I understand this has probably moved sort of fast for you readers, and I'm sorry, but I wanted to FINISH it. AND NOW I HAVE!!!!!!

Oh, since the final real chapter was for Kassi, the epilogue can be for Wake-Robin.

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The Tortallan shoreline loomed into view. It was barely noticeable in the sunrise. If it had been dark, the Mageskull would have missed it altogether.

Keladry paused on the deck when she spotted Joren resting against the rail, staring at the sea. With his tanned skin and red bandana and pierced earlobe, he looked so…right, just so at home on this ship.

They had been on board the ship together for almost two weeks, and had barely spoken a word to each other, not even when Frenn died of blood loss. Somehow, now seemed a good time to do it.

She quietly moved up beside him, and stared out at the same sea. He did not move or acknowledge her presence.

After a while she said, "Are you going back to Tortall?"

He was quiet for so long she thought he had not heard her.

"No," Joren finally said softly. "Nothing waits for me there but a trial."

"What about your shield?"

He chuckled bitterly. "I doubt I'd ever get it. Knowing my luck I'd die in the Chamber or something."

A pause.

"Are you going to stay here then?"

He nodded, still not looking at her. "They voted Kris captain. He doesn't want it though." Finally he looked at her, a wry smile barely touching his lips. "He wants to give the position to me."

Kel blinked. Joren, pirate captain?

"Are you going to take it?"

The blond turned his roaming blue eyes back out to sea. "Probably. I can't go back to Tortall, where a trial and probably an execution wait for me."

She nodded.

"Do you plan on going back to Tortall?"

She blinked. "Of course. I worked hard enough to get where I am. I'm staying."

"And after you get your shield…?"

Kel looked away. "I'll probably become an assassin, like Frenn had been."

Joren was not surprised even though he did not expect it. He figured she would do something in honor of Frenn. And yet it shocked him a little to find how much this girl had changed.

"I would not expect that of the girl who is always defending others," he told her quietly.

Her mouth twitched sadly. "Some things change. And of course I won't take all the assignments. I'll need a reason for the murder, not just because the employer does not like the victim."

Ouch.

Hesitantly, he placed an awkward hand on her arm. She looked at it, then up at him.

"Look, Keladry…"

She watched him with her impassive eyes.

"I am sorry. This is pretty much all my fault."

She smiled sorrowfully at him as he removed his hand. "It's not all your fault, Joren. Some things I could have prevented too…and look on the bright side. If you had not done this, the world could have been overrun with Lesenac's henchmen."

The thought had never crossed his mind, and his spirits were lifted because of it.

"Kel!" Neal called. "Come on! We're almost there!"

Kel stared at him for a little longer, and then smiled. Not a fake smile, nor a cold one, but a small, warmly genuine smile.

"Maybe we'll see each other again," she said quietly, then walked away toward Neal.

He smiled.

Maybe we will, he thought, watching her retreating back. In fact…I'm sure of it.