The evening descends gently, with a chill in the air. Vera approaches the small cottage on the outskirts of town. The windows are alight, emitting a soft glow.

Vera knocks on Davorin's door. A few moments later, it swings open. Davorin stands in the doorway, hair tussled, without a shirt on.

'Oh,' Vera says, unable to help dropping her eyes. 'Am I disturbing?'

'Just came back from a jog,' Davorin says, turning around but leaving the door open. Vera takes a few steps inside. Davorin picks up a shirt from the back of a chair. 'Didn't expect any visitors.' His muscles ripple as he lifts the shirt over his head. 'Want a picture?' he says when he notices Vera watching.

'Sorry,' she smirks.

'Didn't think we'd be having any more visits,' he says.

'You didn't warn me about her.'

He chuckles. 'Didn't I? Hmm. So sorry. How did your first meeting go?'

He gestures for her to sit at the small table.

'I think you have some idea.'

'Probably. But I'd like to hear it from you.' He smirks.

He strolls into the kitchen, comes back with two glasses of water.

'No rum for you, I'm sure,' he snickers, sitting across from her at the table.

'She's... rather remarkably like a whirlwind.'

'Did she pour your wine down the sink?'

Vera scowls. 'Yes. Again, you could have warned me.'

'No fun,' he says, drinking his glass of water. 'So what are you doing here?'

'Please let me use the stone and I will return the favour.' Vera smiles sweetly.

He arches an eyebrow. 'I thought the favour was for me to teach you.'

'I am proposing a new arrangement.'

'You don't even know how to use it. Clearly,' he scoffs.

'So teach me. Please.'

'This is why I organised you a mentor. I'm not a good teacher.' He leans back, slings an arm over the back of the chair.

'She doesn't have that stone.'

'She has other things that can help you.'

Vera rolls her eyes. 'You're stubborn.'

'You're stubborn,' he mutters.

'Think about it. I can help you with something, surely.'

Davorin sighs. His green eyes shine in the dim light. A muscle in his jaw twitches.

'I work in a lab.' she says. 'Maybe that could come in handy for you. I have cool books. But I have very strict rules about allowing others to borrow them. No throwing them, for example.'

'Okay. I'll help you. But I need you to work with Mam first. Two weeks, at least. Give you some groundwork so I don't have to do it.'

'Okay,' Vera grins. 'What's the favour?'

'Not sure yet. But you'll owe me one.'

A moment settles over the table.

'What do you use that stone for?'

'Hah!' Davorin laughs. 'You've got spunk asking me things like that, little thief.'

She smiles but doesn't push the matter.

'How did you know I had it? And where to find it?'

Vera chuckles. 'Secrets for secrets, I'm afraid.'

Davorin grins. His eyes sparkle as he looks at her.

'I would like to know who you are trying to find.'

Vera sighs.

'Come on now, it's enough secret keeping. Spill it.'

She shifts uncomfortably in her chair. 'About a year ago... my sister went missing.'

A silence fills the room. Davorin's eyes don't leave Vera's. He doesn't say anything. The darkness of evening seeps beneath the door, between the gap in the curtains.

'She isn't... has she passed on?'

'I don't know.' Vera says quietly. 'It's been a year.'

'She's the one you're trying to see?'

'Yes.'

'But.. you haven't seen her. Isn't that good news?.'

'I don't know what else to try. I don't know what happened to her. If ahes alive somewhere, if she died. If I should still be looking or not.'

Davorin's eyes never leave hers. His hand reaches across the table and grips hers softly.

'I'm sorry about your sister.' His hand remains on hers.

'Me too,' she says.

He stands and leaves the room. A few moments later he returns. He switches on a lamp on the way to the table. He sits down, looking at Vera.

'I will help you to try to call her. Once. If she doesn't come, you have to try to forget about this. I know you want closure, but there are other ways to get that. Once. Do we have a deal?'

Vera mulls for a few moments. A part of her knows she won't be able to simply let it go. How would that be possible? So she knows that when she answers, it won't be entirely truthful.

'Okay.'

He peers at her with a crinkle in the corner of his eye, like he knows she is saying what he wants to hear. But he doesn't say anything. He simply raises an eyebrow.

'I will explain this thing to you, or only what you need to know about it. And then we'll give it a try. But not tonight. In two weeks, as we've agreed.'

'Does it have to be two weeks?'

'I am not in the right space to handle things tonight. And you need more time with Mam.'

'You want another chance for me to walk in here to you without a shirt on?'

He chuckles. 'No. We'll be meeting somewhere else.'

She raises her eyebrows. 'Where?'

'You were right that it's best to try to use this thing out in nature. How about, let's say, the forest?'

Vera pouts. 'Seriously?'

'Any better ideas?'

'Anywhere else in the town that has nature? A park?'

'Thing is, it would be best not to be seen by anyone. Lest they think you're a witch or such things.'

'Okay. Can we not do this at night? It's creepy.'

'Don't you have a job?'

'I also have weekends.'

'Alright. Next weekend. Saturday. Let's say 3pm.'

'Okay.'

'Okay.'

Davorin reaches into a pocket, from which he pulls out a silk pouch. From within the silver pouch, he extracts the emerald stone. It emits a soft glow in the palm of his hand. Vera watches it.

'Not sure what you did the first time you used this. So I'll start with the basics. It's best to approach this, or any magical thing, with a sense of respect. It's helping you, keep that in your heart when you ask. I'll be asking on your behalf, given your track record.' Davorin closes his palm around the stone. 'Until then please follow the guidance of your mentor. No wine. Clear your mind every night before sleeping. Etcetera.'

Vera nods. 'Okay, I can do that.'

He leans back in his chair again. 'You can meet me here and walk with me to the forest if you'd like.'

'Better not.' Vera gives a sheepish smile. 'I am receiving some unwanted attention right now, given the incident in the forest. Don't think you'd want to be seen with me.'

'What makes you think I care what the people of this town say?'

'Might not do well for my own harassment either.'

He scoffs. 'Remind me why you should care what they say?'

'Easy to judge from someone who hasn't faced being ostracised in their own town. I have friends here. Plus it isn't just whispering.'

'What do you mean?'

'It doesn't matter, I'm sure it will blow over. I'll meet you at the forest.'

Davorin's eyes peer at her intently. 'I know it's easier for me to say but try not to care what these old farts think about you.'

Vera smiles. 'Thanks.'

'Best be off before people get the wrong idea about why you're here.'

'Don't think anyone will see me leaving your place out here. But thanks for the concern.'

Davorin stands. Vera leaves her chair and they walk to the door.

She turns. Davorin gazes at her.

'Thank you for agreeing to help me,' she says.

Davorin smiles, hesitating for a moment. Vera leans forward and wraps her arms around him in a hug. He stiffens a moment, before embracing her, his arms resting across her shoulders. 'I'm sure you won't find her,' he whispers. Vera leans back. Davorin peers into her eyes.

'I hope you're right.'

'I almost always am.'

Davorin's breath brushes gently across Vera's cheek. She shudders softly, thinking back to the evening when he appeared at her door and towered in her space. Shivers run up her spine. Davorin's lip tugs up at the corner in a cheeky smirk. His arms are warm as they rest on her shoulders.

'See you,' she says, slowly stepping back.

'Mmh,' he murmurs as she turns and walks into the evening. Vera swallows.