the Occitanian Confederacy. For the longest time, our nations thought we were the only peoples in existence," said Jack.

Kat began to laugh. "When did you find out there was more to the world than just your portion of it?"

"We've always known about this area," said Jack. "We called it the Fourth Vector because it wasn't explored by us. All those that tried in the past never made it home. There was a certain mystique about it. That is, until we were sent on a mission to find out what was inside."

"A mission? Sent by whom?" asked Kat.

"Our emperor," said Jack. "The Javan emperor Charles IX. You see this war that I was just telling you about has been heating up for a long time. Between us and the Occitanians. There's been some small actions here and there, but it has only recently spilled over into open conflict."

"So why aren't you back there? Why aren't you fighting these Oshtanians?"

Jack chuckled. "It's Occitanians. And we are, or at least we have. We sunk one of their ships right before we got here but our mission is different. We're not out here to directly engage them. We're out here to find alliances to help us."

"An alliance?" Kat perked up. "What do you need an alliance for?"

Jack shrugged for a moment as he wondered how to explain things to her. Finally an idea came to him, and he reached for the small stick that he had used previously to poke at the fire. In the dirt below him, he drew three circles in a vertical row with one in the middle.

"It's like this. The three eastern countries are arrayed out like this. Occitania is on the top, or the northern end, Java is in the middle, and Ruthenia is in the south." He pointed out each country as he named them. "As you can imagine, all three countries are large empires in their own right, and there's thousands of pages of history between all three countries, mostly containing wars."

"And you're at war now with this one?" said Kat as she pointed to the northern mass.

"That's right, but here's the problem," said Jack as he drew arrows between Occitania and Java. "While we're distracted fighting the Occitanians, it leaves our rear open to conflict with the Ruthenians. Now, nothing has been declared, and there's been no fighting, but with the poor relations between all the countries, there's been some worry that war with any one of the other countries will lead to a two-front war as the other one seeks to take advantage. If that happens, we'll be drastically outnumbered."

Kat began to nod. "So you came here looking for allies that will help you fight that war. The biggest question is what do you have to offer them besides certain war?"

"Well, plenty. Trading, for example. Both goods and technology. We can ally with them and help in their own wars, like we did with Sorella," said Jack. "But also, if anything should happen to Java, it won't be good for the rest of the Fourth Vector to have two hungry empires that will be looking to expand once we're out of the way. It benefits the people of the Fourth Vector to ally with us to balance the scales."

Kat nodded again. "I can understand that, I suppose. Have you been successful outside of Sorella?"

"We have with the Lishkerrans," said Jack. "But those are the only two places we've been."

"Not many can count on a friendship with the Lishkerrans. I hope you know what a unique gift that is," said Kat.

Jack began to smile. "So I've heard. We've had our share of luck along the way. And our share of misfortune as well. But eventually we'll have to leave Sorella and seek another alliance."

"That sounds like some mission," said Kat. "I imagine it's a little daunting being in a part of the world that you know little of."

He nodded and turned to face her. "That's part of why we're always on the search for maps. We knew next to nothing about this part of the world when we arrived here. Just that it existed except no one had made it back with anything firm on the details. We've collected some maps as the mission has gone on, but I still have yet to see a full map of the Vector."

Kat locked eyes on him and smiled. "Today is your lucky day then." She turned to grab her pack, rummaging through the contents on the search for something. Jack held his breath as she searched, wondering if she finally had what he was seeking—a full map of the entire Vector. Finally, she pulled out the map, a small, brownish-colored paper folded into four corners. After unveiling it, Kat turned to him and began to point around the map.

"This is where we are in Sorella," said Kat, pointing to a small island in the southeast quadrant of the map. "All of these islands on this map is what you would consider the Fourth Vector."

She offered the map to Jack, and he eagerly took it out of her hands to study it. Even from the small map that Heron had sketched for him aboard the Destiny, this was much more detailed. There had to be over a hundred different main islands in the entire Vector, all ranging in size from small continents to tiny landmasses like Lishkerra.

What was even better was that the map was labeled with the names of the various countries contained within. Suddenly, all the places that Jack had heard in passing only came alive as his fingers slid over names on the paper. Andalucia, Picardy, Swabia, and even Galicia all there for him to explore and sail to.

