Chapter 23: Judith

Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Judith

Jason woke a little past six feeling pretty refreshed.

He checked on Novaria first she was still and breathing evenly, calming him ever so slightly, then made his way to the kitchen to get started.

He’d decided on the only rice dish amongst those the system provided. Savoury herb rice wasn’t anything dramatic in terms of effect, just a decent, sustained burst of energy well beyond what a normal bowl of rice would offer, and given what today held, he figured he’d take whatever edge he could get.

He cut the moonvine and lotus ginseng into thin, even slices, the pattern coming to his hands without needing to think about it, in the same instinctual pattern with which he practiced the Heretical God Law.

The system’s integration was just that thorough. He threw both into the pot alongside the rice, let it start boiling, and fed a thin, controlled stream of fire essence into the flame beneath it, coaxing out more of the herbs’ properties than a normal stove could manage.

The whole process took the better part of an hour and a half, most of it just waiting, stirring occasionally, letting the essence do its slow work.

By the time he made his way back to the bedroom, Novaria was already awake, watching the doorway absentmindedly.

"Morning," he said. "You’re up early."

"You keep waking me up with those mysterious recipes of yours."

"Well, don’t expect ’em to stop anytime soon."

He crossed over to the bed, leaning over her gently. "Ready?"

"Ready."

He eased her up and into the wheelchair, wheeling her toward the bathroom. "So, a couple of things before I forget," he said, on the way. "The raid yesterday went about as well as a raid full of thirty more wolves than anyone warned us about can go."

"And you’re telling me this now, casually, while wheeling me to the bathroom."

"I’m telling you now because you were unconscious last night when I would’ve told you properly."

She winced slightly at that, and he let it sit a beat before continuing, easing her onto the toilet and stepping back to give her the privacy to handle herself.

"Made it out fine," he called through the door. "Ten thousand pounds fine, actually."

"Oh really"

"Yup. The whole party split forty between us. Turns out getting mauled by an unreasonable number of wolves pays surprisingly well.

"There’s more," he said, handing her the toothbrush.

"Of course there is."

"My party leader’s friend agreed to train me. I was told his name was Darius. Our first session’s today at 11.

She paused mid brush, giving him a look in the mirror’s reflection. "Today."

"Today."

"That’s fast."

He eased her toward the shower next, steadying her while she brushed a moment longer before setting it aside. "Good, though. The fight made it painfully obvious I need it."

"Painfully obvious how, exactly?"

"I’ll tell you the embarrassing details another time. Short version, I hit hard and move like I’ve never held the thing before."

"That tracks with everything else you’ve told me." She let him help her into the shower, the water easing over her shoulders, and he worked through the routine methodically, patient, familiar by now. "What else. You said a couple of things, that’s already three."

"Last one." He rinsed the moonvine scent off his own hands while he worked. "I found someone for when I’m not here she’s a retired nurse.

I messaged her last night, she’s coming by this morning to talk it through properly."

"You’ve had a busy night."

"Didn’t sleep much of it, if that’s what you’re asking."

"When exactly is she coming?"

"Soon, hopefully. Before I have to leave." He helped her out, into a fresh change of clothes, careful and practiced. "Her name’s Judith."

"Judith," Novaria repeated, testing the name on her lips

"I don’t really have a better option at this point." He settled her back into the chair. "You’ll get to judge for yourself in a bit anyway."

"Fair enough."

"Your turn," she said, as he wheeled her out toward the hallway. "You smell like rice and moonvine."

He left her in the hallway and stepped into the bathroom himself, brushing his teeth as quickly as he could, then cleaned the scent of moonvine off himself in the shower.

When he stepped back out, shirt still in hand, he caught her gaze flick toward him and away again just as fast, something almost imperceptibly faint coloring her cheeks before her expression smoothed back into neutral.

’Huh.’

’Must’ve imagined that.’

He pulled his shirt on, decided not to comment on it, and wheeled her through to the kitchen’s dining area.

He got her settled at the table and dished out two bowls, the rice fragrant with the herbs, steam curling up in thin ribbons.

They’d just started eating, when a knock sounded at the front door.

Jason checked the clock. Quarter to nine.

"That’ll be her."

---

Judith stood maybe half a head shorter than him, dressed plainly, a modest bag held in both hands in front of her like she wasn’t entirely sure yet whether she’d be invited past the doorstep.

