"You look like you were in a fight," Joachim said.

"We were," Juray confirmed. "How's Priscilla?"

"Much better." He turned to Priscilla. "Right?"

"Yes," Priscilla whispered.

"That's a good sign."

"Indeed."

"Did you take care of what I asked?" Jaskier asked.

"We did," Geralt said. "The Witcher's way."

"Doc, do you have a moment to stitch me up?" Juray asked. "Afraid the killer laid claws on me."

Joachim motioned to a chair. "Of course."

"Thank you," Jaskier said. "Both of you."

"Did our part," Geralt said. "Now you do your part and take care of her."

"I will. Treat her better than the dryads of Brokilon could." Jaskier went back to his vigil and Geralt went over to Juray as Joachim tended to the wound Hubert gave her.

"May I ask what did this?"

"Higher vampire. You were right not to trust Hubert. Turned out he was the killer."

"I thought nothing in Novigrad could surprise me. But that explains why he hadn't changed at all." Joachim finished with Juray's back and she donned her shirt and armor. "I don't think I've seen anyone with the amount of scars you have."

"That's just my back. You should see the other Witchers." She turned to Geralt. "I think we should get some rest before we look for a captain willing to sail to Skellige. And Dudu and Zoltan will want an update on Priscilla."

Geralt nodded. "Yeah."

"Stay as long as you need to," Jaskier said. "I have rooms reserved for you for anytime you're in town. Zoltan knows which ones."

"Thanks, Jaskier."

Juray and Geralt spent all day looking for a captain that would be willing to sail to Skellige. Every captain they spoke to wasn't willing to risk being attacked, a few more superstitious ones refusing to even ferry Juray even if they were willing. Until one captain pointed them towards a captain by the name of Wolverstone, describing him as a liar, a thief, and a bugger, but the man was crazy enough to sail into Islander territory. The two went to find him at the Golden Sturgeon, a tavern next to the docks. The bartender pointed them to an already inebriated man.

"You have to be fucking kidding me," Juray muttered.

"You Wolverstone, captain of the Atropos?" Geralt asked the man.

"So you want to know... if I'm Atropos, cap'n of the Wolverstone...? No fuckin' clue, mate..." He snickered.

Geralt sighed. "We need to get to Skellige."

"My Atropos and me, we're due to sail for Ard Skellig. Carryin' grain. But that's hush-hush. Got any coin?"

Geralt passed him a full purse.

"Hefty sack, like a bull's. When do we sail?"

"Not sure you're ready," Juray said. "You can barely stand."

"Know this, stranger. Captain Wolverstone never sails sober. The sea goes one way, Wolverstone goes the other. Makes the rockin' bearable. So, ready to sail?"

"Ready now."

"Ah-ah-ah. First, we must drink to the wind, to good fortune, and to the strength of my Atropos. Ah. Anchors aweigh!" Wolverstone took another drink before stumbling out of the tavern.

"Well, this is going to be one interesting journey," Juray commented.

"Yeah," Geralt agreed.

~~~

The Atropos set sail a few hours later as the sun was dipping towards the horizon, Geralt and Juray being given a cabin together. The two settled down as night fell. While Geralt actually fell asleep, Juray laid awake. She felt uneasy knowing that Wolverstone was drunk sailing. She was currently laying on her back, her head resting on her arm and looking at the ceiling above them as she absently played with her medallion. Her swords lay next to her. Upon hearing Geralt's steady breathing, Juray wondered how he was able to fall asleep knowing the man steering the ship was drunker than a Skellige pirate in a tub of mead. She sighed, then drew her eyebrows together. She looked down, realizing she didn't have the wolf medallion in her hand, but the pendent the pellar had given her for helping him be free of his father. She normally kept it under her armor and she assumed she must have grabbed both chains when she replaced her armor after Joachim patched her up. She could sense the power in the moonstone. A memory tugged at her mind. Triss speaking to Vesemir at Kaer Morhen after the two had met for the first time. She'd almost forgotten about the conversation she'd overheard all those years ago. The conversation the two'd had about her.

"What do you mean?" Vesemir asked.

"Juray's Signs are stronger than all the other Witchers, am I right?"

Juray stopped upon hearing Triss mention her name. She had been making for the common room when she heard their voices coming from the guest quarters.

"Well yes."

"What about her other abilities?" There was a pause. "The strength, speed, ability to sense monsters and magic."

"Above average. We all assume it's because of the moon curse she has."

"Vesemir, I have reason to believe that Juray is not cursed. She was born the first full moon of winter, was she not?"

"How did you know? She tell you?"

"Not at all. Do you know what happens to children born under that moon?"

"They become Witchers?"

"Comical. They become powerful sorcerers and sorceresses. They have magical powers that even scare themselves. Most are too scared to use that full power, but like a Child of the Elder Blood, they have to be taught how to harness and use their gifts."

"Are you suggesting that Juray is a Child of the Elder Blood?"

"A Child of the Winter Moon. It's the direct opposite of a child with the Curse of the Black Sun. While the Black Sun doesn't allow magic to work at all around them, Winter Moons are extremely sensitive to it. I'll venture to say that Juray doesn't need her medallion to sense monsters and magic, does she?"

"So you think Juray is a Witcher-trained sorceress?"

"I'm not sure. Only a few make it to adulthood. Most are abandoned or outright killed. And each one of them have snow-white hair and cold blue eyes to mark them. But none have ever joined the ranks of the Witchers."

Vesemir was quiet for a moment. "Juray would not have survived to see her seventh year had James not taken her and brought her here. But her eyes were not a cold blue. They were bright and danced with the same humor they still have. Those eyes were never cold before they turned golden."

"But they were blue?"

"They were blue."

"Juray marks the precedent for this. But you should protect her from the world knowing a Child of the Winter Moon is among you. Especially from the Church of the Eternal Fire. If they knew, they would hunt her down, Witcher or not."

Shouting brought Juray out of her thoughts, along with running footfalls that didn't sound like they belonged. She sat up, listening. Then she heard the sound of steel against steel and grabbed her swords.

"Geralt!"

Her fellow Witcher immediately awoke, sitting up as Juray's fingers quickly fastened the belts over her chest. He jumped up upon hearing what she was and the two ran out of the cabin. Juray immediately dodged a blade coming at her, spinning around and cutting the offender down.

"Pirates," Juray observed upon seeing the Skellige dress on the man. "I think our friend forgot to pay his monthly dues to them."

The two set about defending themselves from the pirates, Wolverstone right in the middle of the fight, shouting obscenities at the pirates. After what seemed like forever, the pirates retreated. Wolverstone and his men gave a cheer. Just before a groan and the sound of wood splintering echoed through the driving rain. Wolverstone cursed again, running toward the wheelhouse. But he was too late. The ship listed violently, causing Juray to lose her footing and nearly topple over the side, her quick reflexes saving her. The ship hit the rocks again, this time the mast coming down and heading straight for Geralt.

"Geralt! Look out!"

The mast fell and the ship broke apart, sending Juray into the icy Skellige water.