"This is incredible," whispered Jack as he scanned the map. "This is exactly what I've been looking for."

"I'm half-tempted to let you keep it," said Kat with a somber look. "That was Jacob's copy. Sadly, he won't be needing it anymore."

Jack turned away from the map to look at her. Kat stared into the fire, the look of sadness in her eyes back at the mere whisper of her companion's name. "I'm sorry, Kat," said Jack quietly. "About Jacob. If we could have only been there a little sooner, perhaps we could have prevented his death."

Kat wiped a tear from her cheek and then shook her head. "I think Jacob was about near the end of his rope by that time anyway. Death was a merciful thing for him. He was my companion for all these years but he wasn't meant for this. Traveling around as much as we did. Always skipping from island to island without a proper bed to sleep in. He was too old for this life. I feel foolish for dragging him along with me."

"What was he to you?" asked Jack. "Was he a family member?"

"He was a servant to my house originally," said Kat. "He was more like an uncle growing up and a friend when I became an adult."

"You've known him all your life?

She nodded.

He rested his hand on her arm. "I'm sorry, Kat."

She wiped away another tear. "I knew it was close to the end for him. I just wish I had a chance to say goodbye properly. Not like how it happened. Never like that."

"I'm sure if he was with you for that long, he knew how much he meant to you," offered Jack. "I'm sure he doesn't fault you for what happened or the manner of his death." Jack had to stop himself from saying more as Heron's words popped back into his mind. He still hadn't established yet that this wasn't a ploy on her part, and he reminded himself to tread carefully until he got further clarification.

"It still hurts when you've known someone for that long. Since I was a baby he watched over me," said Kat quietly. "He didn't deserve that type of end."

"Kat, can I ask you—where do you come from?" asked Jack. "What country are you and Jacob from?"

Kat sniffled before wiping her nose. "For the last few years, it's felt like we've had no country. All we did was travel. But Jacob and I are Galician." She pulled a string of her hair to show Jack. "If you couldn't tell already."

Jack looked at her lustrous hair and smiled. "I had my suspicions. Vera is Galician as well. I've lost count of how many times I've heard the link between that country and hair color."

"I suspected so about her," said Kat. "Galicia is one of the only countries where you can find it. However, I don't feel like Galicia is much of a home to me anymore."

"Why is that? What caused you to leave it?" asked Jack.

"It's a long story," said Kat in a whisper. "I don't know if I'd want to tell you the whole thing."

"You can start with half and tell me the rest of it later," said Jack with a smile. It was enough to bring a small giggle to her lips, but she shook her head once more. "Let's just say I'm not wanted by my family anymore."

Jack grimaced. "Did they kick you out? How could they not want you anymore?"

Kat nodded. "I can't go back. They wouldn't take me back even if I went. I'm afraid if I stepped foot back in Galicia, they'd probably put me to death."

Jack recoiled back from her and looked at her all over. Aware that he still knew little about Kat, she appeared to be quite harmless. The beautiful blonde was quite tiny in her stature, no more than a few inches over five feet. Jack estimated that she was barely over a hundred pounds by her slim figure. Yet part of him wondered just what she'd done to be cast out by her own family. She seemed friendly enough so why did they hate her so?

"I'm having a lot of trouble figuring that one out," said Jack. "What could you have possibly done to warrant death? Are you some kind of criminal?" His heart started beating rapidly, wondering what she might say.

"The only crime I've committed is perhaps being born to the wrong family," said Kat with a huff. "Otherwise, I've done nothing to warrant the amount of suffering I've had to deal with."

"That sounds tough. I can't imagine having my own family turn on me."

Kat took a deep breath. "It doesn't bother me as much anymore. Perhaps I'm just numb to it? It hurt a lot more in the beginning when Jacob and I couldn't find shelter or anyone to take us in. Sometimes it felt like we were the only two in a world set against us. I wonder why he stuck with me so long and for all these years. I know now it's because he was a good man. The best of men."

"How long did you say you've been gone?" asked Jack. "Perhaps there's still hope of reconciliation?"

