Jax gave the Vixens one week.
"Prepare."
That was all the encouragement they needed.
The next several days were filled with activity.
Supplies were purchased across Solmere and neighboring towns.
Healing potions.
Antidotes.
Mana restoratives.
Medical herbs.
Food.
Travel supplies.
Additional camping equipment.
Anything they might conceivably need for a journey lasting several weeks was either packed into dimensional storage or placed inside the warehouse space attached to their caravan.
Zee checked the medical supplies.
Then checked them again.
Then checked them a third time.
Nyxian watched her open the same cabinet for the fourth time.
"Zee."
Zee looked over.
"What?"
"Unless the healing potions are reproducing, I believe you still have the same number you had twenty minutes ago."
"I know."
"Then why are you counting them again?"
"Because I like knowing."
Nyxian nodded thoughtfully.
"Fair."
She turned toward Llandra.
"She's counting them again."
"I know."
Llandra was busy inspecting Starpiercer and several different sets of arrows.
Aurabelle sat nearby eating something from a paper bag.
Llandra glanced toward her.
"Belle, what are you doing to prepare?"
Aurabelle looked down at the bag.
"Eating the snacks that are going to go bad before we leave."
Nyxian nodded approvingly.
"She's protecting our supplies."
"Exactly."
"Very important work."
Aurabelle reached into the bag.
"Want one?"
"Absolutely."
Llandra sighed.
Preparation continued.
Jax's final preparations had considerably less snacking involved.
Businesses needed to know he would be gone.
Managers were informed.
Shipments were scheduled.
Meetings were moved.
Auron was told how to reach him if anything significant happened with Burrowlane's expanding distribution network.
Kaelor knew where they were headed.
Vaelrith and Soren would continue overseeing intelligence operations.
Warden had standing orders to relay anything important through the Shadow Network.
And finally—
Jax met with the United Kingdoms council.
They were considerably less enthusiastic about his upcoming adventure than the Vixens had been.
Several council members sat around the long table inside the Compound.
Jax had barely finished explaining his expected travel time when the concern became obvious.
"You intend to leave for several weeks?" one of them asked.
"Possibly."
Another leaned forward.
"While Alexandria is actively attempting to undermine the United Kingdoms?"
"Yes."
Silence.
Jax looked around the table.
"You realize all of you were running cities before I got here, right?"
That earned a few uncomfortable expressions.
Jax held up his Tele-Stone.
"If something happens, call me."
"Jax, you could be on the other side of the continent."
"For most people."
That received several confused looks.
Jax smiled.
"I'm about thirty seconds away."
That seemed to remind everyone of something important.
Distance had become a considerably different concept for Jax Darquebane.
As long as one of his shadows was where he needed to go—
So was he.
"I've already spoken with Warden," Jax continued. "Vaelrith and Soren know what they're doing. Kaelor has the Guild network watching for anything unusual. Nothing changes just because I'm traveling."
The room remained quiet.
Jax looked around.
"You'll be fine."
One council member sighed.
"That isn't nearly as reassuring as you think it is."
"It should be."
"Why?"
"Because I'm usually right."
That didn't help.
But eventually—
They accepted it.
Not that they really had a choice.
Jax wasn't asking permission.
He was letting them know he would be unavailable—
Except when he wasn't.
One week later—
The Vixens left Solmere.
They used the dimensional gate network to travel as far southeast as the United Kingdoms' current network could take them.
From there—
The real journey began.
Nyxian summoned Grim and Steed.
The enormous Shadow Bulls emerged from darkness in front of the caravan.
Harnesses were attached.
Equipment checked.
Jax climbed aboard.
Aurabelle followed.
Then Zee.
Llandra.
Nyxian climbed in last and closed the door.
Outside—
Grim and Steed began moving.
For an ordinary caravan, the remaining journey could have taken nearly two months.
Grim and Steed weren't ordinary animals.
They didn't sleep.
They didn't tire.
They didn't need food.
And complaining wasn't really within their skill set.
They simply pulled.
Day.
Night.
Rain.
Mud.
Hills.
Valleys.
It didn't matter.
The caravan continued south.
The roads changed quickly.
Near the United Kingdoms, they were maintained.
Wide enough for multiple wagons.
Bridges crossed rivers.
Signs marked distances between towns.
Travelers were common.
Farther south—
The roads became rougher.
Stone became packed dirt.
Packed dirt became ruts.
