Chapter 511: I Don’t Think You’re Angry (2/2)

“About having him what?”

“Look, if you want to listen to him talk about his feelings or whatever, that’s your business. Just do it behind a privacy screen, as I said. Remember why we’re here.”

“I know why I’m here,” Zara said. “I’m still not sure why you are.”

“I needed to keep an eye on things.”

“Liara said it was because Trenchant Moore teased you.”

“Liara has a big mouth.”

As the group pulled out their various means of transport, Jason looked at the pathway the expedition had opened up through the jungle. It was a trail of destruction leading off into the distance.

“I assume that was you,” he said to Jeni.

“One of my expedition subordinates went off against orders to provoke the enemy, so I didn’t want to tarry.”

Jason winced.

“Sorry about that. I’m kind of working through some stuff.”

“You’ll forgive me if I try to avoid working with you again. Whether it’s grim murder mode or whatever cheerful front you’re putting up now, you’re neither honest nor stable.”

“That seems a little harsh.”

“Harsh? Do you think killing a lot of enemies by yourself gets you anything? I could let the guild team loose like a dog in a butcher shop and they'd tear through anything you found here. All you mean to me are questions you won't answer, orders you won't follow and running off alone to mess up the group's plans. Do you think my assessment of your performance on this contract will be anything but scathing? I was specifically asked to assess you for potential promotion to two stars, but I'll be arguing against it in the strongest possible terms.”

Jason nodded.

“That’s fair,” he said. “Star rating is based on judgement, and even I don’t trust mine right now.”

Jeni gave him a concerned look.

“I don’t know what you have going on Asano, but go to the church of the Healer. Get some help.”

An ice cloud appeared at Jeni’s feet and she headed off. Jason took another look at the path of destruction, which was quite thorough.

“I reckon a regular skimmer could manage that. What do you think, Shade?”

“I could manage a small airship, rather than the group needing to rendezvous with one.”

“I think we’ve shown quite enough of the rabbits in our hat for one day,” Jason said. “Let’s stick with a skimmer.”

Shade took the form of a skimmer, parked next to the giant beetle, while Jason walked over to the princesses. The rest of the expedition pretended they weren’t watching. Vesper was on her Sapphire heidel, while Zara was standing on what looked like a miniature hurricane.

“Give you a ride, Princess?” Jason asked Zara. “It’s past time you and I had a little talk.”

“She’d love to,” Vesper said, setting off on her construct creature steed.

The small storm at Zara’s feet dissipated and she followed Jason to the skimmer. It was a heavy skimmer with comfortable seating for four, much like he had used for most of his delivery contract. He opened the side door and got in the back, Zara doing the same to sit next to him. Jason pulled the privacy screen pin from his inventory and pinned it to his chest before tapping it to activate.

The expedition was taking off, following Jeni The skimmer moved forward smoothly on its own as Jason and Zara sat in silence, unsure of what to say.

“When you came stumbling into my tent, those years ago,” Zara said finally, “I never imagined we’d end up here.”

Jason turned to look at her. Even at iron-rank, she'd been as stunningly beautiful as anyone he'd ever seen. It had driven him to flirt with her at the time, but that inclination was dead.

“I was going to haul off on you,” he said. “I was going to tell you all about why I’m running around so angry.”

“I don’t think you’re angry, Mr Asano. I don’t see rage when I look at you. I see a tiredness that will take more than rest to recover from.”

Jason looked away from the princess.

“You’re very different,” he said wearily.

“You too. I am sorry for getting you involved in my mess.”

“There’s no changing it now. All we can do is move forward”.

“You must hate me.”

“I don’t hate you, Princess. I understand knowing that you’ll have to shake the tree if you want anything to fall out. I’ve made those choices, willing to pay the price, only for the people around me to do the paying.”

Zara nodded.

“Learn faster than I did, Princess. Shade, stop the skimmer.”

The skimmer slowed to a halt.

“You have something that you need to do,” Jason said, then tapped his pin to drop the privacy shield. She got out of the skimmer and turned to look at him.

“This isn’t three years ago, Asano,” she said coldly, “and this isn’t some provincial backwater on the far side of the globe. I have responsibilities as a member of the Rimaros family and I won’t let you get in the way of that.”

Her travel cloud appeared at her feet and she took off after the still-moving expedition.

“Let’s get going, Shade.”