Jigano shrugged, his smile holding only a hint of its usual wry humor. Incredible, indeed, and no way to test the truth of it until they had it in their hands – and safely back to the Settlement. And speaking of medicine and the Settlement… ”Most of it is book learning,” he admitted, speaking slowly, but his smile softening as he did. ”I know lists of signs and symptoms, can even recognize a number of conditions if they follow those lists… Or at least, I could with the ailments of my own world. I don’t know how different Caido is, in truth, but… Isla has kindly agreed to teach me enough practical medical knowledge to supplement what I know of theory. And it is a chance for us to spend more time together, since her work in the infirmary has delayed our plans together more than once.” Memories of luxere and their voices raised in song one night, hands clasped another, lent an easing of the wary tension that seemed so integral a part of the lorekeeper. He took a breath, shaking off the momentary slip and offering Remi a nod of thanks at the courtesy. ”Well. The infirmary and the tavern are not so far apart. And… I am not one for being trapped in one room for a week. Perhaps I can split my time amongst friends, and leave the monsters none the wiser!” He tilted his companion a wink, though he had a suspicion that his optimism would prove unfounded when the Long Night finally fell.
That sort of thing tended to have more than just a single small grain of truth at its core. Just his luck it would be a boulder.
”Red-headed Samuel, a gentle man with a bit of a stutter when he’s nervous,” the bard confirmed, watching Remi from the corner of his eye. Was that a blush? Gods most fortunate, he almost hoped so. If they were both lonely, lovesick young men that was their own business, but if he found out the pup was playing his friend for a fool, or using him somehow… ”There’s a difference between ‘not needing to’ and ‘not wanting to.’ Sam keeps his home warm, and brews wonderful tea. He might not have a heartbeat… but that doesn’t mean he lacks heart.” Jigano kept his tone light, but his gaze was a little sharp. ”He was looking forward to spending the Long Night tucked up in his bed reading, I believe.”
He might have said more, but Remi’s sudden caution was worth paying attention to. What he hadn’t expected in that pause was a third voice – one that sounded too wretched to possibly belong to a living man. Unlike his companion, Jigano whirled quickly, taking in the walking corpse’s appearance with wide eyes – and a flash of fear.
He had no pact with the gods of Caido to turn such creatures away, nor any blessed water or weapons with which to damage it. All he had was his rapier, and he had dropped the ball of twine and unsheathed the weapon by the time Remi had finished turning. He glanced to Remi, sucking in a breath to check what the strategy should be—
Oh, the pup was not in a good place. The half-sob was the cry of a broken man, and like a fool the boy tottered forwards, towards the damned ghoul. ”Remi!” the bard barked, trying to break his companion from the creature’s spell, and reached out his free hand to try and catch at the back of a deerskin coat as the boy tottered past.
It was a relief to hear Remi repudiate the ghoul, but his words caused Jigano to catch his breath at the sharp stab of guilt. Was it really Ludo? Was this some sick form of punishment? Or one of the god’s tests? What was that old saying? The gods help those who help themselves… He tried to tug Remi back, though he knew he didn’t have the strength to move the solid young man if he didn’t wish to be moved. ”Hawk form,” he snapped. ”Up! Don’t let it trap us both here on the ground! Get some height and dive for its eyes so I can put some steel through it.” It had been years since he’d given such orders, and his thoughts spun back to a different world, different people at his side, no more often inclined to listen to reason.
Humming, the instinct ingrained in his bones to fight with music on his tongue, he stepped forward regardless of whether Remi had fallen back or remained where he had been. The rapier, strong and light in his hands, sharp on both edges and lethal at its point snaked out to cut at the ghoul’s fingers if they came within range in their grasping for Remi, and Jigano’s weight shifted to the balls of his feet as he readied himself to dodge or lunge in the next moment.
That sort of thing tended to have more than just a single small grain of truth at its core. Just his luck it would be a boulder.
”Red-headed Samuel, a gentle man with a bit of a stutter when he’s nervous,” the bard confirmed, watching Remi from the corner of his eye. Was that a blush? Gods most fortunate, he almost hoped so. If they were both lonely, lovesick young men that was their own business, but if he found out the pup was playing his friend for a fool, or using him somehow… ”There’s a difference between ‘not needing to’ and ‘not wanting to.’ Sam keeps his home warm, and brews wonderful tea. He might not have a heartbeat… but that doesn’t mean he lacks heart.” Jigano kept his tone light, but his gaze was a little sharp. ”He was looking forward to spending the Long Night tucked up in his bed reading, I believe.”
He might have said more, but Remi’s sudden caution was worth paying attention to. What he hadn’t expected in that pause was a third voice – one that sounded too wretched to possibly belong to a living man. Unlike his companion, Jigano whirled quickly, taking in the walking corpse’s appearance with wide eyes – and a flash of fear.
He had no pact with the gods of Caido to turn such creatures away, nor any blessed water or weapons with which to damage it. All he had was his rapier, and he had dropped the ball of twine and unsheathed the weapon by the time Remi had finished turning. He glanced to Remi, sucking in a breath to check what the strategy should be—
Oh, the pup was not in a good place. The half-sob was the cry of a broken man, and like a fool the boy tottered forwards, towards the damned ghoul. ”Remi!” the bard barked, trying to break his companion from the creature’s spell, and reached out his free hand to try and catch at the back of a deerskin coat as the boy tottered past.
It was a relief to hear Remi repudiate the ghoul, but his words caused Jigano to catch his breath at the sharp stab of guilt. Was it really Ludo? Was this some sick form of punishment? Or one of the god’s tests? What was that old saying? The gods help those who help themselves… He tried to tug Remi back, though he knew he didn’t have the strength to move the solid young man if he didn’t wish to be moved. ”Hawk form,” he snapped. ”Up! Don’t let it trap us both here on the ground! Get some height and dive for its eyes so I can put some steel through it.” It had been years since he’d given such orders, and his thoughts spun back to a different world, different people at his side, no more often inclined to listen to reason.
Humming, the instinct ingrained in his bones to fight with music on his tongue, he stepped forward regardless of whether Remi had fallen back or remained where he had been. The rapier, strong and light in his hands, sharp on both edges and lethal at its point snaked out to cut at the ghoul’s fingers if they came within range in their grasping for Remi, and Jigano’s weight shifted to the balls of his feet as he readied himself to dodge or lunge in the next moment.