Bridges became considerably less trustworthy.
Towns became villages.
Villages became scattered farms.
And eventually—
Long stretches of wilderness separated everything.
Grim and Steed continued forward.
The enchanted caravan rocked occasionally over particularly terrible sections of road, but dimensional magic kept the interior remarkably stable.
Which created a bizarre contrast.
Outside—
Rain hammered the road.
Mud splashed beneath enormous black hooves.
Wind bent trees.
Some unidentified monster howled somewhere in the forest.
Inside—
Jax was making waffles.
Aurabelle sat at the dining table waiting impatiently.
"Are they done?"
"No."
Thirty seconds passed.
"Now?"
"No."
Nyxian lounged across one of the couches.
"Belle, watching him doesn't make them cook faster."
Aurabelle stared at Jax.
"I disagree."
Jax looked over his shoulder.
"It doesn't."
"See?"
Nyxian pointed at him.
"Expert testimony."
Aurabelle sighed dramatically.
Travel was difficult.
By the third day—
They needed entertainment.
They had books.
Games.
Training exercises.
Plenty of food.
And five people trapped inside a luxury dimensional caravan traveling twenty-four hours a day.
Eventually Jax produced a deck of cards.
Nyxian eyed them suspiciously.
"What are we playing?"
"Texas Hold'em."
Aurabelle frowned.
"Texas?"
"Place from my world."
"Is it nice?"
"Parts of it."
Jax shuffled the cards.
"I taught you the basic rules before. Two private cards for each player. Five community cards eventually go on the table. You're building the best five-card hand you can."
He began dealing.
"There's betting between rounds. Fold if you don't like your chances. Bluff if you think you can convince everyone else that your cards are better than they are."
Nyxian smiled.
"I like this game already."
"Of course you do."
They played several practice hands.
Then Nyxian frowned.
"What are we betting?"
"Money."
Four women stared at him.
Jax looked around.
"What?"
Llandra raised an eyebrow.
"You're considerably wealthier than everyone sitting at this table."
"So?"
"So money isn't particularly interesting."
Aurabelle nodded.
"She's right."
Jax considered that.
"Fair."
He shuffled again.
"Sometimes younger people where I came from—college students especially—would play without money."
Nyxian immediately looked interested.
"What did they bet?"
Jax laughed.
"Sometimes clothes."
Four women stared at him.
Jax continued shuffling.
"Or favors. Dares. Things like that."
Nyxian's smile slowly widened.
Jax stopped shuffling.
He looked at her.
"No."
"I haven't said anything."
"I know that face."
"You love this face."
"That's beside the point."
Aurabelle leaned forward.
"How does it work?"
"Simple. Lose a hand, lose an article of clothing. Once you're out of clothing, you're betting favors or dares instead."
Nyxian stood.
"I'll be right back."
Jax watched her leave.
"Where are you going?"
"Getting comfortable."
She returned several minutes later.
Wearing a coat.
Over another coat.
Over a sweater.
And what appeared to be several more layers underneath.
Jax stared.
"Why are you wearing three coats?"
"I get cold."
"Nyxian."
"Very cold."
"We're inside."
"Medical condition."
Llandra closed her eyes.
Zee covered her mouth.
Aurabelle burst out laughing.
Jax pointed at Nyxian.
"Fine. But everything you're wearing right now counts."
Nyxian stopped.
Her eyes narrowed.
"You can't change the rules."
"I literally just taught you the rules."
"He's got you there," Llandra said.
"Traitor."
They began.
Three hours later—
Nyxian had discovered a serious flaw in her strategy.
Jax kept winning.
At first—
The women played honestly.
That didn't work.
Then Nyxian started cheating.
Llandra caught her almost immediately.
She didn't say anything.
Instead—
Llandra started cheating too.
Aurabelle noticed Llandra cheating.
So Aurabelle began cheating.
Zee watched all three of them.
For several hands, she refused to participate.
"This defeats the entire purpose of the game."
Nyxian glanced toward her.
"Does it?"
"Yes."
"Are you winning?"
Zee looked down at the considerably smaller number of clothes she still possessed.
"No."
"Then perhaps morality is overrated."
Zee frowned.
Ten minutes later—
Zee started cheating.
And somehow—
She was better at it than all of them.
Jax still kept winning.
"HOW?"
Nyxian slammed her cards onto the table.
Jax revealed his hand.
Another full house.
Llandra stared.
