Shanahan thought about what he had seen in Wyndham's world. It seemed more peaceful than his world, but prone to bigger issues between governments. It was no wonder that she liked New York where she could vanish without anyone being able to find her.

Being snatched back here probably put her back on her guard. It's hard to relax when you know someone could show up out of the blue and wreck things for you.

It was a good thing that an understanding had been reached between the factions. It seemed like a lot of work to get rid of the ones you didn't like.

He hoped Wyndham told the kids he was okay. He didn't want her to come back to get deeper in the mess now that she could get out.

If she did come back, he had no way to protect her. The Shapers and Grandview knew what he could do. They would have already thought of counters to his weapons, and his spirits.

That wouldn't stop him from misbehaving.

“Master Shanahan,” said Grandmaster Bao. “Shall we go for a walk while your quarters are being built.”

The marine had heard enough disguised orders to know one when it was dropped on him. He shrugged to show he didn't care.

The two men walked away from the camp. The one leaned on his cane, small paper animal on his shoulder. The other walked in rigid lockstep as he watched the nearby mesa.

“A conclave is only called in the event of the twelve hexes coming under some dire threat,” said Bao. “We usually handle our own problems without consultation of others.”

Shanahan waited. The statement made sense in the light of the way Grandview had answered the Shapers' complaint. My deal comes before your revenge. He was on the fence if he would do the same thing for someone he didn't like.

“You have become someone known for opposing any side among the three of us,” said the Wu Chi. “It will not endear you to my colleagues.”

Shanahan shrugged. He thought he had enough of the others figured out that only the faction leaders could stop him. And he was willing to give himself even odds against any but Grandview.

The master weapon could act with a thought to attack and defend with the spirit powers at his command. He had sliced through the dragons attacking him in moments. He could probably do the same to the wanderer if push came to shove.

“We're going to need you and Mistress Wyndham to help us with the campaign we're going to plan out,” said Bao. He pointed at the hex below them with his stick.

“I'm a subcontractor,” said Shanahan. “I only get ten percent of what she earns for a job.”

“And you wouldn't help us?,” said Bao.

“It's up to Wyndham,” said Shanahan. “I've killed my share of people who got in my way for my country, and for myself. Your problems don't seem that big when you see someone like Grandview on your side.”

“The Master Weapon is lazy,” said Bao. “He will only act when the situation is already dire.”

Shanahan didn't disagree with the assessment. The tour through the tunnels he and Wyndham had led could have been completed in a few hours with Grandview's Door allowing him to move Master Yuen through the underground warren at will. Any threat could easily have been countered by his other powers.

The release of the dragons could have been dealt with at the source before they got a chance to leave the tunnels.

“I would like to strike at any source of troubles before they became too big for us to handle,” said Bao.

“We would have to rearm and bring more supplies,” said Shanahan. “And Wyndham is gone and I have no way to call her.”

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“She will not go back without you,” said Bao. “She is as loyal to you, as you are to her.”

“I don't see it,” said Shanahan.

“Then you will have to trust me on this,” said the Wu Chi. “She will return to take you away as soon as she thinks she can. I think a few more hours will be enough to prove my thinking.”

Shanahan hoped the grandmaster was wrong. Wyndham should stay away now that most of the people who wanted her were dead. He could make sure of the rest without having her in the way.

“Don't worry,” said Bao. “She has proven resourceful and a force to be reckoned with in her short time away from Master Grandview. I expect that if she wanted, she could have secured the other weapons and made herself his equal. Then we would have really seen something between the two of them.”

Shanahan doubted that. Despite his foppery, Grandview had some hidden steel that he would bring out to put down any challenger to his throne. He might let some things pass for the sake of expedience, but a full on facial attack would bring out the ego in full force.

Wyndham would be lucky to walk away from something like that.

Shanahan had already thought that he would need to catch the man sleeping and make sure that he never woke up. A bullet didn't seem that good compared to a shield that could stop lightning.

“We are going to need you to sit in and explain what you saw to the others,” said Bao. “They will have no reason to trust us. Most have dealt with Master Grandview because of the location of his hex. That will be enough to cause some doubt.”

“If I'm still here when this happens, I will talk to the other faction heads if you want,” said Shanahan. “I don't see any reason they would trust me over you.”

“They won't know you except as someone who took two of Master Grandview's spirits,” said Bao. “Mistress Wyndham's leaving is also widely known.”

“How many know she was settling accounts when this mess started?,” asked Shanahan.

“Anyone who had watchers on Master Grandview and the Shapers,” said Bao.

That could be any number of people the way he said that.

Shanahan realized the oracles would know with whatever psychic bull they used. The thirteen of them probably saw this happening and decided to help out where they could. Depending on how much they hated the old Master Carver, they might be happy a new one is in charge.

Anything not pointing to their desired outcome would be collateral damage.

“Mistress Wyndham is back,” said Bao. He turned and started back to the meeting place. “Shall we?”

Shanahan picked up the older man and carried him across the grass. The aura of the Horse covered them as they ran. He ignored the sounds of hooves beating against the grass, or the smoke coming out of his nose. Those were just things to put up with so you could run ten times as fast as a normal man with the surefootedness of a cat.

He spotted Wyndham talking to Grandview and the new Master Carver. She didn't look happy. He slowed as he approached the camp.

“I think we should soothe the troubled waters,” said Grandmaster Bao. He made sure to get his balance as his carrier dropped him on his feet. “The lesser fight is over. We have to get ready for a larger one.”

Shanahan waved him forward. The only soothing he did happened when his fists descended on someone in his face. That tended to soothe the other guy until the next day.

“How do you do, Mistress Wyndham?,” said Grandmaster Bao.

“I'm fine,” said Wyndham. “I think the job is done. I would like to go home with my partner and be done with this place.”

“We are convening a conclave of all the factions,” said Grandmaster Bao. “We need Master Shanahan and you to speak to the others. We have a problem where cooperation will be stymied by the personalities involved.”

“What do you think we can say to convince the others when you and Emil can't?,” asked Wyndham.

“The truth,” said Bao. “That is all that is necessary. Naturally we will house you until the time the meeting takes place.”

“You want us to find out if any more of those dragon farms are around, don't you?,” asked Wyndham. She glanced at Mister Shanahan. His face said nothing, but she knew if she refused he would follow her.

He just didn't care enough to fight for strangers without some kind of reward attached. But he might if she was somewhere else. Children and women were a weak point in his mental armor, but she doubted abstract children and women would move him more than those he knew.

And fighting was what he did best.

“They won't move without something more than Master Grandview's word,” said Bao.

Mister Shanahan nodded slightly.

“All right,” she said. “We'll help you.”