Nooj’s plans for martyrdom — aigh, Nooj, it’s a good thing Paine’s not a telepath, or she’d have been thwacking him every five seconds in this part of the story!

I love Auron’s bluntness about Crusaders and their lack of critical thinking; that comment more than anything else must’ve helped Nooj see they’re on some of the same wavelength.

This chapter feels very natural in ways I can’t put a finger on. The interactions sound especially like the characters. Maybe it’s just that they’re all starting to find their roles.

The brief Nooj/Paine scene at the end is a welcome bit of tenderness, very sweet.