Dex stared at Jason in surprise. ‘Yes Dex, I know everything, I know what was said to her at the dance and what you two did on the merry-go-round,�... Jason told him. ‘And I know something you don’t,’ he added. ‘And what’s that?’ Dex asked. ‘Shella was pregnant when you left,’ Jason said. CHAPTER TWO ‘What?’ Dex asked, the blood draining from his face. ‘Yeah. When it was discovered that she wasn’t a virgin, the doctor performed a pregnancy test. When it came back positive, the wedding was canceled. If it lost me, it would double-back, go for Xera while she still lay stunned. Halflings were known to be knocked out for a half-hour or longer. Maybe elves, who were even bigger, would recover faster, but I wasn’t sure.So what could I do? I had my alchemical bombs.I shoved my hand into my pouch, shifting through the supplies. I brushed the clay balls. I had my alchemist mark each one with a different symbol. I brushed one with a spiral, a damiana bomb. I didn’t need to drive the creature mad. I saw him standing roughly thirty feet away from me, half hidden behind a low wall and a good six feet or so above the central courtyard. His bow was drawn and an arrow was nocked and ready to fly. He nodded his head as I glanced over at him and I knew that he was okay. I quickly turned my attention back to the carnage that lay about me. Besides the four people that I had killed, I quickly spotted three more sprawled out around me. One was laying spread eagle on a staircase leading upwards. This was from the hand of a very good and kind man whom we called Father Al. He's gone now, but he knew that you would be coming and he told me he wanted you have it. Yes, the ring on my own hand is very similar but not quite the same, but still original gifts from the original ancient Majii. There was no place for magic in our soulless modern electronic world but the seasons change and what was once very old shall in due course become all new once again like fresh leaves on a tree in spring..