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JYN NEVER STAYED IN THE SAME PLACE FOR LONG. Every time she had stayed in the same city for more than a few months, things had turned sour. The last time, at Fox Hollow, was for once not her fault but that of Ryo, the most recent addition to her crew. He was barely an adult and his fiery character never failed to cause them trouble.

But Jyn did not really pay attention to the faults of her crew, as long as they possessed the most important quality in her eyes: loyalty. It was what kept their small and diverse group together. Her choice of crew might seem chaotic to those watching from afar, but it was a type of chaos that worked perfectly.

They did not have a single failed mission to their credit, not a single artifact that they failed to recover.

"Jyn!"

Sitting on the boarding deck, lost in her thoughts, the young woman raised her head at the sound of her name. Ariel reached her in a few soft strides.

Ariel was the first person she had ever teamed up with. The first person to become her friend and the person with whom she had stolen a ship, which today proudly carried the banner of their small crew.

"Yes?" she replied.

"I heard something that I think you'll be interested in. A merchant has just arrived at the Old Barrel and he speaks of a contract worth six hundred crowns."

The Jyn's eyebrows rose at the amount offered. It was three times more than the last contract her team had undertaken, and they barely made it out alive. For such a reward, the danger must be very high.

Once on her feet, the young woman nodded to her friend and followed her to the only bar in the village. Hagge was considered a small town by its inhabitants, but with its few streets and its handful of shops, it did not gain this name in Jyn's eyes.

The entrance to the Old Barrel was blocked by a group of carpenters, pints in hand. The young woman made her way through, taking care to avoid them and limit contact as much as possible.

It had now been nearly five years since the demon living in her mind manifested itself, but Jyn did not intend to take any risks. One of the triggers had often been human contact in the past. Since then, she avoided being too close to people as much as possible.

She pushed the door open and a bell sounded over her head. But the hubbub inside the bar was such that no one noticed her entrance. Without a word, Ariel guided her to the other side of the room and the two women went upstairs. Most of the alcoves were not occupied, the inhabitants preferring to settle directly in the bar, so Jyn had no trouble locating the merchant whom her friend had told her about.

He was talking to someone whose face was hidden by a wall, which made the young woman's pace accelerate. This contract belonged to her: she did not intend to let anyone else collect such a large sum in her place. 

However, when they were only a few meters from the table, Ariel suddenly stopped and gave her a sign to do the same.

"A Witcher," she whispered.

Jyn's blood gleamed in her veins. Witchers were known to be formidable monster hunters. She heard they could smell them for miles. Fortunately, she had never met one : with the demon inside of her, Jyn was pretty sure she was considered a monster herself. What was certain was that she was no longer completely human, and she was not sure whether she wanted to take the risk of being hunted down by a Witcher.

However, he did not pay attention to her: he hadn't even turned his head towards her. His eyes were fixed on the pint of beer in front of him. Maybe the legend was wrong, and his overdeveloped sense of smell couldn't tell the difference between human and monster.

Jyn decided that it was worth it. She had to listen to the merchant's contract. She glanced at Ariel, then went to the alcove just behind the one where the merchant and the Witcher were sitting. She took care not to be in the field of vision of the latter. Her friend settled in front of her, tense.

"I haven't heard from him in two weeks," said the merchant. "My brother and his group were supposed to be back a month ago. The last letter I received..."

According to the noise of paper being smoothed, the merchant showed the letter in question to his interlocutor.

"Jon said they were close and they knew where the Amulet of Chaos was. Nothing since. No news. It doesn't sounds like my brother at all, he always keeps in touch with me and his wife ─ she didn't get anything either. 

The name of the Amulet of Chaos was vaguely familiar to her. She must have already heard of it on one of her trips. This contract was proving increasingly interesting.

Lost in her thoughts, Jyn was startled when she heard one of the two men getting up. The Witcher's voice echoed in the bar:

"I'm not interested in a treasure hunt. I deal with monsters, that's all."

"I know!" cried the merchant, also getting up. "Wait, I didn't tell you everything yet. In his last letter..."

He tapped the piece of parchment on the table.

"My brother also mentions some Garkain."

"How many?" asked the Witcher after a few seconds of silence.

"Well, he doesn't really know, but he says that he and his group feel a presence around them. They light several fires a night to keep them at bay. They found two bodies completely shredded on the trail. Jon said he saw a Garkain from a distance, too. Maybe they were attacked, or maybe they're hiding somewhere and they're surrounded. I'm begging you... I've posted the contract to every village in the area, but nobody wants to help."

The Witcher sighed and took the parchment to quickly glance at it. Jyn shared an understanding glance with her friend ─ that contract was perfect. The merchant's brother was probably already dead, and all she had to do was bring back his body ─ or what was left of it ─ and recover the six hundred crowns.

The only problem was the Witcher.

"Six hundred crowns for me to take care of the Garkains and find your brother?" said the latter.

He probably thought the same thing as Jyn: it was practically free money. The merchant did not reply, but she guessed that he was shaking his head frantically.

"We have a deal," said the Witcher in a hoarse voice. 

He then put down the piece of parchment and went to the stairs. The young woman got closer to the wall to stay out of sight, elaborating a plan in her head. She had to go faster than the Witcher to get the loot before him. Once he was out of the bar, she spoke to Ariel:

"Go tell the others we have a new contract. I'll find out a few details and join you."

The other shook her head and walked across the room without a look back. Jyn got up, then slipped in front of the merchant with a smile on her face.

"You know, a Witcher may not be the best person to deal with your problem," she said.

The merchant stared at her with surprise.

"On the contrary, if anyone can take care of Garkains, it's him. I don't think you know what you're talking about, young lady.

"No doubt. But what do you think will happen if one of the monsters bit your brother? Do you think the Witcher will let him live?"

The merchant's silence proved to her that he had not asked himself the question. She watched the surprise on his face, then the indecision, and finally the anguish. Her smile grew larger. She playfully played with one of her blond curls, then went on to say:

"I, on the other hand, bite or no bite, can bring your brother back. Where was he when he wrote his last letter?"

"I... on the island of Rocayne. That's where his map led him. But I..."

"Of course, if he's bitten, I'll wait for the double of crowns," she cut him off. "For the risk."

She winked at him. There was in any case very little chance that the man was still alive.

"Deal," replied the merchant. "Find him before the Witcher. And if he is... if he is... bring his body to me."

"You have my word."

Jyn dramatically placed her hand on her heart, a slight smile on her face, and then rose. Her ship was much faster than all those present on the dock : the Witcher would never arrive on the island before her.

The six hundred crowns belonged to her.