Excerpt from Dawn of the Apocalypse         
         Azin smirked. “So, what’s this I hear about dragging Tink along with us?”             
           Vindicar took a sip of drink. “The boy has a gift Azin—a gift capable of ending this war and bringing peace to Nanthara and beyond.”
     The assassin chortled. “So, it’s not bad enough we have to fight foulskin, undead, Dymwren, giants, but now we have to babysit.”
           "Your viewpoint is wrong,” Sir Angelo said.
     Azin put down his fork and glared at the paladin. “How so?”
     “By Tink having Dreamsight, he is useless confined behind stone walls. He must be with us, so we can gain the benefits of his insight and be able to counter the Dark One.”
     “You mean use him,” Azin said, locked on Sir Angelo’s stare as he drained half of his cup empty.
     “We are not using him,” Vindicar said. “The boy knows his station. It was his choice to accompany us on our next journey.”
     Dreg gulped his second cup of ale. “The boy is smart. He sees things we cannot. There are many things against us now. We need him.”
     Azin huffed. “The truth is he was influenced by your urgency to finish this crisis. I’m surprised a paladin would stoop so low as to use a kid as a weapon—and a blind one to boot.”
     Sir Angelo’s voice raised an octave. “It was not my decision. It was Sovereign.”
            Azin sat bewildered. “Great, so now the kid is talking to ghosts, too?”
     Eriss tilted her head. “Don’t you?”
      Azin paused, dodging Eriss’ question.  He glanced at her before continuing to eat. “What do you mean?”
     “I’ve seen you talking to yourself,” Eriss said. “You talk to Sovereign also.”
     “What, are you trying to analyze me?” Azin questioned.
     Eriss drummed her fingers twice on the table. “Am I correct?”
     Azin chuckled. “Those are your thoughts, thief.”
     “Ex-thief,” Eriss added.
     Grabbing a piece of meat and stuffing it in a chunk of bread, Azin stood and walked away from the table.
     “Where are you goin’?” Boren asked.
     “Out,” Azin replied.
     “Always runnin’ from yer problems, eh Alkanien?” Boren asked, glaring.
     Azin stopped and looked over his shoulder. “The kid’s blood is not going to be on my hands.” He slammed the door as he left the chamber, leaving the others to their meal.