"Mr. Veryon?"

"Jason’s fine." He extended a hand, and she shook it, firm, steady grip. For half a second Jason paused sensing something he wasn’t sure he perceived correctly. "Come in. We’re just having breakfast, if you’d like to join us."

"I wouldn’t want to impose."

"You wouldn’t be. There’s plenty."

She hesitated only a second before nodding, following him through to the kitchen.

Novaria looked up as they entered, and Judith crossed to her first, offering a hand. "You must be Novaria. My name’s Judith."

"Nice to meet you," Novaria said, shaking it.

"Please, sit," Jason said, pulling out the third chair, already moving to dish out another bowl.

While she settled into the chair, Jason let [Cursory Insight] flicker briefly over her, more habit than suspicion at this point, though he supposed a little of both.

[Judith Watson]

[Age: 45]

[Occupation: Disability Caregiver]

[Cultivation: Third Level – Late stage]

He could sense faint threads of essence around her from the moment he shook her hands but years of inactivity had made her seem almost mundane.

Judith took the first bite carefully, the polite caution of someone testing unfamiliar food, and her eyebrows lifted before she’d even finished swallowing.

"This is very good," she said. "Genuinely. What’s in it?"

"It’s a family recipe," Jason said, which was, in the loosest possible sense, true.

"Well, it’s lovely."

---

"So," Judith said, setting her spoon down after a few more bites, folding her hands together in the manner of someone about to get properly down to business. "Tell me about your situation, if you don’t mind. I like to understand exactly what I’m walking into."

Novaria answered before Jason could. "Basically I’m paralyzed from the waist down but I do have a bit of mobility in my arms. Every once in a while I get seizures. There’s no reliable pattern to them yet. There’s medication for when it happens, injectable, kept in the nightstand drawer."

"How frequently?"

" It’s not consistent enough for me to reliably say."

Judith nodded slowly, nothing on her face shifting into alarm, just calm, practiced attention. "And you’re a Hunter," she said, glancing at Jason. "That’s the work that’ll have you out of the house."

"Most days. Training right now, raids eventually, on a schedule I can’t always predict ahead of time."

"How many hours, typically?"

"It depends. Could be four. Could be closer to ten, depending on the day."

"That’s manageable," Judith said, "so long as I’ve got some notice when I can get it. I’ll need your number, and I’d like Novaria to have mine directly as well, in case something happens and you can’t be reached fast enough."

"That’s fine," Jason said. "More than fine."

"I did manage a couple of seizures in the field," Judith added, mostly to Novaria now. "Different context, obviously. But I know what to look for, and I won’t panic on you. That much I can promise."

"In the field," Novaria repeated. "Were you in the army?"

"Twenty three years." Judith said it plainly, no weight added to it, though something briefly passed behind her eyes. "I spent most of that time as a medic. Left after my husband was killed in the same conflict I was still serving in.

I decided I’d seen enough people die that I wanted to spend whatever was left of my career keeping people alive instead. I got certified as a healthcare provider about three years after I retired."

"I’m sorry," Novaria said, softer now.

"It was a long time ago." Judith’s smile returned, easy, unforced. "But thank you. It’s part of why I do this now. Feels like the right way to keep using what I learned."

Jason found himself watching her with a quiet, growing certainty that this was, without question, the right call.

They spent the rest of breakfast working through the practical details, days, hours, what Novaria needed help with most, what Judith would and wouldn’t be comfortable handling, and by the time the bowls were empty, the arrangement had settled itself without either side needing to push hard for it.

"When can you start?" Jason asks

"I’ll start today, if that suits you," Judith answered, glancing between them. "No sense waiting around."

"That works," Jason said, already standing to clear the dishes. "I’ve got training starting at eleven, actually, so the timing’s good."

"Go, then. We’ll be fine here."

He carried the bowls to the kitchen, then ducked back to the bedroom to retrieve the spear he’d left leaning against the wall, and returned to find Novaria and Judith already deep in easy conversation.

"I’m heading out," he said, spear in hand.

"Good luck," Novaria said. "Don’t embarrass yourself too badly."

"No promises."

"Good luck," Judith echoed, warm and genuine.

He gave them both a short nod, and headed out the door.