Vax breathed an Elvish curse, but he'd already dropped his fingers from his pearl. Percy would only stop him going if he knew something. But if it was Vex, if she was there, found, all put right, he would've just come out with it. Whatever it was, he wasn't going to want to hear it.

Twenty minutes later, wearing his black armor, nevermind the summer heat, Vax found where Percy had holed up in the bar. He came on as quiet and sober as a shadow, watching the other man from the doorway for a few long minutes before he approached.