ra didn''t know what exactly happened after they met with the entric master. In fact, the memories of that day still felt like a fever dream even as she watched Gs go through his second day of sessions. After the master had inexplicably disappeared with a puff of smoke, Jayra had thankfully exined that her master had a knack for being unexpected with his proverbial bag of tricks. Gs had also expressed concern about the payment that the old man had seemingly wanted from Jayra, but the mage had simply waved off any and all attempts that they did to try and shoulder her supposed payment to her master.


    "Jayra, you know that we can always pay the man in your stead, right?" ra asked Jayra as they both watched Gs being treated by Master Kasper. "You don''t have to drain your own coffers for us."


    "Trust me, ra. There''s nothing you two can give me that my master would even ept," Jayra sighed. "Even if you did, he''ll know immediately that it didn''te from me, and he''ll promptly just double the payment he''ll want from me."


    ra''s eyes widened, "What? Why do this for us then?"


    "The payment means nothing," Jayra scoffed. "Really, you don''t have to worry."


    "If you''re sure…"


    She couldn''t help but frown at Jayra''s insistence on shouldering the burden. Really, it wasn''t even her problem, and yet she was the one that was going to pay for the treatment? That didn''t sound fair.


    "Cut it, ra," Jayra pointedly told her off. "I know what you''re thinking."


    "I didn''t even say anything," ra shook her head.


    "But you were thinking it," her mage friend chuckled. "Trust me, it''s nothing I can''t pay off. In fact, I''d really rather not pay it in the first ce."


    ra frowned. "Then why-"


    Before she could finish her question, Jayra pulled her close to whisper something into her ear.


    "Look, you can clearly see that Master doesn''t really care about money," Jayra exined in a whisper. "He just wants me to keep the angry bar keepers back in Ebodia from hounding him for payments."


    "Wha-"


    "He''s a heavy drinker whenever he''s not doing experiments," Jayra exined before she could even ask. "He''s also a notorious dine-and-dasher."


    Jayra then let go of her ear, and ra could only blink in astonishment as she stared at the one healing her mate. Somehow, she didn''t know whether or not to let her respect for him rise or fall with what she was hearing about him.


    The session then went on in silence after that, with Master Kasper promptly announcing that his job was done for the day before quickly disappearing into a cloud of smoke once more.


    "Where does he even go whenever he does that?" Gs couldn''t help but ask as he stood up. "Does he even have a room here in the castle?"


    "Well, Bartos told me that the room assigned to him had signs of being used, so I can only assume he goes there," Jayra shrugged. "Really, it''s not use questioning his methods. I can only hope that I can copy his spells and do them aszily and skillfully as he does them."


    "I can assume that his teleportation spell is borderline impossible to you," ra remarked.


    "And he''s just using it as a parlor trick too," Jayra sighed. "It just shows that I have a lot of things to learn in my lifetime."


    "You''ll get there eventually," ra reassured her with a smile. "Anyway, thank you for today''s session."


    "Likewise," Gs agreed as he came to ra''s side. "I''ll be forever in your debt for helping me with this."


    "It''s nothing," Jayra scoffed with a wave of her hand. "Now go. If you''ll excuse me, I have a bunch of letters to write."


    ra chuckled as both she and Gs turned around and left the mage in her room. Making their way to their own room within the castle, she couldn''t help but notice her mate''s joyful disposition.


    "How did it go this time?" she asked.


    ***


    [Amazingly,] Ham scoffed, albeit weakly inside his head.


    Truly, Gs couldn''t contain his happiness as he heard Ham''s voice echo inside his head once more. Granted, it was far from being fullyplete, but they could actually talk again just like in old times.


    [You really missed me that much, huh.]


    [Of course, I did,] Gs chuckled. [You''re a part of me, and having you go missing like that on me was one of the worst experiences I''ve ever had in my life.]


    "It''s going well," he replied to her mate with the happiest smile he could give her. "He''s talking to me even now, actually."


    "I''m d then," ra smiled back at him. "At least that''s another problem solved."


    "I couldn''t agree more," he chuckled.


    The two of them walked in rtive silence throughout the hallways of the castle. Of course, Gs took that time to talk a bit more with Ham, catching his inner wolf up with everything that had happened during the time that he had been absent.


    [Thankfully, you didn''t turn into aplete vegetable while you mourned me,] Ham teased with a low chuckle. [And here I thought you''d be strong enough without me.]


    [How was I supposed to take your supposed death easily?] Gs weakly chuckled. [I really thought I lost you.]


    [But you didn''t] his inner wolf pointed out. [And you…. Damn…]


    [Ham?]


    [I''m…. losing you….] Ham''s stuttered voice weakly replied. [Need…. Rest…..]


    [Alright then. Take all the time you need.]


    Gs shrugged as he felt the connection weaken once more. But while it would''ve frightened him before, it didn''t do so now. After all, the treatment was clearly working, and he was certain that he''d be able to feel Ham again in a few hours or so. In the meantime…


    "So, that''s your second session done," ra breathed out to him as soon as they reached their room. "But that doesn''t mean your round of treatment for today is over."


    Gs smirked as he stared down at his eager mate. Really, if there was one thing in this whole debacle that he really liked, it was the constant lovemaking that constituted his treatment.


    And speaking of treatment, he might as well go ahead with that one idea he was workshopping in his head sincest night. He was sure that ra would get a kick out of it.