Kara calls for Fearless, but he doesn’t appear. She walks around and calls for him several more times, but he still doesn’t appear. When he sees Kara worried, Lines casts Blink and begins blinking in and out between the material plane and ethereal. He cancels the spell and says, “He is there.” Kara looks at the ground and sighs, “He’s still mad at me.” She climbs into the wagon and sits down while Sylnoa gets in. Shae and Aran mount up while Lines and Persi climb onto the driver’s seat. They take up the same formation as yesterday, with Ava and Shae in front and Aran following behind.

Kara sees Pim’s backpack and opens it. At first, it’s just the usual stuff: bedding, clothing, stuff needed for a trip. When she gets to the bottom, she sees a rolled-up leather bag. She feels she knows what she will find as she opens it. Inside, she sees locks of hair, a pair of undergarments, a sock, and a tooth. She folds it up. She flinches when Sylnoa touches her shoulder, “Sorry. It’s,,” Sylnoa says, “I’ve seen the evil out there in more ways than I want.”

Ava asks Shae, “What does Shae think about Sylnoa?” Shae says, “Shae thinks Sylnoa is a pure person that was with bad people.” Ava replies, “Doesn’t it creep Shae out that Sylnoa can see into people’s minds?” Shae says, “It is considered a great gift among Shae's people.” Ava says, “Well, yesterday, Sylnoa cut Ava open. That’s hard for Ava to overlook.” Shae looks at her, “Is it hard for Ava to overlook the cut, or for Ava to overlook Sylnoa is spending time with Kara?” Ava rides to the side without saying more and thinks about Shae's words.

The day passes quietly until Persi calls a halt in the early afternoon to get something to eat and feed and water the horses. Ava lets Chomasuke go hunt, then walks back to the wagon. Kara and Sylnoa are already pulling out some food. Shae creates a fire, and Aran takes care of the horses with Lines while Persi walks around checking the gear, ensuring everything is still secure.

Sylnoa goes to get some more water from a barrel in the wagon. Ava scoots next to Kara, “What did she do to help you yesterday?” Kara says, “I fell into a bad memory, one where something horrible was about to happen. I didn't know I was really here. I was back in the prison at a time when this sadistic shifter pulled me up from a pit, raped me, and nearly beat me to death. Then, somehow, she was there and helped me escape.” Kara leans against Ava, “Last night, she helped me realize something, too.”

Ava looks at Kara, “What was that?” Kara smiles, “That you are my sister, here,” she places a hand over her heart, “and here.” she points to her head. Ava gives her a quizzical look. Kara says, “It’s a long story. To summarize, an inferni did something horrible to me a long time ago.” Ava says, “The Warden?” Kara nods, “I didn’t realize it, but I’ve never trusted infernis since then. I also didn’t realize that even though I love you, I didn’t trust you.” Kara puts her arms around Ava’s neck and hugs her, “I love you; I trust you. It wasn’t you, Ava, it was me, all me.” Ava smiles and looks at Sylnoa. Kara says, “I know you don’t like her, but maybe she can help you at some point.” Sylnoa returns and pours some water into the pot, “You two look cozy.” She sees Ava isn’t glaring at her like she wants to smash her head into the ground. Ava asks, “Is it me, or is it getting colder?”

Kara shrugs. Persi says, “It does feel colder.” he looks at Shae. Shae jumps up on the wagon and looks at the horizon, “Shae sees bad weather ahead, maybe snow.” Lines says, “This time of year can go from sunny and warm to a snowstorm inside a day.” Aran, Ava, and Persi say, “I miss Nexus.” Kara laughs, “Lines, do you have gear for cold weather?” Lines nods, “We’re probably one set short. Ava, do you or Sylnoa want to use my boots?” Sylnoa defers to Ava and says nothing. Ava says, “I’ll use the gear we got at Egg’s. Kara starts pulling off her boots, “Sylnoa, give me your boots. You can wear mine, but you’ll have to attune to them. They will keep you warm.” Persi says, “Everyone, get your gear ready, but don’t put it on yet. You don’t need to get sweaty before the cold hits. Shae, keep an eye out for a place to shelter.” Sylnoa attunes the boots while they eat. She feels the chill from the cold air leave completely. She asks Kara, “What about you?” Kara says, “It won’t affect me. Cold doesn’t bother me.” When they finish eating, Ava calls for Chomasuke. While waiting, she tells Sylnoa, “Let me know when you’re ready, and I’ll introduce you to her.” The thought terrifies Sylnoa, but she says, “I’d like that.”

After eating, they begin the trek again. Toward evening, the temperature drops fast, and as the wind picks up, Shae comes galloping back, “Shae found a sheltered bluff about a half mile ahead.” Persi says, “Lead the way.”

They unhook the wagon as the snow starts. Aran, Lines, and Shae are getting the horses secured and covered with blankets while Kara and Ava work on the tent, and Persi and Sylnoa get supplies out of the wagon and help with the tent. Kara dismisses Chomasuke because she doesn’t like the cold and can go to a much warmer place. Ava brings a large rock into the tent that Persi can heat with cantrips. Everyone gets in the tent and settles down. Persi pulls out an elixir and pours it on the rock, which begins to glow with heat. Kara says, “I have an announcement if Sylnoa is still willing?”

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Sylnoa thinks for a second, “Yes, of course.” Everyone looks at Kara. Kara says, “When Sasha scries me tonight, Sylnoa will link with me telepathically and be Sasha’s senses, so I won’t have to stare at a mirror, and everyone can talk to her.” Ava asks, “Will the Princess be okay with that?” Kara says, “I don’t see why not. I don’t see why she wouldn’t be happier with that.” Ava asks, “What if she wants to say something private to just you.” Kara says, “I don’t think Sasha can say anything more private to me than what Sylnoa has already seen or what she will see. Plus, I’m all for it.” Persi says, “Well, that’s settled. Who wants to tell a story?” Everyone looks at each other, and Sylnoa says, “I will.”

