"I don't think I've ever seen one that big before," said Zade.

"The size disturbs you?" December replied.

"No. It isn't the size that counts... it's the skill."

"I assure you I am quite skilled."

"Oh, he is!" Theesa added. "He's VERY good!"

"We'll see, then won't we?"

"Indeed."

"Is your girlfriend gonna watch?"

"Theesa must learn. The best way to begin is by observing those with experience."

"Okay then. Let's do it."

Zade and December took their positions at opposite ends of the small room. Originally a spare bedroom in December's modest manse, the room was now empty except for a small bench near the door. The room's only window was open, but the only thing visible through it was the pre-dawn darkness. The room was cold, not from the night air but from December's frigid presence. Sitting on the uncomfortable bench, Theesa pulled her coat tight around her and watched as the two combatants squared off. She tucked her long blonde hair underneath the fur cap that sat atop her head.

Zade, December's dark-skinned warrior/bodyguard, wore her typical black leather armor, which fit her curves a bit too well for public decency. December had donned a loose-fitting white garb that was common to many schools of the martial arts. They were both armed with quarter-staves, although December's staff was quite a bit larger than Zade's. The length was only a few inches greater, but the diameter was more than twice that of the normal fighting staff. It looked as if December were holding a large tree branch in his hands. The larger staff had more momentum and would hit harder, but would be quite unwieldy for most people. Fortunately, December was not most people. His pale, 6'5" frame was packed with muscle. His wide shoulders and broad chest dwarfed Zade... not that Zade's chest was in any way considered small.

Zade stood ready at one corner of the room and watched December. December nodded. His sky-blue eyes fixed on Zade's face... watching her eyes.

But Zade was far too good of a warrior to let her eyes telegraph her intentions. Her gaze never faltered as she leapt, landed softly on the balls of her feet, feigned a jab with the blunt staff, then spun and swung her staff at December's head. December blocked the attack easily, as Zade intended for him to do. She quickly reversed her grip and swung the pole in the other direction. December ducked and lunged, his large staff shot towards Zade's unguarded midsection. Zade twisted out of the way at the last minute and swung her own weapon in a downward arc at December's wrist. Now it was December's turn to spin away... a very graceful move for someone so large. He brought his staff around to strike at Zade's head. She had to put a tremendous amount of strength behind her block in order to stop the momentum of December's larger weapon. But strength was something she had in abundance.

The combatants separated and circled one another warily.

"You warmed up yet?" said Zade. The humor of her own comment escaped her, but in the corner of the room Theesa smiled.

"Are you prepared to cease holding back and give me a true challenge?" said December.

Zade frowned. She WAS holding back. She didn't think December really wanted her to fight him like an enemy. Perhaps if she let loose just a little...

While she was thinking, December attacked. The downward swing of his oversized staff left him extended... and invitation for Zade to lunge and attack his flank. She declined that invitation, seeing it for the trap that it was. Instead, she stepped out from under his attack and swung her staff at his feet in an attempt to trip him up.

December leapt over the low staff and swung his own weapon at the same time.

Zade blocked and counterattacked, hoping to throw him off balance just as his feet touched the ground. December twisted, and Zade's staff caught him with a hard blow to his right side. At the exact same time, the end of December's staff struck Zade's left shoulder. Had they been fighting with swords they would both be injured. With staves, however, the strikes yielded little more than small bruises.

The separated again.

"You still hold back, Zade."

"Look who's talking," Zade replied. "What was that blow you hit me with? You're stronger than that. Hell... THEESA'S stronger than that."

"I suppose we are both guilty. That will change now."

"Will it?"

They stared at each other for a few tense seconds. December attacked again. He stepped off with one foot in what looked like an attempted lunge, but he quickly ducked and leapt back as Zade launched into a series of strikes. She leapt and swung her staff five or six different ways in a furious combination assault... December blocked them all, but not as easily as he had been able to before. Zade forced him to stay on the defensive.

Or so she thought.