Kat shook her head vehemently. "I've been gone for three years but they would never take me back. I just have to accept that that door is no longer open to me. It hasn't been all that bad even though I know we've touched on some of the darker aspects of it."

"I hope it gets better from here," said Jack quietly. "I wouldn't wish that one anyone."

"I'm on my own mission you can say," said Kat with a small smile. "I have a calling of my own. Something that sustains me and keeps me going."

"I take it you're referencing this prophecy you told me about?" asked Jack.

Kat nodded solemnly. "That's been my purpose for the previous three years. It was just an interest in my younger years, something that fascinated me as a child. Hearing about this prophecy for the first time and learning the coded bits that made up each line. It was totally engrossing for me."

"I'm guessing as you got older, it became more than just an interest?"

"Now, you can say my life depends on it," she admitted quietly. "It's of paramount importance that I find this person. I need his help greatly."

"His?" asked Jack.

Kat smiled shyly. "I fear I've said too much about it already. Yes, I need his help. I cannot say more about it currently, but this is of the utmost importance to me. I need to find him before it's too late."

"Are you on a deadline then?"

"In a way," she answered cryptically.

"Do you know where you'll find him?"

Kat didn't answer but instead looked deep into the fire before them. As the flames danced in her eyes, Jack watched her with steady fascination. What kind of mission could she be on and who could she be looking for?

"You'll have to forgive me," started Jack after several moments. "I'm afraid this whole prophecy thing is quite new to me. We don't talk of such things among my people."

Kat turned to face him with a shocked look on her face. "You don't have prophecies? Premonitions? Divinations?"

Jack shook his head to all three.

Kat slumped back into her spot on the log. "Java must not be the most imaginative of places."

Jack started to laugh. "It's imaginative all right if you find warfare and technology imaginative. But that type of unseen imagination largely escapes us as a people."

Kat turned to look back at the fire. "Do you believe in fate though, Jack? That each of us has a destiny and a preordained path in front of them? That there are forces at work that guide our steps without any influence from our minds or will?"

Jack shook his head. "Not quite. I've always been raised to believe that we make our own destinies. That we're responsible for our own success or our failures. It's the Javan way. We don't rely on others for our fortunes."

Kat began to shake her head. "Neither do we in Galicia but some people have a preordained future. A future that was predicted long ago and transcribed for those to see throughout history. Great people always have a path, and this person that I'm seeking is the greatest of all of them."

"Who is he, Kat?" asked Jack. "Tell me more about this person?"

She opened her mouth to say something but shut it promptly. "Like I've said before, I've said too much already. This is not something that's ready to come out yet. It cannot be broadcasted."

"Will you tell me some day? With enough time?" pressed Jack.

"Perhaps someday." Kat turned to him and grinned. "If the fates don't make it known to you before then."

Jack pursed his lips as he mulled over her last words. She was such an enigma to him. Even getting to know her was generating more questions than it solved. There was a depth behind her words and a painful past that colored each of her steps. He just wanted to know more about her. As his eyes flickered down to her body, even questions of a sensual nature began to take hold.

As if sensing his thoughts, Kat turned to look at him again. Being caught so unawares as he looked over her body led to a heavy red color filling his cheeks. Kat seemed to notice.

"I want to ask you something, but I don't know the best way to ask it," she said quietly before looking back to the flames. Jack was glad she turned her attention elsewhere, giving his cheeks time to return to their normal hue.

"It's best that you just come out with it and ask me," said Jack. "How bad can it be?"

Kat took a deep breath and then met his eyes again. "Are you attached to anyone?"

Jack frowned. "Attached? As in, am I seeing someone?"

"Yes, do you have a love? A woman to call your own?"

Jack thought about the question for a few moments. There was no good way to answer that question. While the official answer was no, the unofficial answer was complicated as well. His mind drifted briefly to Abigail. While he was more than fond of the woman, and he was certain she was to him as well, they weren't even a couple even by nontraditional standards. For that reason, he would give the truth.

"I don't have a woman to call my own, as you call it," said Jack. "I thought it would go in that direction with one particular woman recently but that really hasn't come to pass. So you can say I'm rather unattached."

Kat nodded while he spoke before a shy smile appeared on her lips. "Interesting," she said finally.

