“You don’t say,” she snorted amusedly, shaking her head. “If your friends had told me I would be going through [i]this [/i]I might not have set foot in that forest. But maybe that would have been a mistake.” [i]Because we’ll make it, Gerald. We’ll actually change something in this sorry world and they’ll all eat their words about witches, necromancers and the rest.[/i] And maybe, just maybe… it was even going to be fun.

“And I still do want you to show me sometime. I can teach you some of my knowledge too if you want. Some other time, when we’re less busy.” [i]Bet I can teach you some non-magical things too.[/i] She flashed a brief but mischievous grin at him before thoughts of her family washed it away.

“My family? They’re not involved. They don’t know any magic. Sister runs the shop now, her husband does the smithing. Mother helps take care of the children. They’re fine.” [i]Right?[/i] A cold shiver ran down Jillian’s spine when she realized that, in fact, she did not [i]know [/i]for sure. [i]They’d have no reason to harm them. Maybe ask some questions about me, nothing more. Reina’s mercy…[/i]

“They wouldn’t do anything, right?” She could not help herself but ask for his opinion on the matter. Her quivering voice betrayed uncertainty and worry. Given the extreme measures taken against the Voice, it suddenly seemed not inconceivable that all might not be well.