Sylnoa sits on a crate on the other side of the heated rock, facing everyone. Kara and Shae lean against Ava on either side. Aran, Lines, and Persi get comfortable. Sylnoa says, “I know we only met yesterday and not under the best circumstances, so I’ll tell you how I came to be the person you met. I’ve seen into some of your memories. I will share something intimate with me.”

She gathers her thoughts for a moment and prepares herself, “I didn’t know my father; he was some raider who invaded Silent Star. Needless to say, it wasn’t a good meeting for my mother. I was an unexpected and somewhat unwanted result. He was killed running away after he raped my mother. I know this from listening to my grandfather yell at my mother. Even though my mother had no choice when it came to being my mother, the Silent Star wanted nothing to do with her. She was forced to live in the Outskirts.” Ava says, “That’s horrible. Why did her parents do that to their child? I’m sorry, I’ll be quiet.” Sylnoa says, “It’s okay, questions are welcome. No, she was also ostracized by her parents and her brother. They wanted even less to do with me, but it took me a while to realize that. I’ve been able to see auras for as long as I can remember. I remember when I would see my grandparents, uncle, or other villagers, I would see joyous auras around them, then they would see me, and then those auras would turn to hate and disgust. I thought they were good people and didn’t like me. It was something I just got used to. But they hated my mother for carrying me. They hated me more for being born.”

Sylnoa takes a drink, “But my mother never showed them anything but joy, and she never showed me anything but true love. She also taught me to hide my talents when she figured out what I could do. You see, in my village, they respected arcane and divine magic. But mystic powers, if they hated me for being half-elf, they would kill me for being a mystic. So, my mother kept me away from them as much as possible. She also defied them when it came to teaching me. They forbade her from teaching me more than how to speak. When they learned I could read, they cut off all support and forbade the village from helping. But she was a great hunter and a better gardener. I could also use my talents to hunt. That’s where everything went wrong. I went out one day to hunt and tracked a deer. When I got close enough, I used a talent to crush its mind and kill it. I didn’t see that my uncle had been tracking the same deer. That night, the village came for me, led by my uncle. We ran for what seemed like forever. Every time we thought we had lost them, they would find us. My mother refused to kill another elf, so we would just keep running. We ran until we, I should say she, had no place left to run. We were backed into a canyon. The only way out was a narrow crevasse.”

Sylnoa takes another drink and wipes her eyes, “She pushed me into the crevasse, using her body to block it as the arrows hit her. She cried for me to run, even after her body had given up. I saw her aura fade and disappear, but she kept yelling at me to run. She held herself in that crevasse to keep them from catching me. I did what she told me to do and ran. I kept running and hiding when I came out on the other side. I don’t know if they stopped with my mother or eventually gave up on me. For a long time, I roamed alone. I found a city, Everwind, and lived on the streets for a while. I used my talents to steal what I needed. Then the Bloodhoods took notice of me, so I ran again. I was making my way toward Cragcall, but I got lost when a pack of wolves chased me. That’s when Kashan, Mururk, and Neola found me, literally. I was tired, starving, and asleep. I woke up being dragged out of a tree by Mururk, the half-orc. He wanted to have his way with me and was about to when I hit him with a Psychic Hammer and knocked him out. Neola knocked me out and tied me up. When I woke up the next day, they were arguing; Mururk wanted to rape and kill me, Kashan wanted to sell me to the slavers, and Neola was undecided. She asked me how I knocked out Mururk. I told her, described their auras, and showed them a few other things I could do. At that point, I was saying anything I could to stay alive. I even told him I could cook his eyeballs in his head. I can’t do that.”

“Life with them wasn’t fun; they never let me get out of their sight, and they used me to read people to find out if they had anything worth stealing. I would always make a show of fighting without really fighting. I seldom hurt anyone unless I thought doing so would save them. So yes, sometimes I would knock people out so they could be robbed, but then I would talk the others into letting them live so we didn’t get charged with murder. Most of the time, it would work. I’m sorry to say, sometimes it wouldn’t. If I knocked them out, they had already lost. Then, when we got to Crossroads, the brothel had already moved in. Those people you fought weren’t the people taking slaves; they were buying them to use in the brothel. Sometimes, their customers would rough up a slave or kill a slave. So, they hired us to collect. Kashan figured we would expand the business and start “collecting” so that people would have the right to stay or do business there. Then the fees got higher and higher. But everyone was too afraid to fight, and most figured paying was easier. Then, a week or so ago, a group rode in all badass and made a fool of Kashan on the way out, revealing they were just a bunch of con artists. Kashan was pissed. He threatened to sell me to the brothel for not seeing through their con. Then, when you rode in yesterday, Kashan didn’t care, even though I could see that we should not mess with you. I’ll be honest; I didn’t argue hard, either. I was hoping to escape while you kicked their asses. But a really big marrowfang stalker had other plans for me. When I say I didn’t mean to cut you, Ava, I mean it.” Sylnoa stands and puts her finger through an arrow hole well over a foot above her head. “When I fired the arrow at you, I fired to miss. But the way you moved while fighting, you were suddenly where I was swinging. Anyway, that’s my story.”

Ava holds her arms open, inviting Sylnoa to hug her. Sylnoa wastes no time. Kara whispers to Ava, “Elirae led me to a death world for you. I still don’t know how I saw you through the chaos of that battle. Maybe she guided Sylnoa’s blade, which led to her being here now.” Persi looks outside. It’s after dark