∞ Chapter 9.

Jak did not in fact want to experience the great Diarrhea enlightenment, so he pondered the ways to avoid such a thing. Maybe his metabolism could handle it like normal poisons, but he wasn't about to risk it.

The great diarrhea enlightenment was frightening indeed, so there was no other choice for him but to take the appropriate measures against such a serious threat.

It seemed like their conversation was about to end, so Jak cut off the probe and walked back to the centre of camp just in time to see the four men return from the forest.

"Finally clean are you? Ah egghead your scalp still seems to be a little moist. Want me to fetch a cloth and polish your shining globe for you? It's the least I can do for upsetting you so." Jak said with a huge smile, winking over at Morgan, Torkan and Keith, who all let out strangled sounds as they tried to contain their laughter. "Oh you bastard!" Barnas shouted, walking towards Jak, his intent all but obvious.

"Shall we dance, o big and powerful B rank explorer?" Jak asked in a mocking tone, taunting him with one hand. To Jaks surprise, the man didn't fly at him like a beast, screaming and foaming at the mouth. Instead, he became subdued and calm and his lips tugged upwards in a smile. "So, let me get this straight pretty boy. You are challenging me to a spar, is that right?" Barnas said, his deep voice barely concealing his joy. The mans eagerness was obvious, atleast to Jak, and it was about time he dealt with the mans obnoxious attitude. Besides, he had been reminded of the real world after the Ves incident and was striving for another distraction before he had to face the horror of the great diarrhea enlightenment.

"You got that right." Jak said, noticing the two sneaky women rejoining the party at the centre of camp, where Tifana was setting up a cauldron much like earlier. He was interested in the process she put the food through, because it made seemingly ordinary vegetables taste like golden flakes of simdri on sugarpeaches. Okay, exaggeration. But still, the woman was a food witch for sure.

"Got what right?" Ves asked. Her eyes were a little red, but otherwise she seemed to have regained her usual joviality. Jak knew why. He needed to be wary of that.

"We're gonna have a little spar before dinner. Sounds good right? Loosen up the muscles and all that." Barnas said, his tone casual. "Who are we?" Ves asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. "Why me and Jack of course. Who else?" Barnas said with a grin. Upon hearing this, Ves' eyes grew sharper and she crossed her arms. "What? You promised me you wouldn't." Ves replied.

"Oh but I didn't, now did I boys?" Barnas said, looking back at the three other men. Jak thought they hardly qualified for boys. The boys he knew were like polished gemstones, while these men were like cracked boulders of granite. They were men. Still, they nodded their heads to confirm Barnas' words.

It looked like Ves was going to open her mouth again, so Jak intervened.

"We're just going to have a friendly little spar before partaking of Tifana's delicious cooking." Jak said and Ves turned to him. "Is there a problem?" Ves paused, then shook her head.

Barnas beckoned for him to follow, and Jak started moving. "Oh, do you have another shirt lying around somewhere? We seem to be headed into civilized lands, so I may aswell dress for the occasion." Jak remarked offhandedly as he followed behind Barnas. He'd said civilized lands with a sarcastic tone that implied he did not in fact believe it to be so. After all, they were in the middle of nowhere right now. How big could a nowhere city truly be? Then again, it wasn't like he was an expert on Dorwine in the first place, since he had never heard of Midshear before.

"We do, but I don't like this." Ves said. "You sure this is a good idea... I mean..." Ves trailed off when she saw that he did not budge or falter in his steps.

"Could someone bring it when we're done? Won't be long, since it looks like foods nearly finished." Jak said, and Tifana confirmed with a tight nod. He hadn't heard the woman speak yet, but in Jaks experience cooks were often quite loudmouthed.

One time when he was a youngling, he'd snuck into the palace kitchens and hid. The language the cooks used was truly coarse. They were cursing and cussing all over the place. He learned many interesting expressions that day.

Right now, he was having fun and enjoying himself, but did he have a right to do that with Sienna's whereabouts unknown and his revenge yet fulfilled? Actually he hadn't even begun yet. He sighed and shook his head.

There was nothing to do but bide his time. For that was perhaps the only thing on his side at the moment.

In time, the alfr would grow careless, the rebels would flounder and order would turn to chaos. The lands would lack the guiding hand of Sirion and in-fighting would break out, weakening his foes.

