“Have you seen my boots?” Exill startled Luna when he woke up a few hours later. She had been sitting at the table, shiftlessly playing with a small piece of parchment under vacant troubled eyes. “What is that?” he asked, approaching her on bare feet.

“It’s a letter, a complaint from Healer Milo… did you cut your contracts with the other clinics just to help me?” she asked him searchingly.

Healer Milo’s message was devoid of its usual profanities, but the writing was terse, as if he was barely holding himself back. Milo had expressed his condolences then launched into a tirade about how she was interfering in his business by poaching valuable services.

“No, I just told them I’m taking a break. I’ll return to duty once you get back on your feet.” He squeezed her shoulder reassuringly.

To think Exill would go to such lengths, her mind was a mess of guilt and the only thing holding her together was the reassuring warmth of his touch.

“How long will that be?” she eventually asked. Her gaze dropped to the letter, idly folding it several times.

“Isn’t that something I should be asking you?” Exill smiled quizzically, confused by her question. To tell the truth, he had only planned to help for a few days, but didn’t want to pressure her with this revelation. However, Luna changed the topic of their conversation again.

“Will you be staying the night, now that you won’t be receiving emergency summons?”

“No... but even if I did, where would I sleep, in your bed?”

Luna bit her lip, flustered by the tantalising imagery, but she pushed on, “You can’t stay because of that slave right? Can’t you like... set her free?”

Exill nodded, “That’s the plan, but we need to pay off the 13,000 debt, plus the 15,000 Denars it would cost to earn her freedom and we’re working towards it.”

She clapped her hands in apprehension, her eyes sparkling. “Then let’s set the slave free! I’ll advance you the money and you can pay it back by working here.”

He hesitated.

It wasn’t an outlandish suggestion. He could potentially earn the same amount here with no additional outlays. However... to exchange the 13,000 debt with a 28,000 loan from a close friend made him feel uneasy.

His dealings with Diallo the slave trader were contractual and conducted at arm’s length. It was a business relationship with no emotions involved. Money issues tended to sour personal attachments and he didn’t want to borrow such a large sum in her time of grief, especially when she was most vulnerable. ‘It would be like I was exploiting her.’

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Furthermore, although they had their occasional quarrels, he had grown quite attached to the murderess. To cut Envy loose now at such expense, especially when their teamwork was reaching new heights felt wrong somehow. He grew silent and withdrawn, deep in thought, ‘How do I express this to her in a way she would understand?’

Luna’s expression hardened as Exill didn’t immediately answer her proposal. It turned into a grim line when he eventually shook his head.

“Let’s take things slow, we can always revisit it later…”

“So you’re saying you can’t free her just yet?”

Exill shook his head, gesturing with his hands that it wasn’t so simple. “I’m saying this is all too sudden. Besides, how can you trust me not to run away with that amount of money, we still haven’t addressed what happened at the Divin-”

“You came back in the end, didn’t you?” Luna cut him off, staring him earnestly in the eyes while he tried to look away, “You dummy, who cares what that old woman said when we can forge our own path?”

In truth, she had cared.

For a long while after that fateful incident, she had felt betrayed and alienated from someone she had come to rely on. To be despised by the World was borderline heresy, and the fact that he didn’t even try to offer an excuse only made it worse.

It had taken his departure to realise that although he may have lied about being blessed by the Spirit, after months spent months working and living together - she knew he was a kind compassionate soul whose skills were capable of changing lives. More than that, he was a close friend.

Meanwhile, Exill found himself speechless, both touched and concerned by her naivete. ‘Is it possible for anyone to be so benevolent?’ It was difficult to express how much he regretted everything that had happened.

“I’m sorry… I-”

“No.” she began to grow teary-eyed again, and brushed her nose to regain composure. Taking a deep breath, she offered a compromise.

“I don’t like it… but the slave can stay here, with us.”

“Are you seriously asking me to move back in with you?” Seeing Luna nod in response, he grew silent, deep in thought. With his independent contracts up in the air, the savings in rent and living cost would be greatly appreciated. The only unknown factor was Envy, and how she would react to this development.

“Let’s assume we decide to stay here, where will we sleep?” he asked undecidedly.

She tucked her hair behind one ear and looked at the two rooms next to the kitchen. “I’ll move into Nana’s room, you in my room, the slave can stay in the attic. I’ll have a new mattress prepared by tomorrow.”

‘Did I hear that right? That even the mattress would be prepared by tomorrow?’ he thought, suffering minor whiplash from the sudden speed at which events were progressing. In spite of his reservations, he found himself being slowly swept along at her pace.

“Okay, I’ll have a word with her tonight.” He finally submitted.

Luna let out a breath that she hadn’t realised had been holding in. Now that things were decided, there was a long list of things to do. The most difficult task would be to organize her grandmother’s belongings, something she had been putting off.

“You don’t have to rush into this, take today and tomorrow to decide. It’s alright to change your mind.” He squeezed her shoulder again, recognising the pain in her eyes.

“No, I know what I want. This isn’t an impulsive decision Exill, I’ve long known grandmother was walking the Last Bridge, and in some ways, it is a relief to know she is finally at peace. My only regret is that we could have said goodbye on better terms.”

Exill was surprised by her steely resolve, and for a brief moment, saw the resemblance of Savta’s fiery spirit living on in the granddaughter’s heart. He shook his head ruefully, missing the old witch more than ever.

“Alright, but first…” he looked around embarrassedly, “Can you tell me where you left my boots?”