River looked down briefly, the weight of his concern settling on her heart.
“I’ll be careful. But I want to help.”
“You already are,” he said gently. Then, as she hesitated, he added, “What is it?”
She bit her lip, suddenly shy.
“I want to continue practicing my reading and writing lessons,” she said quietly. “And… I want to learn how to fight. Or at least how to defend myself.”
She looked away, unsure how he would react. Her upbringing had taught her to keep her head down, to survive by staying small. But now… something inside her wanted to rise.
To her surprise, he didn’t mock her. He didn’t even hesitate.
Heiko leaned forward, tilting her chin so she would look him in the eye.
“Whatever you wish is yours,” he said softly. “If you want to learn, I will teach you. Reading, writing
