When Azal returned to the tent. The pair, and Renard settled around a small private table away from both the servants of the du’Vaul family and the Ironmongers. Renard didn’t even bat an eye seeing Azal come in or having a private moment, which made Tosh wonder what the man knew, yet pushed the thought aside. Instead, he took the small roll of silver foil paper and small laser pen from Azal.

“What are you doing…boy?” Renard asked, as Tosh finished writing a small message on a torn piece of metal foil with the laser pen.

“I am sending a message to my contact who’ll be able to get us to Shatterspike.” Tosh smiled, glancing over at the simple message to Tessa.

“How?” Renard asked.

“Ever use The Guild?” Tosh asked.

Renard’s head pulled to one side. “Those crazy freaks?”

“Yes, them.” Tosh smirked, thinking about the Guildie Tessa. He gave the metal to Azal, who looked at it like it would bite him. “Take this to the specific coordinates I give you.”

“You want me to do what, sahib?” Azal asked, looking confused.

“Plant it in the ground at the coordinates I gave you. And, by the time you get back, she’ll be here, ready to take us to Shatterspike.”

“How’s that possible?” Renard asked.

“It’s a long story,” Tosh said. “Trust me. Unless you want to get a crash course in quantum entanglement and fifth-dimensional physics?” Tosh saw Renard’s face scowl at him, which he ignored. He looked at Azal and gave a head nod.

Azal gave one back, glancing at the Ironmonger leader, then back at Tosh. “Are you—”

“Very sure. Go.”

The moment Azal leaves, the far tent flap fluttered open and a bundle of multi-colored silk scarves that wrapped around a small feminine form with a mop of red hair walked in, slipping in on bare feet on the rich carpet. If Tosh hadn’t been waiting and looking for her, she would have slipped in unnoticed.

“Tosh! It is good to see you again, my friend. How’s Bors?”

“Haven’t talked to him in six months, Tessa,” Tosh said, trying to hide a frown as he stood and moved a little closer to her.

Tessa’s beaming smile faltered when she saw Tosh fully. “Oh, damn, timelines are hard to remember. Get’s muddled sometimes. Will have to make a note. Want to explain why you want to go to Shatterspike?” She asked, stepping up to Tosh and giving him a big hug. She ignored Renard like he wasn’t even there.

“Have to. Need to get something there.” Tosh looked down to see Nix’s serpent form twined around Tessa’s neck and down her neck below the coat.

Tessa looked at Renard and then at the robotic Ironmongers he had in tow. Turning back to look at Tosh, she gave him a head tilt without asking a question.

“Yes, he and the Ironmongers will come—”

“No. No. No. I don’t deal with them,” Tessa said, face suddenly red.

“They are my backup,” Renard snapped. “I will go another way to—“

“You won’t be able to get there when we need to be there,” Tosh said.

“What do you mean?” Renard asked. “You can’t be the only smuggler to get me there. I was extending an olive branch. However, my contacts—"

“I want to go right after the eruption years ago, Renard. The only time the forsa crystals will be gathered and not have a poison filtering throughout the facility.”

“You want to go back in time?” Renard shouted and then laughed.

“Yes, Renard. It’s the only way. Shatterspike’s too polluted to be breached. The amount of precautions needed would be astronomical. This Guildie can take us to that point.”

Tosh could see that Rick’s face drooped with the explanation. “Yes, your twelve crates a year will not be given past this one time. Find a way to make the one load you gain be enough to last.”

Rick turned and glared at Tosh, then at Tessa. “You are both insane. Yet, I must have at a sizeable amount of forsa or I cannot continue with my campaign.”

“Good,” Tessa said. “Maybe I should take Nix and split with Tosh and Azal.”

“You know about Azal?” Tosh asked.

“More than you know,” Tessa said with a small smirk. “Don’t ask, timeline muddling and all.”

“How?” Renard asked. “You keep talking about ‘muddling of timelines.’ What are you talking about?”

“Time is not a straight line,” Tessa said. “Nor is it strictly cyclical. It is a jumbled mess. It’s when you have classes, want to ask your crush to the prom, have to beat up the rival to win the girl, and also make sure your team wins the home game, all within 48 hours.”

Tosh and Renard looked at Tessa, staring.

“What?” she asked, looking at them innocently. “It made sense to me.”

“That is an insane idea.” Renard said while looking back at Tosh.

“I know, love it,” Tessa said with a wink at Tosh. “It’s the only reason I’m still here. I like insane. So does Nix,” she said as the head of her companion reared his head from her coat by her chin. Tessa gave the finned head a soft stroke and a soft coo before the head settled back down.

“He doesn’t like your business acquaintance,” Tessa said, looking from Nix to Tosh.

“From me to Nix, neither do I. Yet, sometimes we have little choice in who we must do business with,” Tosh said with a wink.

“I’m still in the room,” Renard snapped.

“We are well aware of that,” Tessa said, turning to look at the general. “Relax bucket head. I’m going to help you with this.”

Tessa looked at Tosh, her eyes weighing him. “You know, I wouldn’t do this for anyone.”

“I know, and I am very thankful for the help,” Tosh said.

“You are going to owe me for this, Tosh. Big time.”

“Also, very well aware, Tessa,” Tosh said, inclining his head.

“Good!” she pulled Tosh into another bear hug.

She surprised him with how strong she was. “Once Azal returns, we shall go.”