Patience was a virtue, forgiveness was not. Some things could not be forgiven.

Besides, if there was one thing he'd learned over the years, it was to take moments of joy when he could, because the rest of his time would be spent in miserable training. Now things were different. The sentiment still applied however, since fighting a war all on his own could hardly be considered leasure time. It was much like his training after all, he decided. Thus, his current actions were in accordance with his principle.

"Rules?" Jak asked the big man when they'd moved to a clear spot just outside the circle of caravans. "I was thinking a good old fist fight, what do you say?" Barnas asked, clearly confident in his victory. He wondered why the man had such self confidence.

Was a B rank explorer a high ranked professional deserving of much respect?

Jak shrugged. "Anything goes is fine by me. Take that big axe and cleave me in twain oh mighty warrior." Jak said.

Barnas' smirking face fell slightly and he shook his head. It seemed like the warrior did not want to kill him, just put him in his rightful place and teach him a lesson.

He noticed Mina and Morgan coming over to observe the bout. Jak had thought Ves would want to see it since it involved her manservant. Alas the woman mystified him constantly. He didn't know why he even tried to predict her actions. Mayhap she was busy preparing the great diarrhea enlightenment. He shuddered at the thought. Truly a devious woman.

"Fists it is then. Come." Jak said. Barnas obliged, and they started to dance.

There was no formal bow, just a flying fist heading for his face. Jak stepped to one side not even bothering to parry it. Barnas was as straightforward as a boulder rolling down a hill on a predetermined path. The straight was followed by a hook, which Jak blocked with a forearm as he stepped forward and snapped a punch at the mans chest with his free fist.

To Jaks surprise, Barnas managed to close his stance in time to block the punch. Jak hadn't put any power or speed into it, and it was a simple straight to the body. Yet truthfully he hadn't expected Barnas to be fast enough to reply. He took a step back, and Barnas eyed him cautiously, keeping his stance loose yet focused.

"I didn't expect you to block that." Jak admitted, narrowing his eye as though he was looking down on an insect, which wasn't far from the truth in his mind. But perhaps it wouldn't be completely boring.

Actually, wasn't this the perfect opportunity to test an explorers fighting style? Surely he was using some sort of martial art for his fighting stance. Barnas grinned. "Greeting wasn't half bad. But let's see how you hold up against this." Barnas said, holding both arms up and jumping back and forth on his legs. A strange stance reminiscent of the pearl blossom boxing style of Wadhan.

"Very well. Show me this style of yours." Jak said, lowering his center of gravity by taking a wide stance with his legs. He held one hand out infront of him while the other was tucked in near his body, ready to receive the mans assault and determine whether he was any good or not.

Jak had already decided to win without using his strength, since out techniquing a brute shouldn't be too great a task. Over reliance on ones superior strength was a sure sign of weakness, after all. Just as over confidence was.

Barnas came at him with a speed Jak hadn't really expected the man capable of producing.

Jabbing twice with his left hand before following with a powerful straight with his other hand.

Jak used his left hand to absorb the jabs, and parried the straight punch with his right hand, making the man cross his arms. In one fluid motion following from the block, Jak flowed forward and pushed before Barnas could correct his stance, sending Barnas stumbling back a few steps before he righted himself.

Barnas' eyes were wide with surprise. "A fluke." He said, but the man looked a little perturbed. Jak just motioned for Barnas to try again with his outstretched left hand. This time, there was a more serious look in the mans eyes and he approached Jak more cautiously, jabbing at him before suddenly striking with his knee.

Jak blocked the knee with a knee of his own, his superior stance allowing him to push Barnas back. Barnas punched again, throwing a viscious hook towards his face, so he pushed against Barnas and jumped back, blocking the hook with a raised forearm.

The big brute didn't relent, but followed up with a viscious kick. Jak spun into the air, his hand slapping down at the kick as his foot whipped out. It met the mans chin with a solid thwack.

Jak landed elegantly, while Barnas did not. The man stumbled backwards as he fell, rolled and got to his feet again. "You seem a little wobbly there big fella. I hardly put any power into that, so you should be fine." Jak remarked as Barnas struggled to stay on his feet, his eyes dazed. Out of the corner of his eye, Jak noticed Morgan staring with open mouth and wide eyes, but Jak couldn't fathom why.

