Not long afterward, scouts who had stayed behind to track the Smokers confirmed that the Smokers were not coming. Apparently they had come upon the gruesome aftermath of the chickensaur stampede, found that the person they were looking for wasn't there and decided it was bound to be more wasteful to sink anymore cost into their attempted coup d' etat. The night was a complete success, following the horrible day that had seen so much bloodshed. The town went to bed. I took Raven upstairs to Sasha's room, where the young goblin immediately fell asleep. 

Through the window, the day was nearly dawning. For me, this typically signified bedtime was close. I looked forward to sunrise like many people looked forward to sunset. The colors of red and white playing over the rocks and trees and buildings was a soothing painting that quickly brought on drowsiness. Yet, as I lay on the bed next to the lightly snoring woman, I was wide awake. Perhaps it was the convalescence earlier, or perhaps just the aftereffects of adrenaline still coursing through my system. I didn't know, but as the suns rose, I was fidgety. Agitated. Anxious. 

Where was Sasha and why had I heard nothing from Alex or the Master or anyone else? 

There was noise downstairs, so I got up, careful not to wake Raven, who seemed oblivious to everything. How it must be to sleep so deeply, I thought. 

I opened the door cautiously, listening. Loud voices came from below. Snippets of conversation:

"...Broke his bonds...." 

"...The woman was killed...."

"...Someone should tell her...."

I flew down the stairs, stopping as three men I vaguely recognized from the Kinden family turned to look at me. Between them lying on a long table, was something large and bloody. One stepped aside as I stepped forward, and I could see a pale purple hand with an all-too-familiar ring on it. I ran to the table, my worst fears realized. 

"Sasha! Sasha! Wake up!" I slapped at her cheeks, harder and harder, but the calm face slept her final sleep. It was like hitting wet noodles. 

I screamed in anger and fright and grief. 

Then pain. On my cheek. I opened my eyes, my ears registering that I was still screaming.  Except I was the one lying on the table. But the table was a bed. And there, standing over me was Sasha, very much alive, and very concerned-looking. 

"Hero! Wake up. You're screaming in your sleep. About gave me a heart attack. I thought someone had stolen in to kill you!" I looked over and Raven was curled up, holding her hands around her legs, looking small and scared and staring at me like I was a monster. 

Sasha pulled my face to hers. "Hero. Are you okay?" 

"Sasha. Are YOU okay?"

"I'm fine. The Master wanted a full report and then they had a rather long trial, and I fell asleep and they just left me there to sleep while they dispatched the traitor. I came as soon as I woke."

I was trembling a little, the vivid dream still foremost in my thoughts. "I...must have fallen asleep after all," I said lamely. "I'm sorry--I...I dreamed he'd killed you."

Sasha grinned. "That pipsqueak? Hardly. He was easy the whole ride, and by the time they took him to trial, he was pretty much resigned to his fate. I can't say I approve of the Kindan family's methods, but apparently you really know where you stand with them. Apparently, they hold you in very high regard today."

I must have looked starstruck, because Sasha frowned and said, "Do you need me to slap you again?"

"What?"

"You're looking at me like I'm a ghost or something. Thought maybe you were still asleep."

"It was a very vivid dream, Sasha."

"Apparently."

Raven chimed in. "Forgive me for intruding, but...are you two an item?"

Sasha laughed. "She and I? No...we're just good friends," she looked at me again with a quizzical look. "Or are you trying to tell me something here?"

My eyes flew open wide and I looked between them. "What? No! No, I'm just...really glad to see you. It was all night, and I didn't know where you were or why it was taking so long. I just care about you, that's all." I stared pointedly at Raven. "As a friend."

Raven backed off. "Hey, sorry. I just--you were screaming her name and I didn't know why. Thought it might have been a different kind of dream."

Twenty. The kid was twenty. But she had the dirty mind of a...well, older than twenty. Look: I was telling the truth about my boyfriend leaving, okay? Guys don't stick around long when they find out you have a night job that might get you killed and won't make them richer.

Sasha, thankfully, had the right words. "Raven, it's strictly friends. We're colleagues, coworkers in the Aunties, same as you. We care about each other--you included. I'll bet she'd be screaming your name if it was you in her dream."

Raven sighed. "I wouldn't mind, as long as it's the different kind of dream." She unfolded herself and slipped beneath the covers. "Those are always good dreams." She turned over and that was that. 

What that was was awkward. Sasha and I turned to each other, the same expression of "Did she just say that?" on our faces. We shared a quick laugh and filed this tidbit away under "Things to ask Q about next time we meet."

It was not 30 seconds later before the girl was snoring lightly again. I couldn't believe it. 

Sasha nodded. "Yeah, that's normal for goblins. Sleep fast and pretty deeply, but when they wake up, they are full of energy."

"She's twenty, Sasha. But she talks like she's older."

"She's a goblin--from East Garbum. Their culture is...different than you might have seen in Landfall. They live short lives, they are always at each other's throats, and with that, they don't tend to hide their emotions. If you can get past the violence, they're really refreshingly open and honest."

I whsipered, "She said her boyfriend died hunting last year." 

"Oof," Sasha replied, as she undid the knots holding her gear on. "That's harsh. Strange how, as a group, we tend to have similar sob stories, well, except you."

"I'm a special case, being the first. After me, I think Q was looking for specific women to recruit--women who had seen things, experienced grief, who didn't have violet glasses 

"Huh. She did seem interested in that part of my story, so maybe you're right. But why?"

"Don't quote me on it, but I think she thinks this is healing for our hearts or something."

"Well that's just...well, dumb," Sasha shrugged off the last of her armor, and looked longingly at the bed. "Um...there's no way we can fit all three of us on here."

Well, we could and we did. But it took some rearranging, and it was only because Raven and I were roughly half the height of the bed, so only took up one full-size person's space. My head poked out the foot of the bed. My feet resting softly against Sasha's back. 

Sasha pulled the blanket close. "Alright. Sleep now. No more dreams about me, 'kay?"

"Okay," I said, half-joking. 

"Unless they're the other kind," she mumbled and started snoring. 

I shook my head. I did not have those kinds of thoughts toward Sasha or any other Auntie.

I dreamt. None of the aunties were in it, except my own aunt. It was a nightmare, not not that kind of dream at all.