Chapter 19: Reunification

In the span of four days, Vina's life took a decisive turn. Securing the funding for her branch of the family was surprisingly straightforward, the funds having been set aside since her induction into the Halos lineage. With a sense of finality, she transferred all her holdings to bear the Esca family name, severing ties that had once seemed indissoluble.

The novelty of founding a new family drew an unexpected throng of applicants to her door, challenging her preparedness with their sheer numbers. Yet, through meticulous interviews and strategic placements, she established a core team, marking the first step towards her envisioned autonomy.

In compliance with her request, Hakim and Haldo vacated a significant portion of the Halos residence, unwittingly granting her access to the serenity of her favorite garden. There, amidst legal tomes and the silent company of Langternem, Vina contemplated a one time opportunity unheard of in generations: renaming The City of Halos.

Before she could come to a decision, blood sense warned her of Hakim’s approach. “Do you come in peace?” she inquired, her voice laced with a sardonic edge when he was within earshot, not bothering to mask her disdain.

“Always,” Hakim replied, the gravity of his tone betraying the weight of their past interactions. “May I speak with you?”

Vina’s consent was grudging, “As long as you keep your hands and your aspects to yourself, we can talk. No groping my emotions.”

His acknowledgment, a muted bow of his head, carried the burden of his transgressions. “I suppose I deserve that.”

“You do. You have lied to me every day since we’ve met,” she retorted, the sharpness of her words softened momentarily by an unwelcome surge of memories. Shaking off the intrusion, she steeled herself for what was to come. “I’ll try to be cordial. What do you need?”

Hakim swallowed hard, “I wanted you to hear it from me first. Ulesi was released this morning following Caja’s third interview with Haldo. They are both free to do as they wish. Per Caja’s desires, Oyna was in attendance for all three sessions. I imagine all of them will find their way to you today.”

Vina's reaction was measured, her acknowledgment devoid of warmth but not devoid of appreciation. “That is good news. I appreciate you telling me.”

The silence that followed was telling, a chasm widened by unspoken thoughts and unresolved tensions. Hakim lingered, a figure caught between duty and the desire for reconciliation, yet Vina offered no bridge. “There is another thing, Vina. Riza has been recovering from the fight with Seassa. She is okay now, but she has resigned her position with The Halos Family. After what happened with Seassa…” his voice trailed off. “... well she knows the rules.”

Vina cocked an eyebrow at that. She knew the rules now too. Despite the layers of betrayal and mistrust, the prospect of reuniting with Riza pierced through her fortified resolve. “I’ve been asking for her. No one seems to know where she is. I was just about to start using vibrance tracking to find her.”

Hakim nodded, his gaze not quite able to meet her eyes, “I’ve been keeping her safe while she recovered. She’s been asking for you as well. Would you be willing to meet with her?”

Vina nodded, the simplicity of her agreement belying the tumult of her emotions. “Of course.”

“Thank you,” Hakim’s gratitude was tinged with a hesitance, as if he were bracing for a rebuff. At his signal, Riza emerged from the shadows of The Family House, her presence slicing through the tension like a knife.

“Oh. You meant now,” Vina's voice carried a note of surprise, her eyes narrowing slightly as she appraised Hakim. His intentions, once as clear to her as daylight, now required cautious scrutiny.

Hakim’s smile broadened, a gesture aimed to disarm, yet his words were directed at Riza, “Thank you for joining us, Riza.”

As Vina rose to greet her, the atmosphere seemed to shift subtly. “It’s good to see you again. I’m glad to hear you’re feeling better,” she offered, her smile genuine

Riza, however, remained ensnared in her own web of guilt. “I am sorry, Asharaina. I failed to save you.” Her apology hung heavy, a cloud darkening her vibrance.

Vina's frown mirrored Riza's, as her depressed vibrance seemed to infect her own. “You were up against an entire class of trained swordsmen as well as a swordmaster. We were both lucky to survive. I forgive you, though, if you need to hear it.”

Riza nodded, but she didn’t seem cheered by the grace Vina tried to give her. “Thank you. Asharaina, I would like a second chance if you would be willing to grant it to me.”

Vina’s gaze lingered on her, measuring the depth of her sincerity. “Lord Hakim said you have resigned your position with the Halos Family Guard, but I cannot claim you from them until your contract expires. How much time do you have remaining?”