In a surprise move, December stepped into one of her attacks. Zade's staff collided with his head just as the blunt end of December's weapon dug into her midsection, knocking the air from her lungs and sending waves of pain radiating outward from her gut.

Zade backed away, ignoring the pain.

December was bleeding from a shallow gash just above his right temple. The blood was blue as it emerged, but it quickly turned red once free from his body. Like Zade, he ignored the injury.

"You should have seen that blow coming," he said. "Were you not looking?"

"I could have knocked you unconscious," said Zade.

"You should have. Your attack landed a fraction of a second before mine; you could have prevented my attack by using all of your strength."

"You could've rammed that staff right through me, but you didn't. So we're even. And I didn't come here for you to teach me how to fight!"

"Then perhaps you should fight as if you were not in dire need of lessons."

"OOOooohhh! So now you wanna talk the talk, eh? Don't make me embarrass you in front of your lady friend over there."

"Perhaps if you tried, then we could both experience a true challenge."

"Okay. FINE!"

Zade attacked, but this time it was different. She used her strength and reflexes to rain powerful blows on December in an incredibly rapid succession. December could not block them all, but he made sure that the blows that did land did a minimum amount of damage. Zade pressed December hard... backing him all the way across the room before December changed his strategy and went on the offensive. He ducked under a powerful head-level sweep and stepped into a powerful lunge. He drove his staff into Zade's lower pelvis on her left side, just above her thigh.

"Ungh!"

The bone-jarring impact forced Zade back a step. Her left leg exploded in pain and then quickly went numb as the swelling pinched the nerves in the hip joint. But that didn't stop her from twisting and whipping her staff hard across December's forehead.

CRACK!

She immediately spun and swept her staff in a low arc, knocking December's legs out from under him. December went down hard... the impact of his heavy body shook the floor.

THUD!

Zade thrust the end of her staff at December's throat. December caught the staff and held it motionless a mere inch from his neck. It didn't move despite Zade's strength. Zade yanked the staff away and limped back to the other side of the room. She shook her leg, trying to force the feeling back into it.

December got up off of the floor and wiped the blood from his forehead.

"Now we have a challenge," he said. "You are beginning to use the enhanced strength and reflexes that are now your natural advantages. As well as the accelerated healing... your leg is healed now, is it not?"

"Yeah." Zade put her weight on her leg. It was fine... not even a twinge of pain remained. "So is that what this is about... getting me to use the lycanthropy?"

"You are faster than I. Possibly stronger. Your wounds heal quickly. These things offer you a significant advantage over me."

"And the fact that this room is almost freezing offers YOU an advantage."

"Over an ordinary opponent perhaps. But you are far from ordinary."

"Don't remind me. You ready?" Zade went into a fighter's stance, as did December.

"You must incorporate your advantages into your fighting style," said December as they circled one another. "Perhaps even your enhanced senses as well."

"What if I don't want to?"

"You will want to," said December. "You will HAVE to."

December stepped in and swung his staff. Zade blocked. The two traded lunges, sweeps, blocks and counterattacks for several minutes. December's strength was easily a match for Zade's. He was also faster and more agile than he looked, but not superhumanly so. That wasn't true for Zade. Her lycanthropy gave her a quickness and balance that was as alien to her as it was overpowering to a normal human. Zade was trying not to hold back, but she couldn't help it. She wanted to fight like she WAS, not like she IS. But she didn't know where to draw the line. How much of her strength and ability was HERS and how much belonged to the wolf that hid inside her?

After a particularly savage exchange of attacks and blocks, December and Zade backed away from each other for a moment.

"What did you mean by that?" said Zade. "You said I would 'have to'?"

"As I am sure you have noticed, I tend to attract enemies that are somewhat more than human. Or less. If you are to serve me, then you must learn to use whatever advantages you possess."

"I was more than good enough before I was bitten," said Zade. "And I still am- YAA!"

They traded a few blows and backed away again.

"Good enough? Perhaps against a normal human. But Montfort tends to attract mages and the 'magically enhanced'... such as myself. A normal human fighter may fare quite well against another human... but in this town you cannot always count on your opponent being normal. You are a very nearly a master of your art, Zade... but now you must master a NEW art.... combat with those who hold significant physical and magical advantages over you."

