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‘What? When?’ She put that thought from her mind, however difficult it was ‘No, don’t tell ht have I a Toad’

She opened her ht her eye It was not the smooth, rehearsed split of his mouth that he so often wore like a h the porcelain of that rin and wide, shadow-ririood’

His parched lips peeled off glistening guest that he are of as reasy frame about his strained, stubble-caked expression

‘Not so good at sleeping these days,’ he whispered ‘There could be enemies anywhere’

‘All this ti now,’ he replied

She furrowed her brow; she had seen him function on three days’ insomnia without any ill effects before That he would suddenly see breath, its stale air reeking with old barrels and barley

‘Youher nose

‘Wasn’t easy,’ he grunted ‘Had to do soh Couldn’t sleep, obvious reasons’ He patted his breeches and srimly ‘No more knives, see? Felt naked, insecure Whisky helpedback with a sudden twitch ‘Stay alert’

‘You could have slept, you know’

‘No, I didn’t know,’ he snarled ‘I’m not the healer here I didn’t know if you would even wake up’

‘So, you …’ Her eyes widened slowly this ti ‘You watched over me all this ti his head ‘You were out None of the others made it Dread was absolutely worthless’

‘Dreadaeleon? He’s alive?’

‘Fished both of you out You were unconscious He wasn’t Had hiestured to the beach ‘Floated here He stalked off to the forest shortly after, never caer to the dense patch of foliage over her head, saw the scrawny figure leaning against a tall tree, in such still repose as to appear dead Perhaps he was, she thought with a twinge of panic

‘Gods,’ she muttered ‘What’s the matter with him?’

‘What isn’t?’

‘You didn’t check?’ She turned to hihast ‘You didn’t ask?’

‘Not the healer’ The rogue sneered ‘I couldn’t watch over both of you, and you were the one with breasts Process of elihtful,’ she muttered ‘I suppose since I’m awake now …’ She made to rise, then paused as she beca her hand to her jaw ‘My face hurts’

‘Yeah,’ he grunted, scratching his chin ‘I’ve been hitting you for the past few days’

She could but blink

‘All right … should I ask?’

‘I’ve seen you do it before Seemed like an easy medical process’

‘You hit people who are in shock, idiot’

‘I was a bit startled’

She sighed, rubbing her eyes When she looked up again, an unsyaze with the uninterested ru?’ she repeated dully

‘Does it somehow hed ‘Yes, lost everything, up to and including the derelict reptile that got us here’

‘And Lenk, and Kataria …’ She sighed, placing her face in her hands and staring glumly out over the sea ‘It …’ She winced, or rather, forced a wince to her face ‘It had to happen, I suppose’

‘It did,’ Denaos grunted, casting her a curious eye ‘I’h One would expect you to be all on knees and hands, cutting your forehead for Talanas and praying for their safe return … or at least safe passage to heaven’

She scratched the spot her pendant had hung ‘Maybe it’s not so necessary these days’

‘Gods are always necessary,’ he replied ‘Especially in cases like these’

She said nothing at that, instead letting the full weight of the words sink upon her Lost everything … everything …

‘The toue ‘The torunted, then gestured up the hill to Dreadaeleon ‘Or he did, rather Used so off like a ht plucked an unco on her heart She should have been more upset about the loss of her companions, she knew But soht It seemed to her that the loss of the to pile of disappointht to drive ho It was futile

Those thoughts were beco easier to endure with their frequency

She looked up at a hand placed on her shoulder, doing her best not to cringe at his unpleasant s faith?’ he asked

‘I didn’t know faith concerned you’

‘Washed up on an island No food, little water, friends dead and book lost’ He shrugged ‘Not much left but faith’

She frowned; faith used to be all she needed Soht, however He rose up, offering her a hand and a whisper

‘I’m sorry’

It caes carried on the stink of his breath, sounds in the warrasp

‘I’h herof her mind And he repeated it, over and over ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry … but why? Why does this always happen to ht e from her subconscious? She had been unconscious, she knew, sleeping She couldn’t have heard hi out in her mind?

‘This is the second one,’ he had said, she was certain ‘I didn’t even do anything this time! It’s not fair! First her, then … her’ She could reainst her cheek ‘Please, Silf, Talanas … any of you! I deserve it, I know, but she doesn’t! And she didn’t! Please Please, I’m sorry, I’m sorry …’