She tilted her head back against the mast -- closed her eyes. "Tell me. Have you ever jumped and slid down the twenty-seven waterfalls of Damajagua? Naked?" A pause; she did not look to him for his answer. "I have. No life can be counted wasted after that, no matter how short."

And hers was going to be very short indeed if she died tonight. Though she hardly believed her own words. She would feel very wasted if this was the end.