Hakim’s interjection served as a reminder of the labyrinthine intricacies of their family laws. “Riza’s contract has already been terminated. Her family betrayed the trust and safety of The Halos Family. The Imala family is barred from holding staff positions with The Halos Family for three generations.”

Vina looked at Hakim as she recalled the law herself and Seassa’s words. Riza was Seassa Imala’s grandchild. Vina completed Hakim’s thought. “But the same is not true for The Esca Family.” Vina laughed when she caught the knowing look in Hakim’s eyes. “Riza you fought against your own grandmother to save me. You had an opportunity to choose your family over me, but you still chose me. I think you’re worthy of my trust and the trust of my family. I’ll give you a second chance with The Esca Family Guard.”

Riza smiled for the first time since she arrived and Vina was about to say more. Strangely, Hakim ushered Riza away rather unceremoniously, but Riza laughed as she left, only saying, “We’ll talk more later.”

Hakim reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. Without a word he handed it over to her. Vina gave him a glare as she unfolded the paper and began to read it.

Formal Letter of Protest Regarding Dereliction of Duties

Dated 5th day of Semnar 15477

On the date shown above, Eilin Mar Terelin has submitted this formal letter of protest against the actions of the head family members so named Hakim and Haldo Halos. The aforementioned parties have refused to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the laws regarding the formal admission of Vina (no known family name) to The Family. Similarly, The Lead Archivists duties have been restricted through the use of threats of violence by The Halos Family. As a result, Eilin is unable to perform her duties to her own satisfaction. Let it be known by the people that the Halos brothers have failed in their responsibilities, and that history shall record their actions in accordance.

Vina's recognition of the document's purpose was instant, her eyes scanning its contents with a critical eye. Each signature, familiar from her memories, seemed to echo the voices of those who had silently rallied behind Eilin. The authenticity was undeniable, the date stamp grounding the protest in reality. A wave of realization washed over her, bringing with it a tide of regret. “I was wrong about her,” Vina admitted, her voice a mix of realization and regret. Eilin had not conspired with Hakim and Halos. In fact, from the first day she arrived, Eilin had protested against The Halos Family. “I didn’t think to check the formal protests. Damnit! I fucked up bad with Eilin.”

The sudden awareness of Eilin's vibrance behind her made Vina whirl around, her expression a mix of surprise and inquiry. "What?"

Hakim's laughter, rich with amusement, filled the air as he called out, “You hear that Eilin?”

“Yeah. She’s not the only one with the Listen skill. I’m going to add her words as an addendum to the meeting notes”, Eilin responded. She waved and started to walk away.

Vina turned back to Hakim with a look of distrust, “What are you doing?”

Hakim held a hand up as if to appear innocent, but he gave up a second later. “You always sit in that lounge chair. I had someone measure out about ninety feet. I believe your ability to detect the living extends about that distance. I figured you wouldn’t know she was there if we added a few feet more.”

The realization that Hakim had been paying more attention to her skills than she thought, concerned her greatly. Even worse, she had confirmed his suspicion. “No. I mean what are you doing bringing people here?”

Hakim shrugged, “I’m keeping the peace, Vina. Not just yours, but everyones. You have disturbed the peace greatly in these last few days. I’m trying to restore it.” Hakim's justification seemed to teeter on the edge of intrusion and care, a balance Vina suspected he navigated with the finesse of one who knew the terrain all too well.

Vina’s skepticism was clear in her tone, "Why, though? What do you gain from this?"

“Honestly?” Hakim asked.

Vina nodded, “I think honesty is the only way forward for you and me.”

Hakim's response was a rare glimpse into his personal creed, seemingly underscoring a vulnerability he had seldom shown to her. “The world sucks. If I can make a single person’s day a little better, it makes me feel like I have a purpose,” he confessed, the sincerity of his words coloring the space between them with a shade of earnestness.

Vina felt his vibrance swirl with those words. He felt exposed to her for a moment in a way she had never seen him before. She looked at him and then at her affliction list, but saw it was still empty. “How much of that is Hakim and how much of that is the Aspect of Peace?” she asked.

Hakim looked at her with a slight smile, “Do you feel the Aspect of Peace would tell you that the world sucks?”

