“I’d never seen the Sentinels kill before that day,” Ollas said, his voice low even in the quiet emptiness of the greenhouse. “We’d gotten into some scrapes, fights with poachers, rogue mages trying to sneak across the border, that sort of thing. Had to cull an entire herd of elk over by the Earthen Run one winter when disease broke out. We train more to subdue, bring them in for the Order’s magistrate to sort it out. I’d never struck at someone and meant for them to stay down.”
Eunny mulled over his words, her gaze back to some point far beyond the window.
“Six years later and I’m still”—he shrugged—“conflicted.”
“And now you can’t get real closure. I took that from you,” she murmured. “I’m so?—”
Ollas chuckled softly. “I don’t need to be swinging a sword around to feel my feelings. Eunny, it wasn’t your fault.”
“Having a positive attitude about me turning you into a safety liability doesn’t make it not my fault.”
Hesitantly, Ollas reached for her, fingers soft against her cheek as he coaxed her to face him. “I can still do routine forestry work. I like that stuff. And now with teaching full time again…” He slowly lowered his hand. “It all works?—”
Eunny caught his hand, held on as she asked in a fierce, low voice, “And you’re happy with that?”
“Yes. The Sentinels gave me so much, especially when I was young and just this gangly weed, too shy to make friends.” Ollas let himself lean ever so slightly into her touch. “But I was never a real ranger. I’m a gardener. This way, I get to do both. I just wish things could’ve been easier for you.”
“You’re really okay with—with this? With everything?” Eunny clasped his cheeks between her hands.
Ollas tried to nod.
“Really?”
He laughed, earning the beginning of a smile from her in return. “Yes, really.”
Eunny peered at him with exaggerated scrutiny, then slowly released his face. Ollas thought he felt a slight quaver run through her fingers, but she smirked at him, patting his chest before turning back to the counter. “Well, that settles that. Gods, we got dreary for a moment, didn’t we?” She gestured at the rest of the greenhouse, then gave him a pointed look. “Still doesn’t change that you’re healed enough to not need me around anymore.”
“There’s a place for you here, if you want it,” he said. “There’s plenty of work to be done still, even if I don’t strictly need the physical help. I’m not going to turn it away.”
“You do remember that I’m not a grovetender, right? I’ve been here for a month, and I’m not sure I’ve actually grown anything myself. At all.”
“I think I can convince Rai.” In a hesitant voice, he added, “We’re ready to start evaluating the healing properties in the plants.”
“Apothecary work, eh?” Eunny sounded tired, but not outright against it.
“Assessments. You could do it using the mundane approach. We need to test use cases for anyone doing restorative work, anyway. No magic required.”
“Really don’t want to get rid of me, eh?”
“No,” Ollas said, voice serious despite her joking manner. “I-I want you to stay.”
Eunny blinked at him. “I—” Her mouth quirked up. “Well, if you’re going to say it like that, then I accept. Or rather, I’m fine with staying until I’m told to go.”
“Really?”
“I mean, we’re talking about research that directly affects Dae.” She shrugged. “And you’re a good teacher, Nev. You make it… easier, to be here. Be around magic.”
“I’m glad.” Ollas hesitated, then said softly, “Thanks, for telling me about all of it.”
“Feels weird. It’s usually easier to pretend.”
“Why did you stop?”
She glanced sidelong at him. “I guess because I didn’t want to like you earlier.”
Ollas was silent for a few long, full seconds as her words rang through his ears. Slowly, he swung around to face her. “Does that mean you do now?”
“I…” Eunny tried to sound nonchalant, but a spot of pink was back on her cheeks.