"Why is that interesting?"

"It just is. I wouldn't expect a man such as you, in your position, to be unattached."

"Perhaps I'm just a little on the smelly side?"

Kat started to giggle and slapped her hand against her knee. "I think I'm beginning to like you, Jack."

"What about you? Is there anyone waiting for you back home or elsewhere?" he asked.

The smile dropped from Kat's face. She was silent for a few moments before she opened up. "It seems that the last few years spent without a home hasn't done any favors for my personal life. If I had stayed at home, possibly. Now that option is barred to me. I can say it truly doesn't disappoint me though."

"Why is that?" asked Jack.

She turned to face him. "Because that's not the life that was meant for me."

"Ah, I see. Your calling, I take it?"

She gave him a surprised look. "Are you making fun of my calling?"

He shook his head quickly. "Not at all. Just forgive me if it seems hard for me to wrap my head around it."

"That's understandable. And I won't hold it against you," she said with a smile. "Perhaps this journey will be good for the both of us. You can teach me what it's like to be Javan with all your normal sensibilities."

Jack chuckled. "As long as you teach me all about Galicia and your supernatural beliefs."

Kat giggled. "That sounds like a fair deal to me." She offered out her hand. Jack instantly reached out to grab it, shaking on their deal. He quickly noted how soft her hands were in that regard, smooth and warm yet there was also something else to them. A strong grip that showed she was used to using her hands to work. It was an interesting combination, and he found himself not eagerly letting her hand go.

"Are you going to let go?" she whispered after a few moments, nodding to her hand with some amusement.

"Sorry," said Jack with an embarrassed laugh. She gave him a wide smile as they reluctantly parted, both turning away from each other in a moment of awkwardness. For a few moments, the only sounds that could be heard was the crackling of the fire and the sounds of nearby mosquitoes. After a few moments of looking in the fire, Jack heard Kat take a deep, exaggerated breath. He turned to look at her to find her already staring back at him.

"You know, I'm not sure if I ever really thanked you for what you did today," started Kat. "If it hadn't been for your fortunate arrival, I don't know if I'd be still alive right now."

Jack smiled. "Just doing what I thought was right. You can't mistake a scream like that. Once I heard you, I just reacted and came dashing in that direction. It almost felt like I didn't have a choice. My body just responded to you."

"I'm grateful that you did. Even a few moments longer and who knows what could've happened." Kat shuddered. "It's another reason I'm not looking forward to sleeping tonight. I don't want to have to shut my eyes and see those men standing over me again. Or try to figure out what their intentions were."

"Nothing good, I assure you," said Jack solemnly. "But it's okay now. You'll be safe with us." As long as you're not out to betray us, said his inner voice. Now that the topic had steered back to the confrontation from earlier this morning, Jack figured now was as good a time as any to probe into her story, even if just to put the rest of the group at ease. What scared him about it was that he in no way believed she was up to anything nefarious. Her story seemed to check out with him but only because he had spent so much time getting to know her.

"For what it's worth, I'm glad that you were the one to find me," said Kat with a trusting smile. "I'm grateful it was you, Jack."

Jack gulped and turned his face back to the fire. "Do you have any idea where those men came from? The ones that attacked you?"

"It was hard for me to tell," said Kat. "One moment Jacob and I were resting in a field, and the next, they were practically on top of us."

"Then they quickly melted into the forest once I killed a few of them," finished Jack.

"So I guess that's where they staged the attack."

Jack looked at her. "You guess?"

"Of course. I can only guess at this point," said Kat with a confused expression.

"How much have you been traveling in the Sorellan interior? Have you been here long?"

Kat leaned forward on the log. "A few weeks. Why do you ask?"

Jack took a deep breath. "It's just that this island has been in upheaval for quite a long while now. Over a year. The last few weeks have been so tumultuous that I'm curious where you've been during that time?"

Kat scrunched her eyebrows. "We've been here but moving around. Jack, you're confusing me. Why are you asking me this?"

Jack didn't want to answer. The look on Kat's face was one of pure bewilderment. He didn't blame her one bit. The tone of their whole conversation had shifted in the last few minutes. But as much as Kat was growing on him, he had a responsibility to his group to keep them out of harm's way. And that meant corroborating her story.