He had hardly done anything, hadn't even used N'shasa properly. The Arahani martial art had many, many katas devoted primarily to attacking and counter attacking, but he hardly saw reason to dip into them if the man before him didn't up his game.

Wait, the man before him was primarily a weapon user wasn't he?

"Actually Barnas, this contest is slightly unfair is it not? You are a weapon wielder whilst I am not." Jak said. Barnas grimaced and spat at the ground. Red spit. Jak restrained a groan.

Why was this man so weak. He hadn't put any power into his kick.

Perhaps the change had accelerated. It was possible, since you had to step through the void to use the gates, and the void was the essence of the dökkalfr. Even brief contact with the void would accelerate the process, the change he'd so desperately fought against whilst in Sirion. Perhaps he would soon get a pair of fangs and pointy ears like his mother? He might be willing to pay the price if it meant the ability to control his eye... but it also meant dirtying himself further. However, if that was what it took for his revenge, he would do even that.

People thought their prince an introvert, inept at handling diplomatic relations, all due to the fact that he'd avoided the gates like the plague. Perhaps that was one of his failings, one of the things that led the courts to unite against them in the end.

The reminder of his homeland and its fate was not welcome, and Jak frowned.

"I'll not have some whelp looking down on me." Barnas growled, the rage burning in his eyes as he reached for the huge two handed axe. Good. Before anyone could stop them, Jak strode forward right into Barnas' range. The man didn't hesitate, but strained, bending his body forward as he sent the huge axe whooshing through the air towards Jak.

Technique only, he reminded himself as he ducked under the weapon.

Barnas followed up by spinning with the axe and kicking out, a whirlwind of destruction.

"Oy Barnas, you tryin' te kill him?" Morgan shouted, but his voice didn't seem to get through to the enraged warrior. The telltale red faced boiling egg style appearance, told Jak that Barnas was finally serious. He truly hoped Mina would not stop the duel.

"AAAARRRRRGH." Barnas yelled, throwing himself at Jak and swinging wildly with his axe. Jak jumped back, but Barnas was prepared for this. He just kept plowing forward, continuously swinging his axe as Jak dodged, weaved and retreated.

"Stop running you little weasel!" Barnas screamed, spittle flying from his mouth. By now He had gotten a good feel for the mans timing and style, if you could call it a style.

Jak reversed his momentum, twisting his body and throwing himself towards the incoming axe swing. He ducked and spun with a sweep as the axe whooshed past above, clipping wayward strands of hair.

Barnas fell as Jaks kick swept his feet out from under him. In an inhuman display of dexterity and speed, Jak flowed with the sweeping motion. Stretching out his arms to use as weights, he spun his body in the air, raising a leg high. As Barnas fell, Jak brought his leg down, moving his hands to generate momentum. Heel met flesh as Barnas met ground.

Barnas did not immediately rise, which was just aswell since it looked like he wasn't he only one who was stunned. "What. The. Fuck." Morgan muttered to himself, eyes still wide as he stared at the scene in apparent disbelief.

Mina on the other hand had a strange look in her eyes. Jak smiled and waved at her, which seemed to snap her out of her thoughts. She started for him, walking briskly over, her fists clenched as she bit her lip.

"Oh dear, it seems you're going into Ves mode." Jak commented as the angry woman approached. She stopped before him and it was then that Jak noticed her eyes were a little moist. Surely she hadn't been on the verge of tears. They barely knew each other so what did she care whether he got cleft in twain by the egghead? He did feel like the woman was a potential close friend and confidant in this place, but... it was too early to tell. Surely she wasn't yet so attached to him as to cry for him? Surely not...

Mina raised one of her delicate hands slowly and placed it against his cheek. Then she closed her eyes, bit her lip, and gently tapped the side of his face. Jak raised his eyebrows at the womans bizarre display. "What are you doing?" He asked, truly puzzled by her behaviour. Ves mode indeed.

[Embarrassment: That was a slap.] Mina replied, flourishing her digits.

"For what? And that has to be the most adorable slap ever." Jak said, and Mina's face reddened slightly.

[For worrying me. Do you have any idea how scared... I wasn't sure I could put you back together if he hit you.]

"Yet you didn't stop me. You must have some measure of confidence in me. Or perhaps you merely wished to see this Jak cleft in twain by the moustached berserker egg?" Jak asked.

[I just didn't have time to think about it.]

