“I’ll go back for your stuff tomorrow.

I nodded to Thea, looking around. Two small rooms or cells opened off an area which seemed to be set up for card games. There even were cards on a table, a ratty set, much played with. “I’m…”

“Don’t apologize.” She turned to face me. “Jane. I know you want answers. I can’t give you them yet.”

“How do I know I’m not going to destroy the world if I find out?”

“Because that’s ridiculous?”

“So is all of this.” I let out a breath. “But let me guess. You can’t tell me because I’m not ready or it would break my head or you want to let me down easy or something.”

“Something like that.” She lifted a hand. “You’ve trusted me this far.”

I glanced around the room. “I trust you more than Mr. Otter.”

“Then you have some good judgment.” She set her own bag down on the table, opened it, and produced a couple of swords.

“Those might…”

“Not against guns. Not even if you’re as good as I am. This isn’t a Highlander movie.”

It took me a moment. Those movies were before my time. “I’m not immortal.”

“But. There are few things more intimidating than a few feet of cold steel, even today.”

I couldn’t resist. I walked over and picked one of them up. It had a plain hilt with a small guard and a pommel. And it felt right. It felt absolutely right in my hands, as if I had held swords before. Not just once or twice, but every day of my life.

“Keep it,” she said, softly.

I let the point drop to the floor, then turned away from her. “I’m going to need it.”

There were people out there who wanted me dead. Not to mention whatever Mr. Otter wanted.

I should be wanting to curl up in a little corner, away from it all, but it all felt right. As if this was where I really wanted to be. Right in the thick of things, with monsters hunting me.

And monsters to hunt.