"Is there anyone out there you've met or visited with that can confirm that you were there? Or that you passed by?" asked Jack.

All traces of contentment dropped from Kat's face as she gave him a discerning look. "Why do I need an alibi for my whereabouts, Jack?"

He decided to stop dancing around the subject and answer it head-on. She might get pissed at him or even choose to leave the group but he had to be sure.

"There are some within our group that think the timing was just a little too good for this morning's rescue," began Jack. "Some that know this countryside and know the measure and the cunning of criminals inside. Some that think you may have staged the attack to join our group."

Kat's mouth fell open in amazement. She didn't respond for several moments, only gaping at him at having the audacity to say something so damning out loud. When her mouth eventually closed, she crossed her arms in front of her chest as her eyes narrowed. "Do you think I would let my only companion get murdered in front of my very own eyes just to pull a trick on you? Who the hell are you?"

"If you knew what this mission was for, who knows? What we're trying to recover is so serious that I wouldn't put it past someone to get theatrical in their attempt to stop us," said Jack.

"And about Jacob? Do you think I could just authorize his killing?"

Jack took a deep breath. "How do I know he wasn't already dead? How do I know it wasn't just a clever story you came up with to distract us?"

"How dare you!" Kat stood up from the log and placed her hands against her hips. Even in such an aggressive pose, she wasn't very threatening with her short stature. But the look on her face showed that all hell was about to break loose.

"I sit here with you and bare my story and my background with you and the first thing you do is accuse me of being a spy in your camp?" said Kat in a much louder voice. "You've got some nerve to accuse me on this day, when I've lost so much already!"

Jack stood up and raised both hands. "Kat, wait just a moment. Can you try to think about this from our perspective?"

"Why should I?"

"Because it might help, trust me. We're trying to recover stolen gold from a man who's turned his back on his own country," pled Jack. "Who is going to do something far worse if he reaches Mount Tarpeious. He's already shown that he's willing to throw his men in our path to try and stop us, and I won't put something this cunning out of his reach. Just swear to me that you're not in league with him."

Kat gave a loud huff. "Why should I swear anything to you? If you think I'm in league with him, then my word won't make one difference one way or another."

Jack took a step closer to her. "Just swear to me, Kat. Please. I know you're not involved but this is for the rest of them." He pointed to the sleeping members of the group nearby. "I have to watch out for them as my first priority. If they don't trust you yet, I have to be suspicious."

"I had nothing to do with it, Jack," said Kat with blazing eyes. "This morning happened because a bunch of thieves thought we were an easy target. If you hadn't shown up, I wouldn't be standing here so I guess I owe you that. But I'm in league with no one. I'm on my own mission that has nothing to do with Sorella or any gold." She finished the sentence as her cheeks glistened with tears.

"I believe you," said Jack quietly. "I do. I just had to be sure."

"Well now that you got what you wanted, I'm going to bed," said Kat as she quickly turned heel. Her blonde hair flew through the air as she quickly moved away from the fire.

"Kat, wait," said Jack.

"Save it, Jack," said Kat as she walked away. "I don't want to talk to you right now."

He stopped in his tracks as she got further away. By the time she reached her pack, she hurriedly laid down and faced away from him. He watched her for several minutes trying to discern if she was just angry with him or worse, crying. Yet, eventually the steady rhythm of her breathing seemed to confirm that she had fallen asleep.

He laid back against the log and took a deep sigh, cursing his stupidity. There had to have been a better way to bring up their doubts than how he just went about it. But as different scenarios kept running through his head, most of them shook out the same way. Great story, Kat, now tell me, are you being paid to infiltrate our group by a greedy, former East Sorellan minister?

What was worse, he really sympathized with the woman and her story. She had been through much in her young life already and losing her trusted companion today had cast a long shadow. The confrontation had put him in a foul mood. It was for that reason that when he was relieved by Vera in the middle of the night, he crawled into his sleeping bag and found sleep nearly impossible. He couldn't remember how long he laid there, trying to think of how he could make things right between himself and Kat.

One thing was for certain—sleep wasn't going to come easily.