In the week that followed, the party gradually made their way north. There were no more mercenaries. The Eris, so single minded, had not expected that the four would stray from the path they believed was the right one. The night in the river was never mentioned. Feather acted like it never happened.

She was, Tynan noticed, strangely beguiling. There seemed to be two sides to her, and he never really knew which she'd be with each moment. There was goodness in her, goodness he'd seen. There was a whole lot of devious in her aswell. He hated the way she'd almost seem to toy with Arum and him. It wasn't so bad in the beginning, but it had been getting worse of late. And yet Tynan kept fighting for her attentions, and he really really wondered why.

Had he fought off one mistress only to replace her with another? Sometimes it felt that way. And when he'd get so fed up with the whole affair, she'd show the side of herself he loved most of all, the side that warmed his heart and made him want to hold her and never let go.

"Damn." he muttered under his breath, dismayed at his own weakness to her blasted mesmerizing charms. As the crested a hill, they saw the highway stretch through the valley like a ribbon. In the distance was the blue expanse of the inner sea. His thoughts distracted by the sight, Tynan closed his eyes, slipping into one of the many hawks that fed on the fish of the Inner Sea. "There's a Fornaxian hostel a few miles away." he said, opening his eyes as he slipped back. "We'll make for that, pick up some ceremonial chains and make our way to the university."

"Chains?" Feather asked sharply.

Tynan looked at her with wide eyed innocent surprise. "Oh, didn't you know?" he said. "Araawan are considered slaves in the boundaries of Fornax,"

"What?!" she snapped.

"Oh don't worry, the chain is just for show, in-case any slavers start getting curious," His expression of innocence didn't change, but inside, a small part of him crowed with delight.