* * *
“Hello, Jenna,” Ursula said, offering the recovering girl some conjured water. “You have some powerful magic.”
“This is Ursula,” Xandor told Jenna. “She has powerful magic too. If not for her, I’d never have found you.”
“If not for her,” Jenna said, “I wouldn’t have tried to follow you and ended up the prisoner of a hoobla barbarian wanting stew meat.” She gulped some water. Then she met Ursula’s gaze. “Thank you, Ursula. This wasn’t your fault. I shouldn’t have been so jealous.”
When Ursula had started out from Amorworl, she’d had high expectations for her Age Quest, hoping she would uncover some great truth about her world and herself. Perhaps she had. She reached out and the girls briefly squeezed each other’s hands. Ursula nodded. “I will help you with your Age Quest, if you’d like. Just as soon as I finish mine.” She looked at Xandor and the pouch.
The mouse stuck out its head and squeaked. Xandor lifted the animal. “If you would like the honor,” he said as he handed the creature to Ursula.
When Jenna took Willem from her, Ursula let one tear fall.