Third Interlude - Different People

Jean came awake to a hand shaking his shoulder. He sat up in a panic and almost bumped heads with someone looming over him. Someone who hissed a curse in a familiar voice.

"Vasha?" It was dark and he could only see her silhouette, but Jean would recognise her voice anywhere. "What's wrong?"

She moved away a few paces, settling into a crouch. "I don't know yet," she said. "I mean, I do know, but it's all so murky. I need your help."

Baffled, Jean crawled out of his makeshift bed. Marissa had insisted they camp on one of Rata Sum's lower levels, in an alcove away from the main thoroughfares. She seemed to think proper beds would make them all dull-witted and complacent, and maybe she was right. After weeks on the road, sleeping on dry city ground didn't seem like much of a hardship.

Vasha had backed away, out of earshot of the other Valparis. Jean thought he saw the gleam of Marissa's eyes from within her blankets, but he ignored her. Whatever was going on here, it was none of her concern. Probably.

He caught up to Vasha beside some kind of open-air tavern, quiet at this time of night. Vasha pulled out two chairs, but proceeded to pace rather than sit in hers.

"I need your help," she said again. "I spoke to Grey and he said–"

"Grey?" Jean rubbed his temples. "I'm afraid I'm missing something here."

"A charr. He was our clue in the last round. He's joined the team of pirates since then. He knew Roan years ago, and Roan's brother."

Jean's head was beginning to throb. If that was Vasha's idea of an explanation, it was a good thing she'd never taken up teaching. "And he said what, exactly?"

Vasha came to a stop. "That I've attracted the attention of someone called the Archon. Someone who's in charge of Yinn and this whole game."

They were both silent as Jean absorbed that. The Archon. He'd never heard of such a figure, but Light's Memory had been adamant Yinn wasn't the only one behind the scenes of this game.

"I want to talk to Light's Memory," Vasha said, echoing Jean's thoughts. "I sent a message to their guild hall. I'm going to meet with them tonight."

This was all moving far faster than Jean had anticipated when he woke up, but he was determined to keep up. After all, Vasha had come to him for help, when she could have chosen anyone else in Rata Sum. The thought made him feel warm with satisfaction. "All right. Let me get my weapons. I'll come with you to this meeting."

"I was hoping you'd say that." Vasha couldn't quite hide her relief, though Jean knew she was trying. This whole situation must have scared her; she was too proud to ask for help otherwise.

They left the lower levels, making their way up to the city's asura gates. A steady stream of traffic came through the one from Lion's Arch, despite the hour – and, waiting a short distance away, was a figure Jean recognised.

Amber lounged at the side of the concourse, giving no indication she'd seen them or that she was even waiting for a meeting. Jean found himself thinking of Oska. That was thieves for you: the less interested they appeared, the more attention they were paying.

Vasha walked a short way along the concourse, Jean following. A few heartbeats later, Amber was beside them. "I hope you've got a good reason for this," she said, glaring at Vasha. "Being seen with you jeopardises my contract with Yinn."

"You know it's important," Vasha replied, "or you wouldn't have come."

Amber folded her arms. "A reasonable assumption. I take it you have questions?"

"I want to know about the Archon."

Amber's golden eyes narrowed. She was silent for several moments. "That's dangerous ground for both of us."

"So he's real?" Jean put in. "This isn't a conspiracy theory?"

"Reality is such a tricky concept," Amber said, still looking at Vasha. "Just a construct, really."

"That's no answer at all," Jean said.

Vasha, though, looked thoughtful. "A construct. What an interesting turn of phrase."

Jean looked between the two of them, wondering what he was missing. Before he could ask, Amber nodded to Vasha. "Any more questions?"

"Thousands," Vasha replied, "but thank you for answering that one. You've given me a lot to think about."

Amber seemed to take that as a farewell. With another nod, she turned on her heel and strode back towards the asura gates.

Jean watched her go, still baffled by the conversation. As far as he was concerned, Amber hadn't answered anything at all – but Vasha seemed satisfied. "Vasha..."

"I don't have time to talk right now. I need to think."

"Then why did you bring me with you?"

Vasha's wide grey eyes turned to him. She seemed to be giving that conundrum serious thought. "We're still allies, aren't we? I wanted someone from your family to know what was going on. I was hardly going to ask Marissa."

Jean grimaced. The pair of them really were going to dislike one another forever, weren't they?

"And because," Vasha said more softly, "we almost died in the jungle. I've spent a lot of time thinking about that. If that had been the end and I never got to tell you..."

Jean swallowed. "Tell me what?"

Vasha shook her head as though she'd lost her train of thought. "I don't know what you want from me, Jean. Our lives can never go back to the way they were, in Divinity's Reach. We were such different people then."

"But we can be friends, can't we?" It almost hurt to ask.

Vasha closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, she was almost smiling. "Yes, we can be friends. That's why I asked you here tonight. Because I was scared of what I might learn and... Well, do you want to know the truth of it? No-one has ever made me feel as safe as you."

Jean swallowed again. "You know, I don't think I want us to go back to being what we were in Divinity's Reach. We're both better people now."

"I suppose you're right." Vasha nodded, as though to herself. "Thank you for coming with me. I'm sorry I woke you up."

As they walked back down the ramp into the heart of the city, Jean felt a realisation growing in his chest. It was far more dangerous than any Archon, too. He knew with perfect clarity that whatever Vasha asked him to do – forfeit the game, run through fire, never sleep again – he'd do it in a heartbeat... If it meant a chance to spend the rest of his life with her.