Pillow Talk [The Carnival]

[Esper]

She could feel Roza’s anxiety simmering the further they got from the carnival, no matter how small it was. It squirmed inside her own body as a result, but Esper was prosaic. She was a small child when she first left her life with the priests and discovered the Vas family instead. The only thing keeping her rooted had always been Roza. This new uncertainty did not leave an impression upon her, for there was very little in the way of emotional ties that were broken in the departure. She would not miss Renata or Roza’s siblings. Nor did the practicalities concern her. She did not worry over where they would lay their heads tonight because she knew they would find somewhere. In fact with Esper’s push and Roza’s light, they could go wherever they wanted.

“Zeke would let us stay. But there are lots of people at the church,” she said. Though Esper agreed to follow where Roza led, it did not stop her steering their direction when the other girl was unsure. And she did it now as they walked, her thoughts plucked by the memory of the singing boy.

“Cruz had a fancy house,” she agreed. In fact it had been lavish. “I could convince him to let us stay.”