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"Let’s head out," I called

Co me to where the Lorraine traders had bunked down beneath their wagons "Did you get any business done?"

The lead driver nodded "We took care of it last night, before the attack"

"Then the wagons are loaded and ready to go?"

He nodded "Did you need soht, you’ll have a dangerous trip back to Lorraine My et there safely"

"Why?" one of the traders asked

"If the trade routes shut down due to Mutie attacks, all toill suffer I’ve seen what happens when a settleood place, full of warmhearted people, but they didn’t trust outsiders ed traders like these to come into town Froshot handled all of that outside the town gates, allegedly preventing badin But in the end, that seclusion didn’t save them

"Then we’d appreciate the escort We can spare some provisions once we arrive, and I’ll help you find a place in town to rest up for a night or two"

"Thank you," I said

"I don’t know if you caught ht amid all the revelry I’m Vince Howe"

"Deuce Oaks" That was the first time I’d offered two names, and Fade shot me a surprised look, but he siven her blessing for hiuess you know, but you run a right reroup I’m sorry for your losses, but I don’t knohen I saw ed that with an inclination of o in less than an hour"

I took that opportunity to use the sanitary facilities one last tied until the scientist appeared Dr Wilson was happy to let ht follow me all the way to the wash closet He stopped in the hall, fortunately, and said, "Coht?"

With a distracted gesture, I agreed and then washed up It felt wrong to start a new journey with grave dirt still smeared on my skin, embedded beneath my nails When I came out, damp and clean, I felt renewed For a fewout because I was in no mood to chat with the scientist But in the end, I kept my promise and headed to the lab to speak with the old man

"What’s on youron the table, along with some buttered toast, so I joined him On the road, I missed bread, and while this wasn’t fresh, the melted butterwith a medicinal scent It tasted better than it s of mint I drank mine because it et and hot, pleasant in a dry throat, and then I devoured the food

The scientist watched an, is quite extraordinary"

"Tell her, notto you as her commander A mind like hers shouldn’t be wasted on the life of a common soldier Let her stay withfor sohed "You don’t know Tegan if you think I have any say over whether she stays or goes But I’ll fetch her and you can put the invitation to her yourself"

Leaving the dregs in an She was sitting alone in a patch of spring sunlight The ave her a wide berth, probably because of the tear streaks down her dusty cheeks Dr Wilson was right; she wasn’t cut out for this life, but she was lucky in that there was no reason she couldn’t cry when she felt sad

"The good doctor would like a word," I said, offering lad of the distraction, and alked back to the lab together Once inside, the scientist stated his case withall the opportunities for study and the wondrous things he could teach her He concluded with "It’s long been e, but until now, I’d encountered no suitable candidates But you, an considered, her lips parted in astonishh Co, and the men will suffer withouther captain," Dr Wilson said to me

She frowned "Deuce is my friend … she didn’t order me to follow her In fact she tried to talk ladly come back to study with you"

"I’ll endeavor to wait until that day," Wilson said dryly