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"Well, uh... technically speaking, I guess it was... Gohvis who taught it to me. Sorta."

Abbas didn't even react this time. He just returned a flat stare.

Worwal picked up the slack for him. 'Gohvis taught it to you,' he said, his tone thick with doubt.

This was getting messy, Hector felt. Maybe he should've tried to explain about blessings first, instead, but that didn't seem like it would've been much easier.

Not to be outdone, Garovel decided to pitch in for his servant, too. 'You've heard about Emiliana Elroy, haven't you? How she was kidnapped by Gohvis?'

'Ah, yes.' Worwal's skeletal gaze settled slowly onto Hector. 'Qorvass did mention that. She was also bonded to Rasalased. And you and her are able to communicate through the Shards.'

"I remember now," said Abbas. "That was why Asad decided to let you keep your Shard. As a means of maintaining contact with her. A favor for his friend Zeff as much as for you."

'And quite the extension of trust, as well,' added Worwal. 'He all but granted you the formal status of Shardkeeper.'

Asad. A background thought process lingered on him, reminding Hector of how worried about the guy he was. And with a whole month gone by now, too. He dreaded to even think about how Asad was faring in Morgunov's clutches, right now.

Fuck.

His main thought process, however, took note of the term Shardkeeper. That was the first time anyone other than Rasalased had said it to him. It made sense that Worwal would be familiar with it, of course, but Hector still found it a bit surprising.

And he kinda felt like Rasalased would disagree with the reaper on that point, too. Asad wasn't the one who could grant statuses like that. Even the whole Golden Council probably couldn't, as far as Rasalased was concerned.

Hector decided to keep that thought to himself, though.