Vina frowned as she tried to imagine how the aspect of peace worked, “I guess not. Why did you lie to me? How can you lie to me without me detecting it?”

“The aspect of peace allows me certain opportunities to bypass system mechanics if it is done in the interest of keeping the peace. I lied to you to try to keep your life more peaceful. I withheld information and sometimes outright told you wrong information in an attempt to slowly educate you on your responsibilities as a new family member. I didn’t want to overwhelm you too soon with too much information. But my goodness, Vina, I am not convinced you desire a life of peace. It turns out I greatly underestimated your desire and ability to change our world.”

They both went quiet as Vina considered his words. Did she want a life of peace? She thought she did, especially for her Dedicated. In Vina’s studies, she had learned that the world was especially harsh for those with blood classes. People like her were hunted down, tortured, and killed regularly during Shan’s time of living. Vina echoed Hakim's bleak assessment of their reality. “Our world does suck,” she concurred offering a momentary alignment in their perspectives

Hakim chuckled, “Yes. It seems we have two different approaches to fixing that, however.” Hakim pointed at Langternem. “At a minimum, can we agree that needs to go?”

Vina’s touch on Langternem’s crystal was tender, almost reverent, “Yes. I’m sure Caja has already reported to you how it nearly ended Palitern again.”

Hakim’s nod was slow, thoughtful, acknowledging the gravity of the situation. “Yeah. Haldo was quite thorough in his interview. Oyna had to intervene only twice when he became too aggressive.”

“Your brother is a real asshole,” Vina’s blunt assessment cut through the diplomatic veneer, laying bare her frustrations.

Hakim laughed out loud, but Vina remained quiet silently observing. After he had gathered himself he said, “Well, you did threaten his life the first time you met him. However, I would go so far as to say that he is the perfect man to bond with the Aspect of Retribution.”

“Why is he that way? What’s his problem?” Vina asked.

Hakim turned his head to the side and pressed his lips together, “There’s more than one problem, and they’re too private to share. The Halos Family will end with us, and that’s all there is to it.” His words were heavy with finality. “When we die, you’ll be all on your own, Vina.”

Vina took a steadying breath. It was just a moment of gathering strength before facing the relentless tide of responsibilities “I have a lot of work to do. I’ve only barely got some parts moving, but I think it can remain in motion for a while without me. I have to leave again. I need to find Etana, and I need to destroy Langternem.”

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“You’ll be headed to Norfany,” Hakim stated, his voice a blend of resignation and anticipation.

Vina nodded slowly and carefully selected her answer, “Eventually.”

Hakim bit his bottom lip momentarily, and Vina could see he was wrestling with something. She gave him a moment to gather his thoughts. Finally, he spoke, "Vina, I'm worried about you. You often seem lost in thought, unresponsive. It happened at the beginning of our conversation when you accused me of lying. Twice during the family assembly. Caja mentioned seeing it when you were on the island with Seassa. Are you aware of these occurrences?" Hakim inquired.

Vina made a dismissive gesture. "I have it under control," she stated, though privately she was surprised others had noticed her internal struggle.

"Of course you do," Hakim replied, rising from his chair. Vina joined him, but Hakim glanced over her shoulder. "Seems like the perfect time for me to be on my way."

Vina turned to see Oyna, Caja, and Riza approaching in the distance, Oyna still clutching the large blood sword she had forged. Vina's guards had halted them due to lack of formal summons. Startled, Vina jumped when Hakim suddenly appeared beside her. Her blood sense hadn't even hinted at his movement.

Speaking in a hushed whisper directly into her ear, Hakim cautioned, "You would do well to remember we all have gifts from Trina. Retribution is coming, but not from me."

Vina turned to look at him, but he had already begun to walk away. She almost called out to him, but stopped herself. "This was all a warning," she muttered to herself. Hakim had secured Riza, a guard she could trust, and had alerted her to the limitations of her Blood Sense skill, documented by Eilin. Now, Vina realized Blood Sense could fail even when someone was within its detection range. She had observed this with Norimor, assuming it was unique to her. “How are they bypassing it?” she wondered silently.

Shaking herself from her thoughts, Vina attempted to retrieve Langternem. As she bent down, however, she felt something crinkle in her pocket. With a sigh, she reached in and extracted a piece of paper, unfolding it to reveal a single line.

"Sequester yourself for future meetings."