"Hmph."

Zade and December both swung their staves at once, each trying to surprise the other. The wooden poles met in the air...

"So what you're saying," Zade said over the crossed staves, "is that I've fought my way to the top of the hill... only to find myself at the bottom of new, different hill."

"Exactly."

Zade spun and attacked. December stepped back and blocked. They went at it again... trading blocks and strikes with neither combatant making any progress toward taking down the other. Finally, Zade gave in to December's wishes, and once again pushed herself beyond what she knew she could do normally. She beat him back a few steps, but December spun and began counter-attacking with a strength that had been absent before. He battered her blocks aside, and Zade found herself ducking and dodging his incredibly skilled and powerful attacks. Zade pushed herself further. She landed a few blows... but so did December. Again, they both swung at once and the staves met in the air. They both stepped in close, each attempting to overpower the other.

Zade snarled at December.

December made a quick motion... he yanked one hand away from his staff and punched Zade in the stomach. Hard.

"UNNGH!"

Zade staggered back several steps. It felt like someone had dropped a fifty pound block of ice onto her gut.

"What was THAT supposed to be!?" she coughed.

"In the common vernacular, I believe it is called... a 'sucker punch'"

"Oh, Ha-ha. You've very funny. We're supposed to be fighting with staves, remember?"

"A warrior fights with whatever weapons are at his disposal."

"You may be a lot of things, December, but you are NOT a warrior."

"Not in the physical sense perhaps."

"Whatever. We're fighting with staves, so lets keep it that way. Trust me... you do NOT wanna go hand-to-hand with me."

"No, I do not... shall we continue?"

"Oh PLEASE stop!" Theesa called from the corner of the room. "I've had enough!"

Both December and Zade looked at her. Zade wondered how long SHE would last in a fight. Amazingly, December was wondering the exact same thing.

"Well..." Theesa said. "Just how long are you two going to stand there and beat each other with sticks?"

"Until he wants to stop," said Zade.

"Well, it's after dawn-" Theesa pointed to the window. The sun was rising.

"I seem to have lost track of time," said December.

Zade knew good and well that December knew exactly what time it was. He was simply having too much fun to care. And so was she. December was a good fighter... at least with a staff. He was a challenge even with her new strengths.

"Some other time perhaps, Zade?"

"Yeah. Whenever you want." Zade grabbed a towel from a stack on the bench and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

"We'd better get you cleaned up," said Theesa. The demure woman actually had to stand up on the bench to reach December's head. His wounds from the combat weren't nearly as bad as Theesa thought they were. "Oh..."

"I heal quickly as well... though perhaps not as quickly as Zade."

"Yeah... maybe if you'd actually managed HURT me..."

"Oh stop talking like that," said Theesa. "Nobody really wants to hurt anybody... its just for practice, right?"

"Indeed," said December.

"Whatever."

"And speaking of practice," said December. "I expect you to begin in the near future."

"Me?" said Theesa. "Begin what?"

"Practicing with the staff, of course."

"But... but I can't swing those big sticks like that...I'm a WOMAN!"

Zade cleared her throat loudly. Theesa ignored her.

"Nevertheless, you must learn to protect yourself. I will purchase an appropriatly-sized weapon for you. As Zade said earlier... it is not the size that matters. It is the skill."

"But-"

"You will not be without guidance. Zade will teach you everything she knows."

"I'll WHAT!?!?!" Zade screeched. "Hey... I am NOT-"

"Good, then it is decided," said December. "Theesa, Zade will instruct you in the martial arts using the quarterstaff. Perhaps you should start this evening after the business day has ended."

If Zade's skin wasn't already dark, it would have been blood-red with aggravation. But an order was an order. Besides, December was right... there was no excuse for anyone, male or female, not to be able to protect themselves. Still, she didn't know what she could do with someone as small and weak... and annoying... as Theesa.

