“I could see through it, so I don’t think it was magical, but it wasn’t natural either. It was so strange inside them, but utterly captivating.”

And he had offered to train this man, teach him a spell or two while Essek learned what he could from him, trying to find other ways to harness those shadows. All this, these bloodied bandages and clothes were a bitter reminder: he needed to become stronger, to have items to protect Caleb. It was a never-ending onslaught here. Mares. Knives. Burns. The things that happened to him before he even arrived.

This agreement was a good thing. An important thing. A—

He felt the touch of his elbow and that sound he had heard before, rarely but before. Fingers slowed their wrapping of the bandages, his head tilting up as he looked at him quizzically, softly.

“Yes, Caleb?”