"Fine. I will," Vina stated aloud, her voice slightly raised in irritation.

She shoved the note back into her pocket and lifted Langternem once more. Walking towards the three ladies waiting for her, she gestured silently for them to follow. Without a word, she led them to one of the many rooms she now owned, shutting the door firmly behind them. With a huff, she tossed the piece of paper into a nearby bin.

“What’s that?” Riza asked with a raised eyebrow.

Vina shook her head slowly. "Hakim is playing a joke on me. Or perhaps flexing his muscles. Maybe both. My 'family' isn't too pleased with me right now."

"I can imagine," Caja remarked. "You did threaten to kill them!"

Vina narrowed her eyes at Caja. "How do you know that? That record is supposed to be sealed in the private library. It didn't have a public record."

Caja shrugged, but as she did so, her vibrance swapped to Eilin’s. Vina couldn't help but chuckle at the implication.

Oyna regarded her with curiosity. "How did you do that? The Shaper was attempting that for centuries," she said.

“Did she do something?” Riza asked, sounding alarmed.

Vina raised her hands. "Hold on. I don't think Riza has the Blood Sense skill yet. She's going to be confused. Actually, I believe each of you can do something the others can't right now. We'll address that shortly. Why are all three of you here at once?"

They exchanged glances, but Oyna spoke first. "Hakim informed us you wished to meet."

Vina closed her eyes in frustration. She could see Hakim was toying with her. "Fine. He's not entirely wrong, but in the future, any summons will come directly from my steward. Going forward, please consult with Ellic. Riza, I would have assumed you knew that was standard protocol."

Riza nodded firmly. "I did, Lady Esca. Had we not just met, I would have taken us directly to speak with your steward. I was under the impression we all had approval to be on The Family Grounds. I now see that I had approval from The Halos Family, but not from The Esca Family."

Vina rubbed her temples, realizing the extent of Hakim's meddling. "It's alright. With two families now, things are bound to be confusing. We'll need to re-educate everyone on the new protocols. But first, I have a few matters to address. Caja, how is Ulesi? Are they safe?"

"They are safe now, Asharaina. Ulesi is recovering in the city. Haldo wasn't overly harsh, but they weren't treated with respect either," Caja replied. "Thank you for rescuing them."

"You're welcome. I'm relieved to see you reunited once more. I'm releasing you from your dedication now. Tonight, I can send you two wherever you want via a portal ring." She had a window appear before her and quickly read it.

Are you sure you want to release Caja from your Dedicated? Caja will not lose her current class and any skills she has gained while dedicated to you. Yes? No?

“Vina! Don’t!” Caja said quickly. “I want to remain dedicated to you, if you’ll still have me.”

“Are you sure?” Vina asked. “I’m giving you an opportunity for a clean break.”

Caja swallowed hard but nodded emphatically. "I'm willing to do what is necessary."

Vina selected "no" on the prompt, and she felt Caja's vibrance relax. "Okay. Next topic. Riza, you'll need to get sworn in this evening by Ellic before you can assume a family guard position. Once you do that, I have a plan in mind for you. I'd like you to begin recruitment of a Blood Guard contingent for The Esca Family, my painting, and those dedicated to me. I have a responsibility to protect them. It's about time I started taking steps toward making that happen."

Riza stood at attention, crossing her chest with a fist. "I'll do it, Lady Esca. I would like to ask you a question, though. I'd like to dedicate myself to you as well. Am I allowed to do so?

Vina squinted as the dedication window appeared. She turned to Caja. "Are you getting some benefit by being dedicated to me? What was with that tattoo?"

Caja covered her mouth with her hand, and Vina was certain she was hiding a smile. "Yes. Your Dedicated receive a 25% bonus to learning speed for any blood-related skills you have already learned. They are also more likely to gain skill abilities and classes related to your own. The tattoo marks us so we cannot lie about being dedicated to you. We get to choose where it appears on our bodies though. Ulesi isn't too thrilled with where I chose, but they'll get used to it."

Vina turned back to Riza and selected "yes" on the prompt. She noticed the room went quiet after a moment, and she saw Caja and Riza staring at Oyna. Vina looked between them, trying to understand the unspoken communication.

Oyna cleared it up for her. "I do not dedicate myself to anyone. I will be free until I die.”