"Fine," said Zade through clenched teeth. "I'll see you two at the store. IF that's okay with you."

December nodded, and Zade escorted herself out.

"You know," said Theesa in a sultry voice "Its still a few hours until we have to open the store. And... since you aren't injured..."


---

"Did you break it?" said Zade.

The morning was still quite young, and Zade was spending it in a small shop ran by Julian Renn... an aging, half-blind tinkerer. The small man work a pair of the thickest glasses that Zade had ever seen, and his nearly bald head was a tapestry of splotches and other marks. Julian scratched his scraggly beard and frowned at the object on the table before him. Zade had brought the crossbow to him a week ago. Since then, Julian had been poking, prodding, examining, disassembling, and reassembling the surprisingly complex weapon. Now Zade was back to claim it. Renn had just finished reassembling the thing for the third time not five minutes before she arrived. He HOPED he'd put the thing back together correctly this time.

"Uhh... no. It's fine," he said. Renn's voice was an annoying whine. He squinted up at Zade. "Fascinating weapon you've got. Where EVER did you find it?"

"On a corpse."

"Oh. Well... I guess it wasn't quite fascinating ENOUGH then, was it?" Renn chuckled.

"You figure out how it works? Is it magic?"

"Hmmm... well..." Renn referred to the copious pages of notes and measurements he'd taken... most of which he could barely read. "It DOES have some enchanted components, but the weapon itself is not magical."

"Huh? I don't get it? This thing can send a arrow through an inch-thick steel door. How could it NOT be magical?"

"Ahh... yes, the augmentation is done with pneumatics."

"New-what?"

"It's like hydraulics, only with air instead of water."

"What language are you speaking, Renn?"

"Hmmm... see here?" Renn pointed to a small lever on the side of the bow. "This activates a series of pistons inside the shaft here. It forces air into this chamber here..." Renn pointed at something else on the body of the crossbow. "You can adjust this knob here to increase or decrease the air pressure. When you fire the bow, it is the air pressure that creates the additional force. Quite a BIT of additional force, too..." Renn pointed to the rear wall of the shop. there were several large holes in the wall that hadn't been there when Zade had come in a week ago.

"But you said it had magic in it?"

"Well, ORDINARILY, these tiny components wouldn't be strong enough to withstand the forces necessary for the thing to work. Some of them have been enchanted for extra strength, but the bow's added power isn't derived from that enchantment. So it is a non-magical weapon with some magical components. Oh, and these recoil dampeners are shear GENIUS- "

"Uh-huh. And you put this thing back together the right way? Does it still work?"

"Y-yes. But I'd rather you not try it out in here."

"I'll take your word for it. For now." Zade dropped a few coins on Renn's table. Renn picked them up and handed them back to her.

"No charge. It's my pleasure to study such an fascinating weapon. If you ever discover who made it-"

"Oh, I KNOW who MADE it," said Zade.

"Really? Who?"

"If I told you I'd have to kill you."

"Oh. Well never mind, then. You don't suppose they'd mind if i tried to...ahh... duplicate their design, would you?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. If she doesn't like it, you'll hear about it soon enough."

"She? A woman designed this?"

"You got a problem with that?"

"No. None at all."

"Good. See you around, Renn." Zade walked out of the store with her crossbow and started making her way across town to where upper-class commercial district, where December's store was located. She wondered if she'd have enough time to test out the bow before going to work. Probably not.

The streets were crowded with late storekeepers and early shoppers. Most...no, ALL of them moved out of Zade's way as she approached. For some reason there was something about a 6'2" woman in black leather armor carrying a whip and pneumatic crossbow that frightened them. Zade avoided looking at their faces for fear of giving someone a heart attack.

A few blocks away from Renn's shop, Zade's skin began to tingle. A cold chill went down her back and the hairs in her nose stiffened painfully.