"Alls well that ends well. So shall we?" Jak asked, motioning back to the caravans and the thin trail of smoke rising from the middle of the camp.

[You go ahead. I'll check on Barnas first.]

Jak nodded and walked briskly back to the Tifana food witches' cauldron of delectability to await the dissemination of sustenance within which he suspected he would find poison.

Not of the dangerous kind, but of the great Diarrhea enlightenment kind.

Back at camp, the group had reconvened around the giant cauldron, sitting on logs of firewood or chairs brought out from the caravans themselves. Barnas had yet to join them and was apparently recovering in a caravan.

Jak found himself sandwitched between Ves and Mina, which wasn't such an unpleasant thing.

Ves had a clean and fresh sort of scent, whilst Mina smelled like woman. He briefly closed his eyes and leaned his head back, catching afternoon rays of sunlight on his face. Truly, this was the life. But joy was bound by the principle of impermanence just like all things were. Even those otherworldly abominations to whom he was loosely related. The Alfr.

He would take what he could before the rain started to pour forth from grey skies. Since he was in Dorwine, he would get to experience rain. Proper, natural rain, not the magical kind which his people used to nurture the plants in the hanging gardens.

Used to... He shook his head. Better not to think too much of home right now, lest he might start to feel homesick like some kid.

Jak decided to not pay attention to the great diarrhea enlightenment for the moment, since the food just smelled too good to pass up and he had ways of dealing with poison. It would be truly ridiculous for any regent to forego measures against poisons, after all. Ordinary kingdoms had food tasters, but Sirion was ruled by the individual. Thus, the individual needed to have the strength to face anything, even poisons.

Tifana went around, bestowing upon them wooden bowls with steamy broth inside. His mouth watered, and he used his wooden spoon to catch some of the spicy, goopy mess of vegetables and melted meat. As he ate, his mouth exploded with pleasant flavours and he sat there just enjoying it, oblivious to his environment.

It was not until a few moments later that Jak noticed the odd silence that followed, and he looked up to see all of the travelling companions just staring at him.

"What?" He asked. Ves looked over at him expectantly, but he raised his eyebrows in feigned confusion. She then directed her crystal eyes towards Tifana. Ah, it seemed she'd moved quickly to implement her plan.

"If it's about the great diarrhea enlightenment, I don't feel-" Just as he said that, his stomach exploded with pain, whimpering like a wounded animal. He closed his eyes, activated N'shasa and circulated essence through his body with the internal sigils a few times until it passed. In the mean time, cold sweat broke out on his brow and his body shook slightly. It seemed like he had underestimated their means a little.

He reminded himself again that overconfidence was what had brought down great people throughout the ages. And it was what had ultimately brought the Sirionean empire down too.

Jak cleared his throat. "Well, I'm fine now." He said, returning back to the food. He ate in silence as the others stared at him as though he was some sort of exhibit at a carnival. Eventually though, they also turned to their bowls of broth and ate. For a time, not a word was said and the silence was filled with slurps and thunks of wooden spoons on wooden bowls.

That silence was slightly ominous, coming from the usually boistrous explorers. Especially the perpetrator sitting by his side at this very moment, fiddling with her wooden spoon and looking down as though she was half ashamed and half disappointed.

"So Ves." Jak said, making the woman jump. "It would appear that someone's gifted you the black rose." He remarked off hand, as though it wasn't a big deal to be a target of assassination. If she truly was a princess, it was understandable though. But then why was she out here without adequate guard detail? He truly was curious about her strange circumstances, for they made little sense from his perspective.

"Ah... uhm, what?" Ves replied, looking up at him with confusion.

"The Black rose.The promise of Syotl? You know?" Jak asked. Even Dorwinians should know this, it was elementary knowledge. If she were truly a princess, she should definitely know about the Black rose. Yet still Ves shook her head in confusion.

"I haven't got the faintest. Why would someone gift me a black rose..." she trailed off, furrowing her brow.

Jak just sighed, lamenting the ignorance of these people. "The assassin. I was merely remarking that it seems as though someone put out a contract on you. That is what the black rose symbolizes." Jak explained as though he was talking to a child.

"Hmpf, how am I supposed to know that? You sure you didn't just make that up aswell?" Ves said. The tell-tale loudness was returning to her voice. Next step, shouting.

"Aswell? I haven't made anything up so far." Jak said.

