As they walk, Vanessa stretches her arms behind her head, shooting Eska an easy grin. "I guess that's what you get when you're raised by the Oblea."
Eska glances up at her. The casual tone catches her off guard, but in a way that feels… different.
Lighter.
Most people around her speak with caution, like she's something to keep in check. But Vanessa talks to her like she's just her.
Vanessa picks up on it, giving her a smirk. "I didn't take you for the shy type with those moves back there!" She chuckles, her tone light, but her eyes stay locked on Eska, waiting. There's curiosity there, but also something more—expectation.
She's not just making conversation. She wants to hear about Oblea.
Eska exhales through her nose, a small smile breaking through her expression. "Mom never really went easy on me when we trained. Even Ma—"
The words die in her throat. Her breath catches, a sudden pressure closing around her lungs like an unseen grip. No.
The single word echoes inside her head, cold and firm.
"Even Ma?" Vanessa repeats, tilting her head, one brow arching in curiosity.
Eska straightens too quickly, a forced smile stretching across her lips, too wide, too sudden. "Even maaai— instincts! Yeah, even my instincts were warning me he'd give me a tough time..."
She laughs, but it's thin, unnatural, and she quickly drops her gaze as if trying to escape her own words.
A pause lingers between them before Eska looks back up, her expression shifting—still guarded, but curious now. "Wait, what do you mean by 'that's what you get'?"
Valen furrows his brow, mild confusion settling in. "Your mom was one of the strongest wardens in the city. You didn't know that?" His voice is softer now, careful. "She never told you?"
Eska blinks, her expression twisting into bewilderment. "N-no… What's a warden?"
Vanessa and Valen exchange a glance, a silent conversation passing between them before Valen steps in.
"A warden is a Hunter rank that lets someone lead or form a guild. They're incredibly skilled—strong enough to rival a paladin. Most guilds only have a handful of them, at most."
Eska's eyes widen, curiosity pushing away her earlier hesitation. "Oh! So, you're as strong as Mom?" Her fingers tap together, excitement creeping into her voice.
Valen chuckles, shaking his head. "I doubt it."
Eska blinks, confusion creeping back in.
Valen exhales, folding his arms. "If I fought her in her prime as I am now, it'd probably look like your fight with Kaz." He pauses, lips quirking slightly before adding, "Her documented hunts are unbeliev—"
His words die in his throat as he catches Eska's face.
A slight shock flickers across Eska's face as she catches the slow curl of Valen's smile.
The first time she's seen it, and for a moment, it eases something in her chest, loosening a tension she hadn't realized was there.
Then the embarrassment sets in.
She must look ridiculous—like a child hearing grand tales of a parent's heroics for the first time, wide-eyed and eager. Her fingers still, pressing against her palms as if to steady herself. She glances away, her expression caught between the realization and her reddened cheeks.
"Is that a smile?!" Vanessa exclaims, surprise lacing her voice. "I don't think I've ever seen one of those on your face before, Valen!"
Eska snaps her head back toward them, eyes widening slightly.
Valen catches himself just as quickly, his expression flattening as he turns away, clearing his throat as if nothing happened.
"You're exaggerating." He tells her.
Vanessa leans down slightly toward Eska, her smirk never fading. "The exaggeration is him trying to hide it," she says, voice dripping with amusement.
Eska glances at Valen, who pointedly looks away, his usual stoic expression back in place. A quiet chuckle escapes her before she even realizes it.
As they walk Vanessa finally stops in front of the building, "Aha!" she throws out a hand with a confident smile. "This is my place!"
Without waiting for a response, she heads up the stairs to the second floor, the wooden steps creaking slightly beneath their weight. She pushes open the door and steps aside, ushering everyone in with an easy grin.
Eska steps in, her eyes immediately drawn to the plush carpet underfoot and the flawless, smooth walls. Every piece of furniture—sofas, counters and tables—is crafted with exceptional precision.
They step further into the living room, which feels far more spacious than its exterior suggested. Natural light pours in from a pair of double glass doors at the far end. The doors open onto a small balcony, framed by flowing curtains that sway gently in the faint breeze.
The room is warmly lit by sunlight, highlighting the soft carpet across the floor, and the plush, inviting furniture arranged in a cozy seating area. An open archway leads into a connected kitchen.
Eska takes in the space, marveling at how welcoming it feels.
Vanessa strides past Eska without hesitation, throwing herself onto one of the couches in the middle of the room like she's lived here for years.
She stretches out, arms draped lazily over the cushions, completely at ease.
Valen stops beside Eska, his voice low but steady. "I know she's a bit high energy, but there aren't many outside the church I trust as much as I do her."
He glances toward Vanessa before continuing. "She'll be looking after you when I can't."
Eska hears him, the weight of his words settling in. Her gaze drops to the carpeted floor, fingers curling slightly at her sides.
Another watchdog.
Valen settles onto the couch with a quiet exhale, gesturing toward the room. "Come in, Eska."
His voice is calm, but Eska doesn't move.
She lingers at the entrance, eyes flicking across the space again. Now that she's here, something about stepping further in feels uncertain—like she's walking into something she wasn't prepared for.
