He found a wry smile for her honesty, taking reassurance in her forthright way of putting things. She didn't dance around hard truths the way he did, and for that he was grateful. The empathy in her eyes was comfort enough in this time of curses and the reordering of his world as everything he thought he knew about his future on Caido was suddenly as jumbled as a child's box of blocks. Her offer of help might have been teasing, but there was relief in his gaze as his smile became something less pained and more sincere and he nodded gladly. "I'd prefer to just find you for conversation and a soothing cup of tea," he admitted. "Isla was teaching me medicine and healing of the, ah, more usual nature before she... passed." His expression grew momentarily sad, but a year's separation from the event had softened the edges of the loss, and his smile returned within a heartbeat. "And I've been meaning to continue my study of herbs and medicinal plants here. I was hoping you could maybe teach me what things to keep an eye out for?" He looked down at his hand, flexing his fingers wryly before glancing up again as his smile took on its more usual wry quirk. "As... convenient, I suppose, as this power could be, I don't want to rely on it too much in case it vanishes as quickly as it appeared." Or if he was too exhausted or burned out to summon the energy. Sometimes the old-fashioned way was the only option in an emergency.
Sam was a delicate subject, and Jigano held himself still as Evie began to speak of her brother. He nodded slowly as what she said added depth and detail to what Sam had told him of his family life. She had carried a different burden than he had, but no less heavy for being hidden. He stayed quiet as she continued, and at the fear in her eyes he nodded gravely, pressing a hand to his heart. "I won't," he said gravely. "I promise." He hesitated a moment, then cleared his throat a little awkwardly. "Ah, I actually found an old journal on magic from some old historian who once studied the Abandoned. I'd be happy to share what I learned from it with you, if you'd like an idea of how things might continue developing in the future?" With such a touchy subject he didn't know if she'd prefer to try and avoid talking about it or if she'd rather face the possibilities head-on, but he would leave the decision up to her. "Whenever you want," he added hurriedly. "You don't have to make a decision on that today. The Guildhall will always be open to you, of course, and I won't share any of what you tell me without your permission." He might have founded the Loreseekers' Guild after all, but there was a reason he was a lorekeeper.
Sam was a delicate subject, and Jigano held himself still as Evie began to speak of her brother. He nodded slowly as what she said added depth and detail to what Sam had told him of his family life. She had carried a different burden than he had, but no less heavy for being hidden. He stayed quiet as she continued, and at the fear in her eyes he nodded gravely, pressing a hand to his heart. "I won't," he said gravely. "I promise." He hesitated a moment, then cleared his throat a little awkwardly. "Ah, I actually found an old journal on magic from some old historian who once studied the Abandoned. I'd be happy to share what I learned from it with you, if you'd like an idea of how things might continue developing in the future?" With such a touchy subject he didn't know if she'd prefer to try and avoid talking about it or if she'd rather face the possibilities head-on, but he would leave the decision up to her. "Whenever you want," he added hurriedly. "You don't have to make a decision on that today. The Guildhall will always be open to you, of course, and I won't share any of what you tell me without your permission." He might have founded the Loreseekers' Guild after all, but there was a reason he was a lorekeeper.
