“Aside from Alina, yourmaster.”
“She is not a master; don’t be obtuse. I havefriends.”
“Well, now you have one more.” I held out my hand to her. “My name is Luka, friend for hire.”
“You want me to pay you?” Her expression turned grim. “Are you going to ask me for any disgusting favors?”
“Did you not hear me before? No virgins.” I scrunched my nose at her in disgust. “It was a jest. I am a mercenary, a Fixer of sorts.”
“Oh.” Her shoulders slumped, and she stared at my extended hand. She fought with it in her head for a minute before she grasped my hand, “Edith... um... healer for hire.”
“There you go.” I patted her on the top of her scarf-covered head. “Good job, Catholic, you’ve made a friend.”
She smiled sheepishly at me, any reservations melting like butter. A crumb of praise; that’s all it took to win the trust of a loner.
“Now that we are friends...” I smoothed the scarf on her head. “Maybe you can help me with some errands after work?”
“Only if you help me on my shift.” She frowned. “And!And if you do whatever I say until we punch out.”
“Ah, I may consider it if you throw in some spinal fluid. I can even do the draw myself.” I winked.
“Spinal fluid?”
“It is quite tasty, very nutritious. You should try it.”
“I will stick to blood.”
“More for me, I suppose.”
The early morning was much softer than the darkness that came before midnight. While still void of sunlight, the sky was tinted in deep purples and blues, hopeful colors of the dawn to come. A perfectly good morning for a walk.
“—and then he put them on sticks! I didn’t think the man would really do it, but by God, he did!” I laughed.
“That is not funny!” Edith punched my arm.
“Considering I said it as a joke after too much mead, it was incredibly funny.” I took another drink from the bottle I found in one of the doctor’s offices.
We were walking through the park nearby. The city had not woken up yet, and neither had the sky. I could still see stars.
“Look, Edith.” I placed my palm on top of her head, tilting it back to make her look up. “It is a full moon.”
“Oh,” she breathed, staring with her eyes wide at the marvel in the sky.
The moon was bigger this witching hour, a little closer than usual.
“We must have caught it on a special night.”
“Yes,” she said, and cleared her throat.
When I peered over, she was already looking at me with those sad eyes of hers.
“What is it?”
“Was it a jape when you said we were friends?” I could see her lip twitch, her head shifting under my palm when she turned her head to look my way.
“No, why would I do that?”
“You make many unserious comments. I am not sure when you are sincere.”
