"You haven't anything planned while I am away, have you?" Vell said to Sonder.
"No," Sonder answered.
"Well, I thought you could perhaps keep Meli company. She seems to have a little free time at the moment."
Vell gestured vaguely towards the ceiling.
"The inn can hardly operate properly in its current condition, and I doubt she can do much to help with the repairs. I imagine she has been given a few things to do, but she certainly seemed interested in talking to us yesterday."
Sonder thought about Meli. The young woman had been rather eager to hear about magic.
"You told me that she wanted to learn magic from you," Sonder said.
"So she did. Unfortunately, I am not sure I am in any condition to offer her much instruction just yet."
"You could still teach her something simple."
"Perhaps. Though I suspect you would be better suited to that than I am."
Sonder raised an eyebrow.
"Me?"
"Why not? You know a fair amount of magic, and you are certainly capable of demonstrating it. If you don't think you can, then it's not a big loss; not for me, anyway, but perhaps a huge disappointment for Meli. Not everyone who knows how to do something can teach it to someone else."
Sonder considered the idea.
Meli had seemed genuinely interested. It might be nice to help her.
"What if I cannot teach her anything?"
"Then you simply talk and spend some time together. I am sure Meli would love to have any kind of pointers on magic. And if not magic, then you can tell her about your adventures. You have spent the better part of three years traveling through the world without me. I should think you have quite a few stories to tell."
Vell watched her for a moment and noticed a hesitation in her eyes, but did not press her.
"You needn't tell her everything," he added. "Just whatever you feel comfortable sharing. I imagine a young woman studying magic would find your travels rather interesting. Maybe retelling some of those stories to a stranger, without me, might give you some perspectives you hadn't expected. I don't mind being left out, you know. I might even get a little peace from the past if you forget to mention me."
Sonder stared at him. She looked as though she wanted to ask something more, or say something, but Vell was already getting to his feet.
"Come along. We should see if we can get something to eat, maybe find Meli in the process. Maybe she'll get us something on the house? She'll be glad to see us anyway. Then I shall go and have a terribly boring conversation with an old scholar."
He gave her a small, reassuring smile.
"Try not to worry too much. We have only just arrived, and there is no need to assume that every unusual thing we encounter is a threat."
Sonder looked at him for a moment before nodding.
"All right."
"Good."