"What the hell?" Zade stopped walking and looked around. At first there was nothing unusual... then she spotted him. Zade didn't know how she'd missed him at first, he was standing on the opposite sidewalk looking right at her. He was large... and wide. Muscular. His body was all arms and chest... simply IMPOSSIBLE to miss in a crowd. Yet Zade had missed him the first time she looked. Zade studied at his face as he looked at her. It was familiar, but she couldn't place it. It wasn't someone she knew... but it was someone she'd seen before. But where?

Zade remembered.

Zade shoved several people out of her way and rushed across the street.

"HEEEEEYYY!" she yelled. "HEY YOU!"

The man calmly turned around and entered the shop behind him.

Zade was about three seconds behind him. She yanked the shop's door open and rushed inside. The shopkeeper stared at her.

"Where did he go?" she demanded.

"Where did WHO go, ma'am?" replied the shopkeeper.

"The guy who just came in here!"

"You're the first person to come through that door this morning. Other than me."

"BULL! You're hiding him!" Zade advanced threateningly on the shopkeeper. The man glanced at Zade's whip and crossbow... and backed away from the counter.

"Hey.. I don't know what your talking about! Don't hurt me!"

"You're telling me NO ONE came in here just now!?"

"No one except for you."

"Does this place have a back room?"

"Yes," the storekeeper stepped aside, revealing the door behind him. "but someone would have to walk past me to get to it-"

Zade hopped over the counter and kicked the door in. The back room was small and cramped with boxes. There was no other exit, and very few places to hide. Zade sniffed the air in the room and couldn't detect anything but dust. There was no one in there except for her.

"Trap door? Secret passage?"

"No... and no."

"DAMMIT!" Zade thought about ransacking the place just to be sure.

"Perhaps if you told me who you were looking for."

"His name was Soco. A big guy... huge. About this tall... dark hair. Ugly. He'd probably have scars on his face. You see anyone like that?"

"Hmmm... no. Is he a friend of yours?"

"I wouldn't say that. He's got no business being ANYBODY'S friend now."

"Why's that?"

"Because... I killed him a few months ago."

---

"I STILL don't understand how this works," said Theesa.

She and December were at December's jewelry store... the modestly named "House of December." While December made quite a bit of money from the sale of large jewels and gemstones, the store was merely a hobby for him. He was already richer that most other men in the town... and he got enough income from his criminal empire to put even the store's hefty profits to shame.

December was behind the counter examining a recently purchased diamond necklace. It was rather plain... and December intended to sell it at a loss simply to be rid of it. December looked up from the necklace and removed the jeweler's magnifying glass from his eye.

"How what works?" he asked.

"This... thing with... you know..." Theesa lowered her voice to a whisper. "Eric Hood."

"Hood performs the... questionable operations associated with my 'other' business."

"Yes... but how? What does he DO? What does ANYONE do? What is all of this FOR?"

"What is it for? It is for the complete domination of the criminal element in this city and others. In one way or another, Eric Hood influences the vast majority of the crime here."

"Really?"

"Yes. Some criminals are directly under his control. They report to him. They pay him a percentage of their proceeds. They rob or avoid specific citizens or areas of the city based upon his orders."

"Some... but not all."

"True. Yet even those who are not under his control are still influenced by him."

"How?"

"Through their own fear or hatred of him. He is a force that they must either avoid or seek to destroy. Under my direction, he can manipulate them through their own desire to be rid of him. Even the incorruptible Tower Guard can be prodded into action by the mere mention of his name. He is, after all, a wanted criminal. They must take steps to apprehend him. Should I so desire, I can cause the legal authorities to investigate a place of business simply by he instigation of a rumor that Eric Hood has been seen there. So you see... Eric's influence stretches far beyond what one man can do himself. He is an icon through which I can manipulate the criminals in this and other cities."

"So you move from place to place?"

"Indeed. Once I have firmly established my... or Eric's... influence in a city, we take steps to solidify and continue that influence in our absence. Then we move on, leaving a network of spies and operatives behind to continue our work. Often we are successful in maintaining our influence. Other times we are not."

"Then what? Do you go back?"

