Knives came to visit them after the first full week Elendira spent with Zazie. He came after dinner, and immediately sat down on Zazieβs couch and put his head in his hands. Elendira rushed to his side faster than Zazie had ever seen her move.
βAre you alright?β Her voice was higher when she spoke to him. Not out of an attempt to appear more feminineβat least, Zazie didnβt think soβbut out of hope. Just one look at the two of them, and they could tell she adored him. βDo you want anything to eat? We have leftovers.β
Knives tilted his head up to look at her and smiled.
βItβs alright,β he said. βIβm sorry. It looks like this might be harder than I thought. But I wonβt go back on my promise.β
βI know.β Elendira smiled back and sat down beside him. βIf you donβt, I get to plunge that knife into your heart.β
She said this almost teasingly as she tapped his chest. It probably said a lot about all of them that Zazie immediately knew what knife she meant. Zazie had seen her take it out of her suitcase a few times and hold it close to her chest, almost like a child seeking comfort from a stuffed animal. So that was how he had gotten the girl to trust him. Heβd offered her a weapon, and turned it into a symbol of hope.