The arrangement worked out well, all things considered. Varaz proved to be a decent assistant. He attached himself to the main adults of the group and provided whatever they requested. Mostly though, he hung around Ken, often studying in her room or lying at the foot of her bed, asking to hear one of her stories about the road, New Somerset, or their group. He would flop down on his stomach and rest his chin on his arms. His feet kicked back and forth in the air as he listened. Sometimes, he closed his eyes. But he never stopped listening when she spoke.
In his off-time, he could usually be found near the young woman or in his personal room—small quarters that attached to hers and shared a private bathroom. He said he’d never had his own room before. Not once in his entire life. She felt