"Never. There is usually nothing to go back TO. The failures most often result in disaster. Without me, criminal elements run unchecked. In their chaotic rush to fill the perceived void created by my absence, they eventually destroy themselves and the city they inhabit. At times I have arranged this intentionally... a fitting end for those who are unable to control their baser instincts."

"But... why? Why DO all this? Especially after what happened to... your wife."

December looked down and appeared lost in thought for a few moments. Then he spoke.

"That is more than I can explain in words. What you know of my past is only-"

"The tip of the iceberg?"

"Indeed."

"You're going to have to tell me eventually, you know."

"Some things cannot be told. They must be experienced for you to truly understand them."

"Things like what?"

"Like having one's humanity stripped away and replaced with... this-" December held out his hand. Like the rest of his body, it was pale and cold... his body constantly sucked the heat out of the air around it, creating a zone of chilled air wherever he went. December only had a small amount of control over it... and he could never shut it completely off. The absolute highest temperature his body could achieve was room temperature, and even that took considerable effort.

"Oh. I'm... sorry."

"There is no reason for you to apologize. You were not the one responsible."

"So who was?"

December did not answer. Theesa was about to question him again when Lovvorn appeared. Literally...he simple appeared in the center of the room, teleported by his own magic.

"Ahhh... Montfort's most distinguished couple!" said the overweight mage. Lovvorn wore a voluminous robe decorated with a bright paisley pattern that was almost painful to behold. He held a piece of parchment in one chubby hand and a tankard of ale in the other.

"Hello, Lovvorn," said Theesa. She liked Lovvorn... even though he was a bit strange. Theesa nodded at the drink in his hand. "Drinking already? It's not even noon!"

"And?" said Lovvorn. The look of genuine confusion on his face was priceless...he honestly had no idea of what Theesa was trying to say.

Theesa sighed and shook her head.

Lovvorn walked over to December and handed him the parchment.

"Lovvorn express," he said. "When it absolutely positively has to be there before the taverns close! That came for you last night. Its from Jake Fast."

"Who's that?" asked Theesa.

"Oh, Jake's a HOOT!" Lovvorn interjected. "You'd like him!"

"He is a business associate," said December as he read the parchment.

"Which business? The jewelry or the.. other things."

"Mr. Fast is a freelance specialist in the acquisition of rare and priceless items. He is under contract with the House of December-"

"Frosty here gets first look at all the sparkling goodies that Jake finds!"

"So he works for the store?" said Theesa. "Not for Mr. Hood?"

"Mr. Hood and Mr. Fast have never met," said December. "They do not know of each other's existence. And technically, Mr. Fast is not an employee... merely a contractor. As far as Jake Fast knows, I am a jewel merchant... nothing more.

"But besides being a bit naive," said Lovvorn, "Jake's a LOT of fun. A real charmer... you should SEE the women-"

"There appears to be a problem," said December. He handed the parchment back to Lovvorn. "Mr. Fast has an item of interest, but it having trouble getting it out of New Venyce."

At the mention of New Venyce, Theesa's eyes lit up. She started to say something, but Lovvorn and December kept right on talking.

"OOOO, a problem!" Said Lovvorn. "I love problems! Is it the kind of problem that I can blow up? I could just pop right over there and make a lovely explosion!"

"As is true to his character, Mr. Fast was quite vague about the details. He would describe the destruction of the city as a 'minor annoyance'... however, he describes his current difficulties as 'serious'"

"Hmmm... I don't know WHAT that could be," said Lovvorn. "The end of the world, maybe?"

"He said to expect another message in the morning, and that if we do not receive word... that I should send 'associates'"

"That's ME!" said Lovvorn. "I'M an associate! And there was no message this morning... only that one from last night. You want me to go blow something up, you just let me know!"

"Why don't WE go!" Theesa said finally.

"We?" said December. "Go?"

"This is NEW VENYCE! December, I have ALWAYS wanted to go there! I've heard so many stories... everyone who's ever been CLOSE to the city has absolutely ADORED it! They have these lovely docks that hang WAY out over the river, and the most MAGNIFICENT shops! The merchants have goods from all over the WORLD! Some of the restaurants are built on huge stilts so the water can flow underneath... can you IMAGINE! And they have the most ROMANTIC gardens-"

"No," said December.