"Like haels you haven't!" Ves shouted, looking up at him with her sharp crystal blue eyes. Her lips were slightly red from the steaming hot food. Sands. He shook his head and looked away from her. It would do him no good to fall for her, besides he already had Sienna. Didn't he?

"Oh by the seven towers." Jak groaned, rubbing at his temples.

Ves' face reddened slighty in anger, so he continued before she could start shouting again. "Never you mind that Ves. I was curious about why assassins are after you."

Ves frowned and pulled back. "I'm a princess a long way from home. Nows the time, if anyone wants to kill me." She shrugged. Jak saw through her attempts to act like it was no big deal. He noticed the slight tremble of her lips, the sudden mist in her eyes and how her shoulders looked stiff and uncomfortable. He knew. He could tell.

"You do not fool me Ves." Jak said, reaching out a hand and gently brushing it against her cheek. She trembled at his touch. "From when I first layed eyes on you until know, you've had this tense set of your shoulders. Something is bogging down your mind, burdening your soul." Jak said, looking straight into her eyes.

Several of the men and even Tifana, cleared their throats when they saw Jak and Ves staring at each other wordlessly for such a long time.

After a long, tense silence in which no one spoke or moved, Jak said: "Tell me Princess, what burdens you so? Midshear is but a day away, so I may not be able to do much, but I still owe you my favour." Jak said. Ves bit her lip and looked down for a moment before refocusing her gaze on him and clearing her throat. She looked so frail just then. On the verge of speaking, she opened her mouth then closed it again.

Then suddenly, she jumped to her feet with a little whimper.

"Hold on!" Jak called, but Ves was already fleeing his presence. A little shove from Mina told him what to do, and so Jak got to his feet with a sigh to follow after her.

It was not the first time he was chasing a woman, but this was by far the strangest and most difficult to handle female he had ever encountered. Perhaps now that his status was not a factor, people would treat him more like a human and not bow down and obey his every whim and wish? If so, that'd be a refreshing change indeed, for he had long since tired of the subservient attitude of most people who found themselves in his presence.

Female or male, it did not matter, for one and all they would bow down before him, shaking with fear in his very presence.

In that, Ves actually reminded him of Sienna a little bit, since Sienna had been the first non high royal to treat him like he was a human. Even if he wasn't entirely human...

Jak got up and followed after Ves. He ignored the hushed whisperings from behind him as he pursued the self proclaimed princess to her caravan, where he found her sitting in a corner of pillows, tears silently streaming down her face.

When Ves saw him, she turned, suppressed her sniffles and wiped at her face with a sleeve. "Go away." She said quietly, a little creak in her voice.

Instead of going away, Jak climbed into the caravan and went over to sit down infront of her. Still half turned from him and wiping at her face, she asked. "Why?"

Jak cocked his head and looked at the young woman a moment before speaking. "Why is a dangerous question. It can often lead one to wrongful speculations, lead one astray from ones goals. It would be far more productive to ponder what, where, when and how, since why is ephemeral and fleeing and always in flux. One cannot pin it down concisely, if at all." Jak replied, running a hand through his hair.

"No, I meant why are you here? Why do you follow me around, hound me, talk weird, treat me like... like you do. And why aren't you angry?" Ves asked.

"No particular reason, not in the way you want there to be one." Jak said. "And do I have cause to be angry with you?" He asked. He was truly puzzled by the womans current behaviour.

Ves sighed. "I don't know. But I hit you and poisoned your food. I'm terrible. Maybe I deserve to be killed by those assassins..." Ves said.

Jak reached over a hand and flicked the womans forehead, making her jump and look up with wide eyes. "Ouch! Why?!" She asked, but she seemed to have snapped out of it a little.

"Again with the why. It is not productive. Ask instead where, what how and so on." Jak said. Ves opened her mouth to reply, but Jak cut her off. "And NEVER say that again. From what I've seen so far, you are undeserving of the black rose, but then again I do not know you very well, nor you me. Mina sent me here however, so the least I can do is try to help. I owe you that much." Jak said.

Upon hearing his words, Ves chuckled. Her eyes were red and she was continuously sniffling, but that did not in the least detract from her attractiveness. In fact, the opposite was true.

"So, who's out to get you?" Jak asked. He wished to get to the bottom of this for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was to help her. However, it might also provide him with useful knowledge to aid him with his revenge.