"That's ridiculous."
"Statistical probability."
Nyxian pointed accusingly at him.
"That's not a real answer."
"It absolutely is."
Jax gathered the cards.
What he didn't mention was that his Luck was effectively immeasurable.
He knew the stat existed.
He knew it was absurdly high.
He simply hadn't expected it to apply to cards.
Apparently—
It did.
Aggressively.
Nyxian removed another layer.
She was finally down to clothing that a normal person would have actually started the game wearing.
"This is impossible."
Jax shrugged.
"You wanted to play."
"I wanted to win."
"Different objective."
Across the table, Aurabelle lost another hand.
She looked down at herself.
Then at the others.
"That's everything."
Nyxian immediately leaned forward.
"Excellent."
Aurabelle laughed.
"I know that look."
"You're betting dares now."
"I know."
"I have suggestions."
Llandra didn't even look away from her cards.
"No."
Nyxian frowned.
"She hasn't heard them."
"I don't need to."
"One involves—"
"No."
Aurabelle giggled.
"I get to decide whether I accept the dare."
Nyxian pointed triumphantly toward Llandra.
"See? She understands democracy."
Jax looked at his cards.
"That's not remotely how democracy works."
Nyxian glanced toward him.
"Nobody asked you. You're still wearing pants."
Jax stared at her.
Zee burst out laughing.
The caravan continued south.
By the fifth day—
The game had become war.
All pretense of honor was gone.
Alliances formed.
Collapsed.
Reformed.
Nyxian and Aurabelle worked together against Llandra.
Llandra secretly allied with Zee.
Zee betrayed Llandra three hands later.
Jax somehow remained the common enemy throughout all of it.
And he kept winning.
At one point, Nyxian attempted to distract him while Aurabelle tried to look at his cards.
Jax casually moved them out of view.
"Belle."
Aurabelle froze.
"What?"
"Stop."
"I wasn't doing anything."
"You were leaning halfway across the table."
"I dropped something."
"What?"
She looked around.
"My dignity."
Nyxian nodded sympathetically.
"Understandable. You lost that three hands ago."
Aurabelle threw a pillow at her.
Then—
Jax's Tele-Stone lit up.
The room changed instantly.
The laughter stopped.
Jax looked at the stone.
Very few people had permission to contact him directly while traveling.
He picked it up.
"Yes?"
The women watched him.
Jax listened.
His expression changed slightly.
Not fear.
Focus.
"How many?"
Pause.
"Really?"
Another pause.
"No. Don't send reinforcements."
Llandra leaned forward.
"Jax."
He held up one finger.
"I'll handle it."
He ended the call.
Four women stared at him.
Jax looked around.
"What?"
Llandra narrowed her eyes.
"You used the voice."
"What voice?"
All four answered together.
"The voice."
"I don't have a voice."
"You absolutely have a voice," Zee said.
Nyxian nodded.
"It's the one where you say something isn't a problem immediately before making it someone else's catastrophic problem."
"It's fine."
"What happened?" Aurabelle asked.
"Imperial strike team hit one of the dimensional warehouses."
Nyxian's expression hardened.
"Where?"
"Several hundred miles behind us."
Llandra stood.
"We're coming."
"No need. And you can't."
"Jax."
"It's not a big deal."
That didn't reassure anyone.
Jax stood.
"I'll be back shortly."
He stepped backward.
His body sank into the shadow beneath him—
And disappeared.
A fraction of a second later—
A fully armored Shadow Knight rose into his place.
Sword raised.
Ready to strike.
The knight froze.
Four women stared at him.
The Shadow Knight slowly lowered his sword.
Nyxian looked toward Jax's empty chair.
Then toward the knight.
A smile appeared.
"Oh."
Llandra saw it.
"No."
"I haven't said anything."
"You don't have to."
Nyxian pointed toward Jax's chair.
"Sit."
The Shadow Knight obeyed.
Zee looked between them.
"What are you doing?"
"We can't stop the game because Jax left."
"He's fighting an Imperial strike team."
"And we're supporting him."
"How?"
Nyxian placed two cards in front of the knight.
"By maintaining normalcy."
Llandra stared at her.
"That's possibly the dumbest thing you've ever said."
"Thank you."
The knight looked down at the cards.
Then toward the women.
Then back at the cards.
Aurabelle leaned toward him.
"Do you know how to play?"
Nothing.
Nyxian nodded.
