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prepared to spring to his back and instead he drew her up. He straightened her filthy cloak and pulled up her hood to cover most of her face. What could be seen of her features he tried to clean by licking his palm then rubbing at her face. Mina closed her eyes and shivered until she slapped at his hand.
    "Stop. No more!" She drew the backs of her hands over her face. "What doing?"
    "Now is as good a time as any to see if we'll pass for Aventyrare. How do I look?"
    Her eyes wandered up and down. Tentatively she brushed at dirt and scratched at larger patches of dried mud. After trying the same licked palm technique on his hair, Mina threw up her hands. "Okay, I guess."
    "If they try to attack us head that way." Gumus pointed away from the water.
    Mina's eyes twitched with nervousness. "Alone?"
    "I'll meet you just before the guard shack."
    Her hands ran up and down his forearm and she pulled tight to his side.
    "No," Gumus said as he pushed her away. "I work for you. Stand tall, shoulders back. You tell me what to do."
    Mina's head drew back in surprise and one corner of her mouth jerked up in amusement.
    They pulled back from the ledge and circled to the left so they could walk on the sand covered path edged with white brick and small thorny bushes. Gumus pushed Mina in front of him when she hesitated. With every stride she straightened until even under the cloak he could see her bouncing gait, hips swinging, shoulders drawn back, head held hauntingly high. At the last second before they came into view, Gumus dropped down to all fours.
    For all their preparations, nothing happened at first. Gumus had been right, Manskliga and Elyun in a mix of dull used armor and regular dress sat around campfires drinking and eating or resting. A few Elyun glanced over at Mina. A slight figure the size of an Elyun child sat up at the campfire closest. Before Gumus could warn Mina she crouched and hissed. A blond-haired Asistan Ti stroked a thin mustache and grinned. He called out to them in a high-pitched voice, "I haven't seen a Mikachiari in ages. Ho, there!"
    Gumus gave a tug at Mina's cloak as a lengthy string of what he was sure were curses in her own language flowed past her lips.
    The Asistan Ti leaned back kicking his feet in the air as he laughed. It was a small tinkling sound in accordance with his size. "If the males only fought as well as the females cursed we'd have lost the battle for Patri Peyi," he said as he wiped tears from his eyes.
    Mina tightened, ready to spring and Gumus had no choice but to stand, catch Mina around her middle and draw her back to his chest. She hung there cursing and scratching at his arms.
    The Asistan Ti's laughter died as Gumus revealed his true size.
    "Is she serious?" the Asistan Ti asked.
    Gumus scooted Mina behind his back and moved away.
    "We're all Aventyrare here Kertenkele and our allegiances are for the highest bidder. You two seem new to this trade," the Asistan Ti said as a single purple flame grew from his fingertip. "So just this once I'll let her outburst slide."
    On the other side at the edge of the oasis they sat as Mina huffed and mumbled, her face twisted in rage.
    "Mina, you have to calm down. You are Aventyrare now. You'll see Asistan Ti and you can't fight them every time. We will go to the port of Sanddyner. From there you can catch the boat to Dong Tochi or if things are right, settle in Sanddyner." When she refused to meet his eyes, Gumus continued. "Mina, I've done what you asked. I helped you reach a new place. It will never be as safe as the house of your Sayid. You must change."
    "Where you go?"
    "I'm not safe around anyone. I have to go far away."
    "You fine."
    "No," Gumus didn't want to explain he was starving himself to keep the Cinsel Iliski at bay.
    A hunk of crab plunked down between them. "Eat this. You look hungry."
    Gumus looked up to see an Elyun with a full, dark beard looking down at them.
    "We're not a completely heartless lot," the Aventyrare said, not