"What? No? WHY!?"

"I have business here in Montfort that requires my-"

"LOVVORN can run the store! And Eric can run the... you know!"

"No."

"Oh, PLEASE, December, I would REALLY love to see this place! And after all that's happened with Chain and having to redecorate the store AND put your house back in order... you CAN'T stand there and say that you don't need a vacation."

"I do not need a vacation."

"SURE you do! Oh, December... what about your friend? Mr. Fast? Isn't he expecting you to help him out? I'd really like to meet him... and think how surprised he'll be when you show up in PERSON to help him out with... whatever is going on."

"Well, she does have a point," said Lovvorn. "And really... Fast is as straight and narrow as they come... well, mostly. How much trouble could he REALLY be in-"

"How odd... I do not recall soliciting your opinion, Lovvorn. Perhaps my memory is failing..."

"Oh. Pardon me. I'll just fade away now..." True to his word, Lovvorn faded away... teleporting to a tavern on the other side of the town.

"Please, can we do this one thing? Just once? We've never been ANYWHERE together-"

"We have only known each other for a few months," said December.

"But I LOVE going on trips. And I'll LOVE New Venyce... and YOU will, too! You should go and help your friend and take me along... make it a Working Vacation!"

"That is an oxymoron. And Mr. Fast is not a friend."

"So? Please, let's go!"

"No."

"Please!"

"No."

"Just for a FEW DAYS!"

"No."

"OOOO, you are so... OOOO!" Theesa hissed in frustration. She sighed and pouted to the best of her ability. December looked down at her. He placed his hand on her shoulder.

"One week," he said. "And the business with Fast takes precedence over... restaurants and gardens."

"Oh, THANK YOU!"

"I shall have Lovvon teleport us tomorrow-"

"We should rent a coach and travel the trade routes!"

December looked down at her as if she were completely and utterly insane.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"New Venyce is over a month's journey away."

"Oh... oh, yes, I forgot. Well, what if Lovvorn teleports us to Beckworth, that's just a little over one day away from New Venyce. We could travel by coach from there!"

"And the purpose of that would be... what?"

"It'll be FUN! You and me... all alone... in a private coach... hmmm?"

"I do not require 'fun.'"

"Oh, REALLY now? That's not what you said earlier-"

Just then, December did something that Theesa very rarely saw him do. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more she realized that this was perhaps the first time she had seen him laugh. It was a little unsettling. Actually, it was a LOT unsettling.

"What's so funny?"

"I never thought I would have conversations such as this again. It is... amusing."

"Are you trying to change the subject?"

"No. We shall travel to Beckworth via Lovvorn's magic. And then by coach to New Venyce. Is there anything else?"

"Well... there is one thing."

December tried not to look exasperated.

"Do we have to bring... you know... HIM?"

"Who?"

"You know..." Theesa whispered. "J'Hasp."

"J'Hasp is my companion. He accompanies me-"

"Not to New Venyce he doesn't."

"You have ventured from the amusing to the unreasonable," said December with a frown. "Were I merely a jewel merchant I could travel without the need for added security, but-"

"Oh, like YOU need security!"

"J'Hasp's enhanced senses, his strength and agility... and his loyalty have saved my life many times. And do not forget the injuries he suffered trying to protect you from Chain."

"But he's... J'Hasp. What IS he, anyway? Never mind... I'm sure I don't want to know. But does he HAVE to come with us?"

"Absolutely."

Theesa sighed and pouted again, but it didn't seem as if it were going to work a second time.

"All right. I suppose. But are you sure there isn't other way-"

The store's door opened and Zade walked in. She was dressed in a different suit of leather armor from what she wore earlier... but is still fit her just as tightly.

"The strangest thing happened to me over at... why are you two looking at me like that?"

"Zade!" Theesa said. "Guess where WE'RE going!"

"huh?"

"You're coming with us to New Venyce!"

[To Be Continued]