Light of the Heavens

XX. Visions in Ink

"If you are going to continue putting your hands all over him, the least you could do is find a private room," Vassa said with dry amusement. She was seated comfortably at Seben's side, fingertips resting on the pulse point inside the young woman's wrist. The beat was strong and steady, comforting in its fragile and fleeting rhythm. Seben would wake soon, hopefully feeling rested. The early light of dawn was just creeping up on the horizon. Vassa had spent much of the past few hours in her trance-like rest, keeping tabs on Seben's wellbeing and her eyes on everything that moved in the room.

Adéla laughed at that, tucking her head against Kamil's shoulder. Her legs were across his lap already, arms around his neck. "Jealous," she said. "Do not think I cannot see your hand's whereabouts, Vassa. You would do the same in my position."

Zdislav chuckled, sitting on Kamil's other side with an arm around the recovered spellguard and leaning his head against the other man's. Together, the three looked supremely comfortable despite the assassination attempt or at least very, very relieved despite the fact that they were surrounded by tower guards and watched like a hawk by Master Kakhent.

"I have no inclination to dangle myself off Her Highness," Vassa said dismissively.

"You might enjoy it," Kamil said with a chuckle.

Vassa had difficulty believing that, though not because of Seben. Her past had taught her only that being close to anyone was a rapture entangled inevitably with pain. Even something as simple and pleasant as a kiss could easily become a bite. She was aware of the connection that the three had, but on a level she failed to understand it.

It always struck her as so strange to see them like this: Adéla devoted and caring, Zdislav protective and considerate, Kamil affectionate and warm. They were all the antithesis of her own experience, where power demanded and took as it pleased, leaving only anguish and addiction in its wake. She saw it in Seben's fondness for her too, a thing that she had no name or understanding for.

Vassa removed her hand when Seben sighed. "How do you feel?" the masked woman asked, turning to look at Seben.

Adéla whispered something to Kamil and Zdislav that sounded suspiciously like, "See?"

The masked woman didn't dignify it with a response. She relaxed slightly when the young woman's dark eyes opened.

"Like a mountain fell on my head," Seben muttered, rubbing at her temple. She sat up immediately when she realized their situation, eyes widening. "Did it work?"

"Wondrously so," Kamil said. He looked like he wanted to stand up, but clearly he had no desire to dislodge Adéla either. Vassa knew he was fully aware of how tactile the mage could be when she needed reassurance and they had almost lost him. Even Zdislav was barely one step short of trapping him in a bearhug.

"I'm glad," Seben said earnestly.

"We all are," Adéla said more seriously. "Your generosity with your power will never be forgotten, Your Highness." She reluctantly moved off Kamil, though she didn't shrug off his arm when it wrapped around her shoulders. They made for a slightly more proper picture at the moment. "It is a kindness that should be repaid in kind."

Seben pulled in a deep breath before blurting out the nonsense words that were her immediate thought at such an offer. "You're welcome," she said. "You don't need to—"

"You will find Adéla Vojak a very, very particular woman about her debts," Vassa said smoothly. "The same can be said for her charming spellguards, and I say that as someone who performed a great service for all three in the past."

"Your gallant rescue is most well remembered," Zdislav said with a grin. "It is not every day that one sees a demon slain."

Vassa gave him a pointed look, though it wasn't one he could see with her hood and mask. "We discussed how little I enjoy having my heroic deeds bandied about, Zdislav." The sarcasm practically dripped off her words. "Need I repeat my threat?"