Vanessa picks up on it immediately.
"What's with you?" she asks, leaning forward, her brows drawing together. "You're acting all shy all of a sudden. What happened to the confidence back when you kicked Kaz's ass?"
Her tone isn't mocking, just genuinely puzzled. She gestures around with both hands. "It's just a room. You're not walking into a death trap."
She pats the cushion beside her, giving Eska an expectant look. "Come on, sit. You do know how to do that, right?"
Her voice is light, familiar, like she truly doesn't understand why Eska's hesitating. Like she's already decided Eska belongs here.
Eska steps forward. She lowers herself onto the couch with the same careful precision she'd use in unfamiliar territory, muscles poised to react at a moment's notice.
Her gaze drifts across the room—not in admiration, but in assessment.
The furniture, the walls, the doors, the windows. Every exit, every angle. Not checking them out, but mapping them, the way she would in a hunt.
Identifying where to move, where to escape if needed.
The warmth of the room, the softness of the couch beneath her—it all feels like a trick, something designed to lower her guard.
Vanessa's expression shifts as she watches Eska, her voice dropping, brows furrowing. "Hey, hey. What's going on here?" She glances at Valen, confusion evident in her eyes.
Valen watches her, then Eska, rubbing the back of his neck. "Eska," he says, his voice steady. "I don't expect you to drop your guard immediately, but we're not here to harm you. The opposite, in fact."
Vanessa seems to catch on, her expression softening. "Ah, I see." She turns back to Eska with a small smile. "I'm not part of the church, actually. I'm in a guild."
She jabs a thumb at herself, the pride in her voice unmistakable. "If anything, most of the guilds around here don't like the paladins. But both sides are needed for the city's survival, so we work together when we have to."
Eska tilts her head slightly, one eyebrow raising. "You guys don't like each other?"
Vanessa's grin widens into a confident smirk. "Paladins are sticklers for the laws, everything always has to be done by the letter."
She shifts her weight, casting a smug look at Valen, her eyes gleaming with mischief, shoulders squaring as if she's about to drop something that will absolutely get under his skin.
Valen, already knowing where this is going, moves before she can get the words out. "How about I head out for now," he cuts in, standing abruptly. "Eska seems in good health, so I'll take care of the discharge papers."
He rolls his shoulders, acting as if his decision is purely practical, but the quickness in his step betrays him. "Ciel won't be happy, but she'll get over it."
Vanessa's smirk deepens, clearly enjoying how fast he's trying to escape the conversation.
Valen doesn't give her the chance to press further. "I'll see you girls later," he says over his shoulder as he strides toward the door, making a clean exit before Vanessa can land the final blow.
Eska shifts slightly where she sits, her fingers pressing into the plush cushion. Being left alone—again—with a stranger puts her on edge, but curiosity gnaws at her, as it always does.
She hesitates before speaking, unsure if she really wants the answer.
"What was… that about?"
Vanessa chuckles, leaning back against the couch like the question itself amuses her. "You don't know because you just got here," she says, stretching her arms behind her head. "But up until now, Valen has never broken a rule. Not once. Even when he was a kid."
She stands slowly, turning to Eska with the same smug look she'd given Valen moments ago. But this time, it's aimed directly at her.
"That changed when he didn't kill you."
Eska's eyes widen, surprise hitting her like a sudden jolt. She drops her gaze to the floor, her thoughts spinning. He was supposed to kill me. Even Mom… But—
Then Vanessa's voice cuts through, breaking the spiral.
"Come on, let me show you your room."
Eska blinks, snapping out of it. "My… room?"
Vanessa laughs, already making her way toward the hallway. "Yeah, this is your home now. What did you think this was all about?"
Eska stands slowly, her mind still catching up.
Home. Here? But as she thinks more about it, Valen did assure her before that nothing would happen. Even Vanessa seems honestly friendly.
This is the city. The place she's been raised to fear, the thing that haunted her every thought. But… this is different.
"I don't know…" She answers, still in her thoughts as she walks with her.
Vanessa just shakes her head with a bright smile. "This is my room." She points towards the first room to the left. Passing her door, Vanessa then gestures towards the next.
She opens it to reveal a cozy space with a neatly made bed, a small wooden desk by the window and a chest at the foot of the bed. Soft moonlight filters in, illuminating the simple yet welcoming room.
"This will be your space," Vanessa says, stepping aside to let Eska take it in. "It's not much, but it's yours to make comfortable however you like."
Eska lingers at the threshold before stepping inside.
The awe creeping into her expression is different this time—no longer cautious assessment, but genuine wonder. She walks deeper into the room, letting herself take in the details without the sharp edge of wariness dulling the experience.
Vanessa watches for a moment before nodding and pulling the door shut, leaving Eska alone.
Eska sits on the bed—her bed. The moment she sinks into it, she feels the comfort wrap around her, warmth spreading beneath her fingertips as she presses into the mattress. It's unlike anything she's ever slept on.
Does Mom have a bed like this?
She reaches for the pillow, fingers sinking into its softness. A quiet ache stirs in her chest. She would've liked this too.