[i]You [u]guess?[/u][/i] Elayra thought with a snort, a loud pop from the fire drowning out the sound. 
	When Ghent glanced to her, she did not miss the look that flashed over his face with his thought.
	With a steely expression, she drew her dagger from her boot. She pointed it in a warning denial at Ghent, its wavy blue blade glinting in the fire. Before Drust could notice, she quickly disguised the action by using the tip of the blade to aid in loosening the knot of the bundle’s twine.
	Drust paused again when Ghent finished his newest round of questions, the man’s breaths forcefully deep and even.
	“Vinifcium typically possess a natural prowess in combat as well as magic.” He frowned. “But I suppose there’s the possibility that gene didn’t get the chance to develop,” he added darkly with a subtle twitch.
	Elayra looked up to him at his new tone, her untied bundle put on hold.
	“Or it’s just gone dormant until he needs it,” she offered, scowling at the unwanted doubt that swelled in her voice. “But magic’s what we need now, anyway,” she continued quickly, trying to amend the emotional slip. “We’ve already got two fighters.”
	Drust took another deliberate breath, then gave a stiff nod. “And your aging will slow. Once you’re a bit older.”
	Elayra sighed, relieved he had at least changed the subject. Keeping one eye on Drust, she unwrapped the cloth, revealing a few slabs of jerky. She began gnawing on a thicker piece. In the firelight, the dried meat looked an unusually vibrant red speckled with orange.
	“I’ve traveled to other worlds twice,” Drust continued, keeping pace with Ghent’s rabbiting topics. “Once with Hatter and Elayra’s mother in the White Queen's youth.” The corner of his mouth twitched fleetingly in an almost-smile.
	Elayra's grip tightened on her piece of jerky at the mention of the White Queen. Her expression hard, her full interest turned to her bit of food rather than the conversation. She once more tried to tune out all but Drust's tone.
	“Then again when Hatter and I surveyed the worlds. It was necessary to determine the best one to keep you two safe. There were multiple possibilities. We chose Earth for its lack of magic users. The fewer magic threats, the better.” He snorted in disgust at the plan that had backfired.