As we sat, I couldn’t stop the emotion from taking over, warping my expression as my face scrunched up, fighting back the tears just below the surface. The boats were still in the process of leading the coffins out, and I watched them. How am I supposed to do this? “Leon.” Vajra alerted me quietly, standing to face whoever had intruded. I turned my head, spotting the young woman from the funeral home. She seemed almost entranced, staring at me in a way that made me nervous. I stood as Vajra took an aggressive stance. His eyes were narrowed, the blue flames within dancing angrily as he crouched, unmoving but clearly not friendly. “Back.” He relaxed and looped back around to stand behind me, poking his head out underneath my arm, watching her. “Can I help you?” 

I recognized her of course, how could I not? Her attire was strange, her hat was creepy looking, grinning at me in a way that made it seem intelligent, like it was truly staring at my soul. Her boots were odd, her hair stood out about as much as mine did. Still, the way she looked at me told me she didn’t mean harm. Her eyes were curious, her posture tense but not threatening. Even the small fox creature that followed her looked curious about me. Then again, I had a chain wrapped around my neck and a leopard glaring at everything that approached me. I wasn’t any more normal. “Hello.” I greeted plainly, watching her expression, my own impassive. “Is there something I can help you with?” I was hoping she’d say no. Every part of me wanted to turn around and watch the boat drift slowly out through the water. I wanted to follow it, watch its descent into earth and lie with it, buried forever just as it would be, but the monks barely tolerated me when they were forced to. Now that they didn’t have to, I was likely to be attacked if I lingered too long. That was something I couldn’t risk… after all, I have a job to do.