"It's bound to be my brother, Simian." Ves said, her voice cracking as she deflated. When Jak saw her lips quivering like they did, and how she sniffled and how vulnerable she looked, he reminded himself that Ves was only a young woman. If Mina was to be believed, Ves could not be more than 17, perhaps 18. Jak had been dealing with serious issues since before he was ten, yet for normal people things were different.

He had learned this during his time with Master Aldercroft where he studied peoples and societies. Very useful as a ruler.

"Does your brother have a motive? Why would he want to kill you?" Jak asked. Ves clenched her fists and sucked in a sharp gust of air, vibrating for a moment before deflating again. She truly was a riot of emotions, this woman.

"He does... I crippled him for life. He lost his right to the throne by my hand and now spends his time in grey melancholy, unmoving in a dusty old library!" Ves said.

"This is why you were so upset back then." Jak remarked. Ves nodded. "But you do not know for sure who your pursuers are?" Jak asked. If she could just tell him who it was, he could help her and thus fulfill his dept before it got out of hand.

"No I don't. But I can't imagine it being anyone other than Simian... Keldar's always been so meek and soft. He would never view me as a threat." Vel said, looking like she was lost in thought. "Kel's my other brother, when we were little we..." Ves paused, looked up and shook her head. "No, that's not important. What's important is that it is most definitely not big brother Kel. And I can't imagine it being the fatherlord either..." Ves said.

Jak bowed his head. "Thus your conclusion that Simian is the one who hired the assassins."

Ves let out a frustrated sigh and ran a hand through her hair. "It's just... you know... I can't fault him for it. I can't force myself to be angry at him. Instead, I'm just sad. Sad at what I've done, who I am. And sad at what I am doing out here while Dorwine burns. I pretend to be a grand explorer, but in reality I've accomplished nothing in over a years worth of travelling!" Ves said, and Jak raised his eyebrows.

"Well you found me, isn't that an accomplishment in itself? Most have never been in the presence of a prince before, much less one such as I." Jak said, and Ves stared at him for a moment before she just laughed. Then she reached out and shoved him playfully.

"You're incorrigible." She said and Jak just bowed his head in acquiesence. "You are correct, o princess of Dorwine. For I am who I am, and so it is." Jak said, leaning his head back and posing dramatically. Ves chuckled again, and although she was still red around the eyes and sniffling a little, she was smiling.

"There, much better." He said, patting her on the head. Ves' eyes widened, then she pouted up at him like a child and said. "Stop treating me like a child!"

He couldn't help himself. Ves was just too ridiculous. Jak laughed aswell.

The mood was much improved, but Jak frowned when he remembered her remark about Dorwine burning. What the hael were the alfr doing to the world? Or was it something else? Perhaps she was merely making an allusion to the chaos that followed the fall of order, or perhaps his earlier theory about the 7th key master was correct and he... no. Jak shook his head, refusing to believe his own musings.

"So about the dept I owe-" Jak started, but Ves held up a hand. "You owe me nothing. As a matter of fact you were in mint condition when I found you. Had I left you there, you'd have woken up on your own and been fine without my... help, if you can even call it that." Ves replied.

He shook his head. "No, your guidance so far has been invaluable. I would not know where to go had I woken up in those ruins. You need to stop denegrating yourself." Ves opened her mouth to retort again, so Jak continued: "Regardless, I wish to render aid to you. What can I do?"

"I don't know. And I don't want your help Jak." Ves said, then she perked up and lunged herself toward him. Her face only an inch from his, she smiled. "Tell you what, how about you pay me back by having a great old time with us in Midshear? Our farewell party shall be grand, and there will be much alcohol." Ves said. Close, the woman was so close. Just a slight movement forward and her lips would brush against his. He could smell her aswell, and as before, her scent was pleasant, grounding.

Ves smiled, blinked at him and then leant back again.

Whilst Jak was still reeling from her sudden attack, Ves got to her feet. "Perhaps you'll finally tell me the truth about who you really are when I get you nice and drunk." She said, smiling confidently as she left Jak behind in the now empty caravan, pondering just what this woman was. He just drew a blank on her. Every damn time. He could not hope to predict her actions, read her like he read other people.

Jak crawled out of the caravan and followed Ves back to the now smoldering fire. Barnas had reappeared and the explorers had cracked open a keg of ale. Jak smiled and sat down.