Vina laughed in realization. "Of course, Oyna. I would never expect that." She turned to Riza and Caja. "Oyna fought with me against The Shaper. She has my trust. You should trust her as well." She felt their vibrances shift at her words, but she couldn't pinpoint their thoughts. She gave Oyna a look, and she seemed to understand once again.

“They do not wish to kill me, Vina. We will be okay.” Oyna said.

Vina nodded. "Okay, good. I had planned to meet with each of you individually, but perhaps this is the better way. I've started something of a project in the last few days. I'm focusing on making a home for people like us. I've set in motion a number of things that will allow us to be safe."

Vina looked over at Langternem. "However, I need to leave again. I need to find a permanent solution to Langternem. While I am gone, many people will begin to earn their blood classes. Some of the numbers I've seen put the estimate into the low hundreds. I was hopeful you three would be willing to help them while I am gone." She looked back at them with hopeful eyes.

"That's what your Dedicated do, Vina," Caja said with some amusement in her voice.

Riza nodded in agreement. "We don't just receive benefits. We are bound by the requirements of your title as well," Riza added.

Vina sighed in relief. She was worried about handing off this responsibility, even temporarily. She already felt overwhelmed by the idea of caring and providing for a new generation of people learning blood skills and classes. Doing it all alone seemed unimaginable.

"I will help the others as you have helped me. But, I have a personal quest I will not ignore. You must help me as well," Oyna declared.

Vina blinked in surprise. "What is your personal quest?" she asked cautiously.

"I was forced to feed on the creatures that spewed from the assemblers. I don't want that to happen to anyone ever again. I want to destroy every assembler in this world, but that task seems impossible."

Vina's caution evaporated as a smile slowly spread across her face. "I think I know just how to do that."

“Will you help me?” Oyna asked in surprise.

Vina reached her hand out and used her title to pull Oyna's sword toward herself. Oyna held it for a second, but when she felt the pull, she released it. The sword slid across the distance between them, and Vina caught it in her hands. "Yes. We will help you. As a family member, one-third of the assemblers we control are my responsibility. I'll give you access and the means to destroy them. The answer is in our blood. If you disperse enough blood into an assembler, I believe it will be destroyed. After that, you may organize and work with The Blood Guard to destroy additional assemblers out in the world with Riza's oversight. Does that work for you, Oyna?"

"That is exactly what I want," Oyna agreed.

"Excellent. I'm going to make your weapon now. That reminds me of another reason for us to be here. Each of you has a gift, but none of you have all of them from what I can tell. I created this sword for Oyna when we fought The Shaper. But only one other person in this room can create a weapon from blood." Vina looked at Riza. "Will you show them?"

Riza nodded and stepped back. She held her arm out to the side and reached her other arm over. Vina felt something ripple beneath her skin. Using her dominant arm, Riza gripped her side and pulled. Despite the armor she wore, blood broke free from her body in a torrent and instantly formed into a scythe. It burned brightly in Vina's senses as she appreciated the beauty of what Riza had created. Oyna and Caja stared at her, dumbfounded.

Vina held up Oyna's sword with both hands. "The sad thing is you can't even see what we all see, Riza. The vibrance of your scythe vastly outshines what I've made with this sword. We are a lot alike though. We make things from our blood. I'm excited to see what else you can do later."

Vina turned to Caja. "I'm afraid this lesson will be lost entirely on you, though, Riza. I will repeat it again someday." Vina held her hand out, and blood filled it. She floated it up into a globe in between her and Caja. "Join me, Caja." She activated ichoric conversion and shifted the vibrance to Riza's. Caja cocked an eyebrow and looked over at Riza, but then her vibrance began to change. Then Vina changed it again, to one of her sisters and then to the other. Finally she switched it to another she knew Caja had already known.

Caja frowned, “Seassa? Really? Too easy.”

Vina laughed, “You want a difficult one?”

Caja gave her a determined nod, and Vina switched the blood to someone she had never tried before. She struggled for a second to figure out exactly how to replicate this vibrance's brilliance. She was surprised at how much extra blood she had to add to reproduce the effect. To Vina, it almost felt like the blood was concentrated.

Caja cringed as Oyna spoke up. "That's Haco!" Oyna exclaimed. "How is Caja doing this? It should be impossible. The Shaper was trying to change their blood at will but never found a way."

