Up we climbed. First, through the tiny carved passage that Naan made. Then up the dark damp cave beyond it. I lit the way as I had before glowing orbs overhead as our group trudged upwards.

Step after step we moved through the carved stone path into a more casually slanted cavern. The cave floor was far too slick for its own good. As we shifted direction we found that water was flowing in from above. The gentle splashing and sounds of trickling the only real sound beyond our own footsteps and the soft whispers of those talking in the back.

The softer quiet sounds were slowly replaced with the dull roar of rain and we stepped out into a forest. Of course, it was late into the night now and the only signs of our surroundings were from the light my nearest orb of light created behind us.

“I honestly can’t believe it.” Dragon Smith said glancing over at me.

“Believe what?” I asked.

“That it was that easy.” He stated.

“You call that easy?” I asked clearly shocked.

He ran his hand through his beard considering things then after a moment he shrugged, “No one died.”

“Yeah… That is good.” I agreed.

Rolling his shoulders he considered his next move. “Moving at night isn’t going to go well. Perhaps we should camp here until morning.”

"Wouldn’t that give them a chance to find us?” I queried.

His eyes flicked over me, and around the trees. “What about in the cave? You’ve already proven your resourcefulness on that front.”

I could practically feel Naan grumbling to itself in the back of my mind. I sort of understood the sentiment, but he had a point, and what would be the point of protecting these people if we just abandoned them now?

“It's a pretty big waste of mana on my part.” I pointed out. “To make a camp, and all that.” Deep down I’d already agreed, but was he willing to give me something? Maybe himself? Maybe that was too ambitious.

“Hmm… I suppose I can pay you for the service. I have the king's coin, I know your boyfriend wouldn’t much mind that as payment.”

Devin did indeed obviously look a bit excited by the prospect. But when he realized we had both turned to him he cleared his throat looking a bit taken aback, and said, “I’m more her knight than a boyfriend.”

Dragon Smith just raised an eyebrow at that, “Really? So she's a noble now?” he chuckled to himself not really knowing about our inside joke, or whatever this was, but still finding some measure of humor in the idea.

“Devin, you know the value of money you figure out how much we should be paid. I’ll get started since truth be told I’m really tired of being on my feet.” I explained turning and walking back inside.

Devin gave me an awkward look and shouted after me, “What if I need your help?”

“Just ask Naan!” I called back as I made my way back through the townsfolk and soldiers and found myself standing under one of my floating lights. I doubted he would, Devin could figure it out.

“Alright, Naan. This should be far enough from them, right? Divert the water and just clear out a space or something?” I ask the voice in my head.

“Do you really think this is worthwhile?” It asked.

“We are talking about the king's money. Dragon Smith is probably willing to pay me more than if it was his, anyway. Plus we’re broke beyond reason. If we want to actually blend in while in the capital or whatever we’ll need some cash to get started.” I replied.

“Cash…?”

“Coin…” I correct myself. “So yes, I do think it's worthwhile. Besides as soon as we get some time to ourselves again mana will stop being an issue. “or are you saying that what we got earlier won’t cut it?”

“Of course not. You created a substantial amount earlier. It's only because of that, that this is even an option. I just fail to see the benefit. And...” Naan trailed off.

“Goodwill, Money, and a place for us to sleep? Sounds like all good things to me.” I pointed out. “Still, you don’t need to make it fancy or anything… Like don’t go overboard, we just need a place to sleep, but I wouldn’t mind a room for us. Was there something else?" I asked feeling like there was something Naan wasn't telling me.

“Very well.” Naan conceded and started pouring our mana into the impulsive construction project.

I sat down as I watched Naan work, “Anyway I can speed this along?”

“It's not difficult, just time-consuming.” Naan pointed out.

“Sure, but that doesn't mean it's fun.” I added.

“Fun?” Naan asked.

I blink, “You don’t know what fun is?”

“I understand that it's a term for something you enjoy. But I find myself a bit hard pressed to understand it beyond its inherent meaning.” Naan pointed out.

“Did you enjoy what I did earlier?” I asked.

“Do you really plan on rehashing that conversation?”

“Eh... I guess not, but it wasn't fun?” I verified.

“No. Do you find such things to be fun?” Naan asked back.

“Yeah, no doubt in my mind.” I replied.

“Curious…” Naan rumbled.

It went quiet on that, maybe thinking over things itself. I wasn’t sure. But I didn’t bother Naan as it worked. Before long Kosue found me only to inform me that the others had wandered out looking for some food. I nodded and we sat there for a bit before I asked her something, “You know any games?”

“Games?” She inquired.

“Like… I spy something gray with red flecks in it.” I tried hopelessly.

“Cave?” She asked more confused than knowing the game itself.

“Ok… that's a bad example. But if we were outside or in a town or something… you see how that could be fun?” I asked.

She considered then shrugged.

“Oh... I know, an alternative to I spy is I’m thinking of something… So, I’m thinking of a thing that's green.” I begin.

She looked at me confused.

“You need to try and guess or ask me other questions.” I explained.

“Plant?” She asked.

“It is a plant.” I agree.

She perks up, “Shervick?” She said eagerly.

“What's that?”

She tilted her head, “Plant?”

Maybe this game was also a bad idea.

All things considered, carving out a place for us to all stay took a while. I couldn't help but think that Naan was taking its time. I remembered that it had once dug a crazy long tunnel through the stone into the elvish prison in no time when it had the power to do it. But the last thing I was going to do was accuse it of being lazy.

Maybe Naan was tired too? Or maybe it was the limits my mind was placing on Naan. I wished there was something I could do for that, but what was there really? I wasn't just part of the problem, I was the problem. I also suspected that if I kept bringing it up it would just bug the shit out of the former gemstone.

I shifted my focus back to Kosue, and several terrible ideas and quite a bit of hopeless guessing and questioning later the people relocated into their impromptu camp, and Naan half sealed the entrance. That way air can still get in, but nothing elf-sized would. Of course, before we did that the Scout and his men had to return first. Which wasn’t hard because we just recalled them, they hadn't gone far.

The goblins were a bit grumpy about not having found much but we cooked it all the same. Devin and Gerl didn’t partake insisting that I eat what I can.

I decided since I only had a few scraps that I wouldn’t insist on splitting it knowing that we’d figure something out tomorrow.

I retreated to the somewhat sequestered room that Naan had dug out, not that privacy was really an option. But I brought Gerl and Devin with me anyway, Kosue curled up in the corner of the room. Scout and the others sat at the door like a huddled mass of tiny bouncers.

“Miss Anna…” Gerl said as I sat down between them.

“Yeah?” I asked glancing up at him.

“You… aren’t going to ask us to do things?” He asked.

“You want to?” I asked back unable to hide my smile.

He seemed perplexed by that question.

Devin groaned, “Gerl, never ask her if she wants to fuck, the answer is always yes. The real trouble is finding a time she doesn't just leap onto you when you're not expecting it.”

“Oh…” Gerl said, “But… that's not what I meant.”

I couldn’t help but just giggle to myself at that.

“I mean… You're not going to? You were saying this was a waste of mana earlier.” He replied.

I nodded, “Well it's been a long day, and we made plenty earlier. Plus even I might be a bit against the idea of fucking next to the whole town.”

“A bit?” Devin asked.

“What if the women want to join us?” I asked.

“What…?” Devin practically laughed back at me.

I wave it all off, “It was a joke… Seriously, I actually have something else I want to do tonight, something I’ve not really had a chance to do until now.”

Devin asked, “But not sleep?”

“Sleep will come. But first I really want to have a talk with someone.” I explained.

“Ah.” Devin said with understanding.