Light of the Heavens

XXV. Child of Spring Leaves

"He's been perfectly behaved," Seben said. "Besides, on the Nights of a Thousand Fires, djinn can walk the streets instead of being contained in their jars."

"Bound djinn," Vassa reminded the young woman.

"Most people won't even notice the difference," the apprentice fire-speaker said with confidence. "He has us to keep him safe and he's been trapped in the jar for days. You wouldn't like being cooped up in your room for that long."

The masked woman exhaled a long-suffering sigh just loudly enough to be heard. "That depends. If it would preserve me from the folly of hyperactive children, I might relish the solitude."

Seben scowled. "I'm not a child."

It was so hard not to laugh. "Of course not. Only childish," Vassa said, enjoying the huff Seben made at that.

Rhujag chuckled and put a heavy hand on Seben's shoulder. "You make yourself too tempting a target," he advised the young woman.

"Irresistible," the masked woman agreed as she opened the door to the hall. Students were all preparing to leave the Ashen Tower to join the festivities, the more experienced among them also accompanied by djinn, though theirs were far less potent and dangerous than Naji even if they hadn't been shackled.

Seben sighed slightly at the sight. Vassa knew she still hated the reminder that not all djinn were free the way Naji was. Still, the apprentice fire-speaker was better at taking it in stride, adding it as yet another reason for her commitment to change fire-speaking. Excelling in her training could only take her so far in that regard. It just wasn't enough to change people's minds.

For her part, a slight creeping jealousy of the spirit of flame sometimes afflicted Vassa. Seben paid him almost constant attention when he was out of the soul-jar and spoke of him often even when he was in it. The regard the apprentice fire-speaker had for the djinni was unconditional in its affection, their connection growing stronger each day. He seemed to be coming out of his cautious shell more and more as he bonded to his fire-speaker. The masked woman found the elemental too endearing to really hold any antipathy towards, however, particularly the ceaseless curiosity.

Almost as if he was sensing her thoughts, Vassa felt soft heat against her back, the djinni touching her in imitation of how she was often in contact with Seben: a palm placed between shoulder blades. This touch seemed more meant to comfort than guide.

The masked woman turned to look at their fiery companion. He crackled softly in response, with little snaps and pops like a woodfire. Not for the first time, Vassa wondered if he was speaking a language rather than simply making noise. For a creature with no real face and an inhuman way of producing sound, he was intensely expressive. He seemed worried about her, if from posture and the way he dipped his head while looking at her.

Seben laughed softly. "It's Vassa, Naji. She's fine."

Vassa flicked her fingers almost playfully at Naji, shooing the djinni away even as she pushed her darker thoughts deeper under the surface. There was no sense in showing any of the internal conflict boiling away beneath her composed exterior. Understanding her present feelings was far too contingent on knowing her past and she had no intention of illuminating anyone about that. "Your mistress is correct," she said.

Naji made a snapping sound at her playfully, like a branch falling in a fire, as he drifted back towards Seben's side.

Rhujag grinned. "I think he's flirting with you, Vassa."

The djinni brought his flickering hand to his face, then extended it towards the orc like a farm girl blowing a kiss.

Vassa laughed, though she was caught almost by surprise at how well the djinni had learned to understand their language. Then again, with all the time Seben spent chattering at him and teaching him words with games, it wasn't entirely unforeseeable that he'd pick it up quickly. "I think Naji is an equal-opportunity flirt," Vassa said, a hint of warmth creeping into her tone.