Chapter 13: The Apprentice's Burden

We had been working for three hours straight, though if I was being honest, it was more Nick working and me just observing. Every now and then, I would catch a detail and store it away in my mind. I’ve always had a photographic memory—one of the few blessings the goddess gave me. It had helped me survive those grueling days in school, navigating the sneers of my peers while hiding behind books and assignments. Today, that memory was proving to be useful again as I silently watched Nick work, his movements fluid and precise. The boy, thankfully, was sleeping now. His labored breaths had steadied somewhat, and Nick was carefully applying a thick, purplish liquid to the boy's inflamed skin, his hands moving like clockwork. The liquid oozed over the sores on his body, leaving a slick trail behind, like the wake of a snail crawling over rough terrain. I wasn’t sure exactly what the substance was supposed to do—maybe it soothed the boy’s pain, or perhaps it was meant to serve as a barrier