Page 388 of Light Leech

“Each other. Yes. Grow up.”

I held in a laugh. “I mean, the monastery isn’t that small.”

”I know. Some of us can sacrifice for others, you plug?”

I raised an eyebrow.

His frustrated visage faded to concern. He sighed. “She’s been having these… nightmares? No, it’s more like… technological horror… visions… but it’s all connected to her gui… we think.”

“The jaguar?”

He nodded.

“Did she talk to Ral?”

“Of course she went to the only other one who, for some reason, has a problem with her Gui.”

My neurocore memories of Zhu’s warnings about Sha came to mind, but I pushed them aside. “And?”

“Nothing. Ral’s a little anxious since she finished your deep neurospace quest.”

“Neurocore.”

“Same thing.”

“Not really, but–whatever. She looked fine?”

“Of course she did. She always looks like she’s doing fine, but you can tell when something’s off. She’s a little scrambled, impulsive, distracted, and blah blah blah. Look, I know she’ll look into Akna’s Gui problem soon, but I need your help with David. You plug?”

“Kiss up to Akna a bit and I’m sure you can convince her.”

He threw up his arms. “What else can I do? I comb her hair, rub her back while she’s falling asleep, rest my arm around her when she finally does.”

I lost it. I spat out and fell back in unrelenting laughter.

“Zeg you, shac.” He shook his head and turned to walk away.

“No, no, stop, du.” I reached out and pulled him towards me before he could get away.

“What?”

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have laughed.” I took a deep breath. “You’re doing everything right. Keep comforting her no matter how anyone reacts, including me. Hold her through to the end of this thing with the moon, then we’ll figure out whatever’s bothering her. You plug?”

He sighed, then nodded. “You think the moon thing will be that easy?”

“Zeg, no, but we’ll get through it.”

He looked up at me.

I ruffled his hair. “You good?”

“Piss off.”

We smiled.

I followed the sounds of the girls’ voices, waving to Denji and Abbas on the way as they were sitting and enjoying some tea together. Kuni sat in the corner reading a book and sounding out the words under his breath.

Ralia eyed me as I walked in while Naoma was talking to her and Akna. She didn’t interrupt Naoma while she waved me in and put her arm around my waist. She kissed me on the cheek.