SUBJECT // gillian galahad // valkan trader //

THEORY POTENTIAL // stifled //

Take a breath. Good idea. Take a breath to get to the next breath.

"Start again," I say. "Because I still don't get how you lost your trousers."

Eyes on the boy Gideon as he swallows. Are we calling him a boy? Yeah. Yeah, I think we are.

"Oh," he says, teeth still chattering. "I had, had an accident. Then the s-stream and the, oh, the giant—"

"Nakob—shut up a second Gideon, we'll talk about the giant soon—any sign?"

Nakob shakes his head, then his narrow eyes flick to the boy.

"Maybe," I say. "Tell me. Those four killers at the arena. Any of them a stone giant?"

Another shake of the head from Nakob.

"You seen anything looks like that?"

"Nuh."

"Okay. Check the path ahead." Back to the boy. "You. Gideon. What did the stone giant do?"

"Uh. Don't know exactly. I, uh, that's w-when I passed out. Um. In the stream."

"Then you woke up and a scarred woman with white eyes gave you a warm drink."

"Um. Yes."

"After which you stumbled into a group of lizardmen and led them straight to us."

Boy's got the grace to look embarassed.

"All right." Resist the urge to sigh. If I start now I'm never gonna stop. "Listen up, Gideon. You're still alive now because none of us got killed. You can thank the man North for that. If it wasn't for him coming in—"

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"I, I know. I will thank him. And thank you, for, for everything—"

"Do anything that puts any of us in danger and I leave you for dead. Understand?"

"Yes. Um. Yes, I do."

I give him a long stare, then nod. "Go talk to Astra, she'll sew those leaves you got proper."

Watch him scurry off. Narrowed eyes at young Finn leaving his watch—wait, who the fuck is that?

"Goodness goodness, what a gathering!"

New voice. New face. Glance at young Finn. Boy's looking sheepish. Got fucking reason.

"Ah! The lady in charge, no doubt. So sorry to intrude but—"

"You get three more words before I order you dead."

He's sharp, this one. Can tell from the way his smile don't but flicker, and the way he gets his words together then gives it another second before talking:

"You're. Stunningly. Beautiful."

Point my gaze at Finn. "You fell for this crap?"

"He said he'd be useful! He's an ambassador and, and real good at talking and all, and there's another one, a scout from Muur, you know Muur scouts!"

Gaze back on sharp. "She hiding in the tress? Got a bow trained on my head? This where you tell me the second you fall is the second before I die?"

"I do beg your pardon? Ah, I see, some assumption of my being 'covered'—no no, I assure you, my relationship with this particular Muurian scout is, oh, what words should I use, regrettably she does not place any significant value upon my life. The second I fall, it may very well be, is the second before she smirks."

Glance at Tro, appeared from somewhere the way he does. "Problem?"

"Heya boss. Nuh, no problem, just checking out the new face. Valkan, huh? Some kind of rich. Good looking, maybe."

Interesting. Sharp's smile just dropped.

Tro spits. "Eh, seems harmless."

"As I keep telling people! Harmless and useful, that's me all over. Avon Averline, by the by, special ambassador for cultural cooperation—"

"Enough. Tro, Finn, go with him to the scout. If she's okay we'll give 'em both a chance."

"You shan't regret—dear goodness but there's a sight."

Follow Avon's stare.

Start staring myself.

Barely looks human she's so swollen, from insect bites maybe, can't even see her eyes for the swelling and her head's all lumpy, golden hair muddied and sticking out at all angles. Looks like her right arm got the worst of it, at least twice normal size and covered in weeping boils.

"Please," she moans so pitiful, shuffling forward out of the trees. How's she even walking on those legs?

Hear a noise from over, the man North. He stands and he stares like everyone is staring, except there's a difference. He knows her.

"Vee," he says. "Oh gods, Vee."