The nameless man spent the first hour of the journey looking out the window.
It wasn't very different from what he'd done when they traveled to Vespera, but this time he had a notebook open on his lap and a short list written in the corner of the page.
Temperature.
Snow.
Road.
Boots.
Stone.
Kael watched him for a while before asking:
"Are you evaluating the trip?"
"I'm recording what I still want to check."
"You put boots on the list."
"I want to know if I made a good purchase."
"You'll find out when your feet are freezing."
The man looked at him.
"That would mean it was a bad purchase."
"Exactly."
Seraphine, sitting beside him, leaned over to examine the page.
"You forgot the market."
He added it.
Kael frowned.
"You accept suggestions very quickly."
"It was a good suggestion."
"That would never work with you," Sylphie remarked.
Kael turned toward her.
"I accept good suggestions."
"After arguing for twenty minutes."
"That's part of the process."