~~~

Juray pulled herself from the water, the air immediately chilling her. The rain was still driving so finding dry firewood would be out of the question. She looked around her and didn't see any sign of life, just the quiet of the island.

"Geralt?" she called, hoping he was nearby and had survived the shipwreck. She wasn't even sure they had made it to Ard Skellig. She noticed a path and decided to take it to find out where she was. And hoped she'd meet Geralt along the way.

Up the path, she met a traveling merchant.

"Oi, there!" he called. "What are you doing out here all alone?"

"Ship wrecked off the coast. Can you tell me which island this is?"

"You're on Ard Skellig, lass. But these paths are not safe for a woman alone."

Juray motioned to the swords on her back. "You think these are just for decoration?"

The merchant gave her a good look over.

"Two swords. Wolf head medallion. Cat eyes. Ah, I think you can take care of yerself, Witcher." He pointed up the path. "Keep following this path. Kaer Trolde will welcome you, as I hear Crach an Craite has a soft spot for Witchers."

"Thanks."

"By all the gods!" Crach an Craite exclaimed upon seeing the Witcher. "I wasn't expecting to see you! You look like you swam all the way here."

The Jarl of Ard Skellig was a large man who had seen many, many battles. And was an old friend of Juray and Geralt's. He and Geralt had known each other for many years, having met at the banquet where Pavetta first displayed her use of the Power of the Elder Blood. He had gone with an uncle to vie for the hand of the Cintra princess, as her mother had wanted an alliance with Skellige. Instead, the Queen had married Crach's uncle, as the two had secretly been having an affair as it was.

"I feel like I did. Wrecked along the coast in a storm."

"What brings you to Ard Skellig?"

"I was traveling with Geralt. We're to meet Yennefer here. Although, I don't think she's expecting me."

Crach chuckled. "I'll send for her. If she doesn't throw them out the window for disturbing her."

Juray laughed. "That does sound like her."

"No need to send for me," Yennefer said and the two turned. "Juray, you look positively horrid."

"Lovely to see you too, Yen."

Yennefer gave a laugh. "My apologies, but you look like you just dragged in here after a Contract."

"Geralt and I were on a ship that was attacked during the storm. Between the storm, the pirates, and the idiot of a captain, the ship was wrecked in the rocks off the island. Has Geralt not made it here yet?"

Yennefer shook her head. "Not yet, but I'm sure he'll be here soon. Come, Juray. Let's make you presentable before the funeral and we can catch up." Yennefer took her hand and led her away.

"Since I haven't been on Skellige for some time, I'm a bit out of the loop. Whose funeral?"

"King Bran recently passed. His funeral is this evening."

"And then the fun of choosing his successor shall begin."

"Indeed. But you can't go looking like this."

"I'm not going to argue that. I could use some freshening up in something other than a mountain stream."

Yennefer had led Juray to the room she was renting in the inn. The Witcher was glad for the hot water after the dip in the ocean. Yennefer returned as Juray was exiting the bath.

"I don't recall if you had an aversion to dresses, but I found you one for the funeral." Yennefer came around the divider with the dress in hand. "It's not too fancy, so don't worry."

"You should have seen the one I recently had to wear," Juray responded as she picked up the Skellige style dress. "At least this one is simple."

"So tell me, Juray," Yennefer said as Juray dressed. "What brings you to Skellige?"

"I know about Ciri, Yen. And I'm helping Geralt track her down."

"How much do you know?"

"Enough to know that Emyhr himself hired the two of you to find her and the Wild Hunt is after her." Juray finished dressing. The dress was something a shieldmaiden would wear. The top was long-sleeved while the skirt reached just below Juray's knees and had pants underneath. The boots Yennefer procured for her reached her calves.

"I don't think I've ever seen you in a dress," Yennefer commented.

"You're changing the subject." Juray borrowed a brush and started to work on her hair. Yennefer took the brush and helped her with her braid.

"Emyhr did hire us. And the Wild Hunt is chasing her. Just as they chased me when they realized I was searching for her. But come. We shall discuss this later when Geralt finally decides to show up."

Juray chuckled and went to follow Yennefer, catching sight of the moonstone pendant in the mirror as she passed.

"Yen, would you mind answering a question?" the Witcher asked as they left the sorceress' room.

"Hmm?"

"What do you know about Children of the Winter Moon?"