Chapter Thirty-Two

A knock came at the door to Ven’s room in the underbarracks. She looked up from the book in her hands.

“Come in.”

The door opened, and Master Eujin’s face peered in.

“This a good time, kid?” He asked.

Ven held the book up with an expression of “what do you think?” and he laughed.

“Fair enough.”

He walked inside gingerly, grimacing a couple times as he lowered himself into a chair beside her bed. He was shirtless, with thickly wound bandages wrapping his chest. Stark, thickly interwoven blightbrands covered nearly every single inch of exposed skin, save his face and small spot over the center of his chest. Seeing him like this now, it came into stark relief just how close both of them had come to losing their lives, in more ways than one.

“How are you feeling?” He asked.

“Well, it hurts to eat, sleep, sit, lie down, stand up, talk, shit, and breathe, but beyond that, I’m fine.” She said sardonically, closing the book and setting it beside her with her good hand. “You?”

“Pretty much the same.” He admitted. “Though I suspect you have it worse.”

He looked at her for a long moment, seeming to contemplate something. Then he spoke again.

“You told me, when we started this, that you wanted to become a Shikari because you wanted revenge for what Sevastian did to your village. Well, you’ve gotten what you wanted. He’s dead. They burned his body this morning to be sure.” He said.

He leaned back in the chair with a wince, and continued.

“Now that that’s done, what do you plan to do with yourself? If you want to go back home, or do something else with your life now that it’s over, I wouldn’t blame you.” He said.

He went to say more, but Ven held up a hand to silence him.

“I’m sorry, are you trying to get out of continuing to train me?” She asked, only mostly kidding.

“What, no, that’s not-”

“Because that is absolutely what it sounds like you’re trying to do. And I gotta tell ya, if that’s what you’re trying to do, you can swive right the hell off.”

“Hey! Language!” He said. “Of course I’m not doing that! I’m just recognizing that this kind of life isn’t for everyone, and-”

“Master, I just recently killed a pure-bred abomination with my mother’s hairpin. I feel fairly certain that this kind of life is exactly for me.” She said with a snort.

Master Eujin sighed and looked at her in the way a father might if she’d just told him she wanted to make her living bedding men for money.

“Alright. If this is the life you want, then I’m not going to stop you.” He said. “If you’re absolutely certain.”

Ven smiled.

“I’ve never been more certain of anything in my entire life.” She said. She leaned on her pillows and cocked an eyebrow at him. “And besides, someone’s got to be there to save your life.”

Eujin looked at her humorlessly.

“We’re even, kid. That’s all.” He said.

Ven smirked.

“If you say so, old man.”

She crossed her good arm behind her head, and looked up at the stones in the ceiling.

“How much longer do you think it will be before we’re well enough for them to let us out of here?” She asked.

“A week or two, I imagine. They’ve got no Thaumaturges and only limited alchemy, so we’re going to be doing a lot of this healing the old-fashioned way.” He said.

“Grrreaaat.” Ven said with a sigh.

They sat in silence for a long moment before Ven spoke again.

“Master, what do you think Sevastian was talking about when he said the Hieracracy was doomed if we stopped him?” She asked, looking over at Master Eujin.

Eujin did not reply for a long time.

“I honestly don’t know.” He said finally.

“Do you think there was anything to it?” She asked.

More silence.

“I don’t know.” He said, quieter this time.

Ven looked up at the ceiling again.

“When we get out of here, I want us to find out for sure.” She said. She looked over at him. “Can we do that?”

Master Eujin nodded, a crooked smile creeping across his face.

“You got it, kid.”

He rose to his feet, and made his way towards the door. He opened it and stopped in the doorway, seeming to argue with himself for a long moment.

He turned and looked at her with a look she hadn’t seen since her mother died. It was the pride one would have for the accomplishments of one’s child. Or for the achievements of a star pupil.

“I’m proud of you, Syrvena.” He said. He smiled softly, before stepping out of the room and shutting the door behind him.