Vina smiled at Oyna's question. It's exactly what she wanted to happen. "The Shaper tried to do the same thing by the use of abilities. They stole ability after ability but never found the right one. Caja is doing it with a skill. She took a normal, very average skill and turned it into a blood skill. There are many skills that can undergo such transformations. Some examples include traps, tracking, and even painting." She suddenly felt Caja hit on the vibrance correctly and smiled at her. "That is impressive, Caja. How hard was it?"

Caja gave her a weak smile. "I don't think I ever want to meet someone who has this vibrance."

Vina pursed her lips. "I wish I never met her too." She waved her hand and converted the blood back to her own. "Caja has a mastery of changing the vibrance within her body. It is so powerful it literally changes her blood. She can do this for both Paliternian blood and her own Stigandorian blood. I can do it outside of my body, but I can't do it within myself. We are alike as well. I do so look forward to seeing what class you get later," Vina said, giving Caja a wink.

She turned and looked at Oyna. "But our blood also changes us in more ways than these." Vina held her hand up and looked at her red nails with runes glowing beneath them. "I have been more fortunate than some, but I am not untouched from the risks of taking a blood class." She took her nail and scraped it down the length of the sword. The sword chipped under her nails as she created a deep groove down the length of the sword in a broad stroke. "My hands can cause you to bleed with the smallest touch. Much like Langternem, my blood can make you sick." She turned the blade and repeated her work on the other side. "People look into my eyes, and the first feeling they have when they see me is fear." She took smaller movements now as she used her nails to make tiny gouges out of the blade in strategic locations. "I know this because everyone's blood screams to me their every emotion." Her eyes focused on her work.

"The changes to my body have caused me to receive occasional social rejection. But that is nothing compared to what others have experienced or will experience. Oyna has first-hand knowledge of the transformative experience that a blood class can have over a person's body. Assumptions are made by people when they first see Oyna. I bet she can count the number of people who see her as an actual person." Vina looked up at Oyna as she made numerous small cuts on either side of the blade strategically with her fingertips.

Oyna looked at Vina in consideration before speaking, “Five.”

Vina dragged her nails across the blade laterally until she brought her two hands together. She joined the two runephrases from each side of the blade together at the hilt. "I aim to make that number much bigger. Our people need you, Oyna. Only you can help them understand how to adjust to so much change."

Vina used blood call on the fragments of crystallized blood that she had carved off and absorbed it back into her body. She gripped the sword and pressed as much blood into the blade as she could as she reinforced the areas she had carved into. She gripped it in her hands for a second to make sure it worked, and then she used Blood Call to pull her blood back out of the runes she had just made.

“What did you do?” Riza asked.

Vina gestured to Oyna, “Ask her. She can read blood runes.”

Oyna shook her head. "I can only read some of the letters on the sword. Much of the stone tablets you made for your art are even beyond me."

Vina hid her surprise at that. She had assumed Oyna was well on her way to learning blood runes. "I've been thinking about a way to store blood for use in combat for a long time. The design I placed on your sword is the same as I was actually going to put on my body. If you grip the hilt, the sword will pull blood from you slowly. When it is filled, it should be enough to destroy a single assembler. I've triggered it to release the stored blood when it comes in contact with a particular vibrance pattern."

Caja looked at the sword with fascination in her eyes. “It will store blood? Like your lantern?”

“They are similar, but only in the most basic of ways. The lantern is doing much more. There’s a conversion happening inside of it that I don’t yet understand,” Vina explained. She handed the sword back to Oyna and said, “Be careful. It has no protection against bleeding you dry. I’m still working on that too. When I figure it out, I can add it on. You should add a blood bar to vision to track how much blood you have remaining.”

Oyna gripped the weapon in both hands and immediately two eyes on one side of her face cringed. “It requires a significant amount of blood.”

“Yep. It’s one of our weaknesses. There’s never enough blood,” Vina said sadly.

“Could you fill it yourself?” Riza asked.

Vina gave Oyna a tense look, “I could. Several times even. But there’s a limit to my help, right Oyna?”

Oyna smiled and her sharp teeth showed. “She carved it by hand to prevent sharing her blood with me. I already collected one of her abilities. Do not worry, Vina. I will not chew on the sword.”

Vine smiled back, “No licking it either.”