"Excellent."
"How was that excellent?" Zee asked.
"He's representing Jax."
Understanding slowly crossed Zee's face.
Then—
A smile.
"Oh."
Llandra looked between them.
"No."
Aurabelle grinned.
"Oh, yes."
The Shadow Knight had no idea what was happening.
But orders were orders.
And apparently—
His current orders involved cards.
Twenty minutes later—
The Shadow Knight had lost six consecutive hands.
Not accidentally.
At one point, he'd actually been holding two kings in his hand with a third on the board.
Nyxian looked at his cards.
Then at Zee.
"Fold."
Zee stared at her.
"He has three kings?"
"I know."
Zee slowly smiled.
"...I love you."
The knight folded.
Aurabelle collected the hand.
"Another one."
The Shadow Knight sat silently.
Accepting his fate.
Suddenly—
The knight vanished into the floor.
Jax rose into his place.
He adjusted his coat.
"Problem solved."
Four women stared at him.
Jax looked around.
"What?"
Nobody answered.
They were inspecting him.
Nyxian pointed.
"You forgot to lock Infernal Requiem into your holster."
Jax looked down.
"Huh."
Zee leaned closer.
"There's blood on your boot."
"Not mine."
Llandra pointed toward his shoulder.
"You're bleeding."
Jax checked.
"Also not mine."
Llandra stared at him.
"Is that an ice shard sticking out of your shoulder?"
Jax reached his left hand to the back of his right shoulder and pulled out a tiny piece of metal.
He examined it.
"Huh."
Nyxian pointed.
"What is that?"
"Area attack spell. Looks like I missed one"
Aurabelle studied him carefully. Noticing what she thought was ice, was actually a blade stopped by his enchanted armor, and got stuck.
Everyone waited.
Finally—
She pointed.
"Your boot is not tied to the top."
Jax looked down.
It wasn't.
He looked back at her.
"...Seriously? That's what you noticed?"
Aurabelle shrugged.
"They already got the good ones."
Jax laughed.
That was enough.
The women relaxed.
Whatever had happened—
He was here.
He was fine.
Problem solved.
Jax sat back down.
"So where were we?"
Nyxian smiled.
"Oh, you don't want to know."
Jax looked at her.
"What happened while I was gone?"
"Your representative played for you."
Jax stopped.
"My what?"
"The Shadow Knight."
Jax looked toward the place he'd just emerged from.
Then toward Nyxian.
"You made my Shadow Knight play poker?"
"He represented your interests admirably."
Zee coughed.
Aurabelle covered her mouth.
Llandra suddenly became very interested in arranging her cards.
Jax's eyes narrowed.
"How many hands?"
"Eight."
Zee looked at Nyxian.
"Six."
Nyxian didn't even glance toward her.
"Eight."
Nyxian continued staring directly at Jax.
"Zee, darling, please don't undermine the integrity of the game."
Jax stared at her.
"Integrity?"
"Eight hands."
"You can't charge me for hands I didn't play."
Llandra finally looked up.
"Your representative played them."
"I didn't appoint a representative."
"You summoned him."
"I Shadow Swapped with him!"
"Technicality."
Jax looked toward Zee.
"You're allowing this?"
Zee smiled sweetly.
"The Rules Committee voted."
Jax slowly looked around the table.
"The what?"
"The Rules Committee," Aurabelle repeated.
"Who's on the Rules Committee?"
Four hands went up.
Jax stared.
"You're the Rules Committee."
"Correct," Llandra said.
"And I'm not on it?"
Nyxian shook her head.
"Conflict of interest."
"How?"
"You're winning."
Jax sat back.
"This is ridiculous."
"Would you like to appeal?" Zee asked.
"Yes."
"Appeal denied."
"I haven't made it yet."
"We anticipated it."
Jax looked toward Llandra.
"You are supposed to be the reasonable one."
Llandra smiled.
"I married you."
"Fair point."
Nyxian tapped the table.
"Eight losses."
Jax sighed.
"Fine."
He reached for the first button of his shirt.
He started counting the actual amount of clothing he had on. His coat, his armor, a shirt underneath, his pants, boots for Jax counted as one. Same as his socks and finally his underwear.
He was down to nothing.
"...This feels incredibly corrupt."
Llandra smiled.
"Take it up with the council."
"I get the feeling that the council will not see things in my favor."
Nyxian grinned.
"Then file an appeal, naked man."