So he did.
Oddly, I think maybe I can believe him.
A kernel of unreasonable warmth in my chest. He appreciates me. Okay, maybe not everything about me, butsomething. That’s pretty good, right?
Welp, there go the warm feelings. Good job, brain.
I shift on the ground, and he tracks the motion.
I sigh internally. Great, now he’s going to think I’m uncomfortable. Some host.
Then again, he did essentially break into my house. Strange that doesn’t make me feel less like putting him at ease here.
Probably, it’s because I very much sympathize with wanting to run away.
I just never thought my haven could be anyone else’s.
Or that it might not be mine at all.
“So you want to stay with me to hide from the priesthood?” I ask matter-of-factly, as if this is a totally normal request and not utterly insane to even be entertaining.
“Yes,” Kovan says slowly. “Or rather: I need to stay on this mountaintop so that they can’t track me while I”—he winces—“figure out a longer-term plan.”
Oh, there’s a mood.
The sage continues, “I would like to stay withyouto learn how to actually live on my own.”
“What does that mean, exactly?”
“It means I don’t know how to cook food, let alone acquire it,” he says bluntly, then waves at the extremely uneven ceiling above us. “Or create shelter.”
Oh, wow. That would be quite the learning curve.
I knew sages didn’t live like the rest of us, but I’d never really thought about what that means. But if they’rethatdependent on priests—I mean, yes, it means all their needs are taken care of, but there are rumors about why the Sage of Wrath did what she did and I’m giving them more credit now.
I can’t help with a crisis of faith, but survival skills—oddly, I probablycanteach that.
I’ve tried pretty much every job there is, after all.
What a world, where I—and my copious collection of failures—could help a sage.
Of course, there’s the small problem where he would have to live with me, because he needs to stay on this mountain and there’s nowhere else to shelter.
And any time I’m around people for too long...
I’ve apparently been silent for too long, because Kovan bows at the waist and says, “I know it is an imposition and that I have nothing to offer you in return. I will do my best to learn quickly so that I won’t be a burden—”
“Oh, whoa, no, I’m not worried about that,” I assure him. “Everyone needs help sometimes. It’s just... never mind. Yes, of course you can stay with me.”
Awesome, good job thinking that through, self, love an impulse decision with terrifying consequences.
I stand abruptly, dusting my hands of this conversation, but Kovan stands with me and takes my hands in his.
I stand shock-still.
Someone istouchingme. Voluntarily.
“Please.” His gold eyes are mesmerizing. “Tell me.”
