"Anyway," Vahanian continued, "he was... dissatisfied with some business we did. And when he happened to run into me at the tavern, he and his friends decided to even the score."

"Did you learn anything at the tavern— besides about avoiding past customers?" Linton asked.

Vahanian nodded and started to answer, but just then, Carina laid her hands over his wound and Cam motioned them silent. The big man stepped forward to place a hand on Carina's shoulder, and she nodded slightly to acknowledge his presence. Carina closed her eyes, and her features relaxed as she fell into a trance. Gradually, a faint blue light glowed around her hands over the area of the wound. Vahanian stiffened for a moment, then relaxed, and Carina removed her hands, revealing a closed wound that looked as if it had several weeks of good healing behind it.

"How...?" Vahanian asked, completely serious for once. Cam motioned him to be quiet and guided Carina to Vahanian's ribs, opening up what remained of his torn shirt. Vahanian winced as she touched the skin above the broken ribs, then the faint blue light shone once more. Soterius watched the mercenary relax as the healing penetrated the broken bones. Even Linton let out a low whistle of admiration, and Soterius crowded forward to see better.

Carina was tiring, but Cam gently guided her hands to the worst damage remaining— Vahanian's badly swollen nose. Vahanian attempted to watch, then gave up and closed his eyes, as the soft blue light flared again, reducing the swelling and beginning to knit the broken bones. Finally, Carina leaned back against Cam, exhausted.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to get over that lip the old-fashioned way, with a cold rag," she murmured tiredly. "But the rest should be better."

"Thank you," Vahanian said, no sarcasm in his tone this time.

Carina hesitated. "It was nothing," she said, looking down at her hands. "I can help you go to sleep now, if you'd like."

"Can't, just yet," Vahanian said. "Have to tell Maynard something."

"Whatever it is can wait for morning, Jonmarc," the wagonmaster chided gently.

Vahanian shook his head determinedly. "No. There's danger on the road north. Slavers. And some stories about 'magic monsters' that actually sound like there's something behind them."

"The hell I won't!" An angry voice shouted from outside the tent and a moment later, Kaine shouldered his way inside, dragging a large sack behind him.

"Linton, I need to see you," Kaine demanded.

Linton turned to him wearily. "Not now, Kaine. Whatever it is can wait 'til morning."

"No, we need to talk now."

"You can talk elsewhere," Carina said sharply.

Kaine glanced over at Vahanian and barked a coarse laugh. "Marvelous help you hire, Linton. Amazed he wasn't too drunk to find his way back." He gave a patronizing smirk in response to Carina's disapproving glare. "Linton and I have business to discuss. You're dismissed."

Cam growled and took a step forward as Soterius reached for his sword. Vahanian's hand fell to the knife at his belt.

"I'd advise you to apologize to the lady," Vahanian said.

"Enough!" Linton snapped. "Jonmarc, put down the knife. Cam and Soterius, that's enough. And as for you, Kaine, whatever it is we can discuss it in the morning."

"I'm taking half of the caravan down the Karstan Pass in the morning," Kaine retorted, and smiled smugly at Linton's reaction. "You heard me. Those tales about the haunts in the forest aren't just for children. Unnatural beasts are about."

"Those beasts are the stuff and nonsense of the bards," Linton replied.

"Is this real enough for you?" Kaine rejoined, reaching into the sack. He withdrew the severed head of a beast with the jaws of a deep-water fish, protruding eyes and slits for ears. Vahanian looked away, remembering another time long ago, when such a beast had given him the scar that ran from his chin down into his collar.

Linton caught his breath in amazement. "Where did you get that... thing?"

Kaine dropped the head back into his pack and folded his arms across his chest. "One of the scouts found it not a candle's mark from here. Bad enough that such a monster exists, but... where's the beast that killed it?" he said, leaning closer to Linton. "That's why half your caravan is going down the Pass."

"But the Pass leads away from the Dhasson border," Carina protested. "And some of us must get to Dhasson."

"Lady, Dhasson's at war," Kaine retorted. "They're overrun with beasts like that one," he said, toeing the bag. "And to get there, we've got to cross a forest that even the mages avoid. Not me. Think about it, Linton. Head for Dhasson and you arrive with half a caravan. Go with us, and you keep it all."

Linton's face was by now so red with anger that the little man looked ready to explode. "Get out of my sight, Kaine," he roared. "And take the spineless sons of whores with you who want to go. This is my caravan and I'll choose its route.

I've led my caravan through blizzards and deserts, and around army lines. Dark Lady take me if I'm going to be frightened off by granny-witch tales, or the likes of you."

Kaine raised his hands in mock appeasement. "Suit yourself. But Dhasson'll be a mighty scant profit without half your wagons."

"I built this caravan without you, and I can do it again, if I have to, you thieving whore's son!" Linton ranted. "Now get out of my sight and be glad I don't use you as bait for another one of those goddess-damned things," he said with a nod toward the bag on the floor. Cam advanced another step toward the roustabout, who looked from Cam's menacing form and Soterius's sword to Vahanian's knife blade, then to Linton's apoplectic expression. Snatching up his bag, Kaine huffed toward the door.

"Mark my words, Linton, you'll be sorry," Kaine threatened as he pulled back the tent flap. "You'll see." He ducked out just in time as Linton snatched up a goblet and heaved the heavy cup at Kaine's head. The group looked in silence at each other after the roustabout left.

"Don't even say it, Jonmarc," Linton growled.

"I can't imagine what you mean," Vahanian replied with mock innocence. Carina frowned and bent over him once more.

"No more talking tonight," she ordered, with a glare at Linton. "That means you. He needs rest. I have no mind to heal him over again just because you give him no peace. Now, shoo," she commanded, pointing toward the tent opening.

Linton opened his mouth as if he intended to argue, then closed it wordlessly and stalked out. Cam walked to the tent flap and crossed his arms, a human door.

"Thanks for the chivalry," Carina said, making one last inspection of Vahanian's newly healed wounds. "It would have been very impressive... if you could have stood up." She managed a surprisingly mischievous grin. "We'll just let that be our little secret. Cam and Soterius won't tell, will you?"

Cam didn't even try to hide his smile, exchanging a grin with Soterius. "Not us. Your secret is safe."

"Thanks so much," Vahanian replied. "And I might have surprised you," he said tiredly. "I've been thrashed worse than this... more than once."

"Amazing you haven't reconsidered your line of work," Carina rejoined, packing up her kit and shouldering it. "This was a favor to Maynard. I don't usually fix up the damage from bar fights. Just encourages more of them."

She started toward the tent opening. "Carina," Vahanian called after her. She turned. For once, the mercenary's face was completely serious. "Don't change your mind about Kaine's detour. I don't trust him, never have. He's right about the danger ahead on this road. But I've got a gut feeling that there's something he's not telling, something worse in the Pass."

Carina looked as if she were about to make a retort, then reconsidered. "Thanks for the warning," she said. "I had the same feeling myself," she added as she gathered up her shawl and slipped out of the tent.