Maelis was around once in a while, trying to show support. She was always too tired, always frowning, always whispering about threads and energies and how magic worked like gravity when wounded.

But Victor showed up though. He showed up every morning. The first time, she ignored his knock trying to cancel out the outside world. The second time, he waited outside for an hour.

The third time, she finally let him in. And she didn’t throw the blade back at him when he handed it over.

“Don’t expect your body to listen to you right away,” he warned, stepping back as she held the dagger like it weighed nothing...