Ok so please review! You know the drill! Dusty and Jo in this chapter!
"So by you're knowledge we are... how far from Capricorn's new hideout?" Jo asked Dustfinger as they sat around the campfire their second night of traveling.
"Why don't you just read my mind to find out?" Dustfinger asked dryly.
Jo rolled her eyes "Because I'm a considerate person and I don't like to intrude in peoples minds."
"Huh." Dustfigner pndered this "It's seems like the entire point of reading peoples mid is to intrude to see what they're thinking."
Jo sjrugged "The mind is the only sanctuary the we humans have left. It's the only place we can truly keep our secrets. I can't just ignore that."
"Insightful" Dustfiner speculated "But did you not read Callypso and Kat's minds and find out about their past?"
"I did" Jo admited with a sigh "I know I shouldn't have but I was so curious as to why two friends and their families just moved across the ocean... now I know."
"Yes now you know" Dustfinger gave a bitter smile "And your wrapped up in it too hmm?"
"I don't mind being wrapped up in it" Jo said firmly "I need to help my friends and if risking my life is what it takes that's what I'll have to do."
Dustfinger said nothing but stared into the flames of the campfire as if searching for something. As if wishing to dissapear amongst the burning tendrils of fire.
"So what's your story?" Jo asked curiously.
"It's a long one." Dustfinger sighed "You'd be better off reading my mind."
"I'd like to hear you tell it yourself" Jo explained "I like to hear what happens to peoples voices when they talk about searching things. It gives me more insight then just reading their minds." Dustfinger was silent and Jo back tracked quickly "Unless you don't want to talk about it. I'm sorry if I-"
"No it's fine" Dustfinger shook his head "What's the harm anyway? I supposed you heard about me from Callypso's mind."
Jo nodded "Yeah. I know you're from the same book as those blackjackets and you helped Callypso but that's the extent of what I picked up."
"You're right I am from the same book." Dustfinger passed his fingers through the flames and quickly became engrossed in his memories.
"I was part of a group called the strolling players. We played on the streets for money, never were the richest of folk. Many can just barely scrape a living. I was one of the luckier ones. I was a paticular popular act: a fire dancer. The tricks of fire are hard to learn but once you learn them it becomes your friend."
Dustfinger passed his hands through the flames again and scooped out a bit of the flames, letting them dance on his palm before they went out. Jo was now fully engrossed in Dustfinger's story.
"Roxanne was one of the things that made me so lucky." Dustfinger continued. "She danced, so beautifully but it was nothing compared to her voice. I swear the birds stopped singing when she sang. She had long, raven colored hair. She also specilized in herbs so she was handy to have around since the strolling players couldn't afford a doctor.
"From the moment I layed eyes on Roxanne I loved her. It was a stroke of good fortune she loved me as well. We married and had two daughters. Brianna was the eldest. She had my red hair but looked very much like her mother. The younder one was Rosanna who shared her mothers dark hair."
Dustfinger sighed and ran his hands through his hair "I miss them more than anything else from my old world."
"And that's why you want that book? To get back?" Jo inquired.
"Yes, how did you know I-" Dustfinger began then gave Jo a look "I thought you didn't like to intrude?"
"Well I can't help it if your screaming your thoughts." Jo said with a slight smile.
"I'll try to keep quiet" Dustfinger rolled his eyes "And you? Anything else interesting in your life besides the mind reading?"
"Not really" Jo shrugged "I'm an only child, my parents are both surgeons so their never around. I get along by myself mostly. I used to have a sitter who watched me while my parents were gone but I haven't had her since I was twelve." Jo fingered a piece of burnt wood "Callypso and Kat are more my family than my parents in a way. see them more at least, they understand me more."
"And you got the fact that they're bad luck magnets as a bonus thrown in" Dustfinger commented dryly.
"Yep! But all things considering I'll take it." Jo yawned "I'm exhausted. I think I'll go to bed. Can you take first watch?"
Dustfinger nodded silently.
Jo was asleep within minutes.
Dustfinger watched the girl sleep in the fire light for a long time. She seemed much younger asleep, more peaceful. When she was awake she was calm and collected. Joanna was facinating to him in the way that she had an ability but didn't use it in a way that could hurt others.
Dustfinger sighed "I need that book" he whispered to the firelight. "I'm desperate... but maybe this has gone to far. How much of these three girls happiness am I willing to sacrifice for mine?" he looked up at the moon for a long time till resolve found it's way into his mind.
"This has gone to far. First with the Silvertounges and now with these three. I shouldn't have told them about Callypso's location for the book..."
Ooh! Suspence! REVIEW! Hoped you like this Dusty and Jo chapter!