"Thank you," Sonder said. The words were simple and not much of a consolation after having threatened the mage and his home. But they were honest, and she meant them. "And I'm sorry, honestly. I think I've overstayed my welcome."
"You have," the mage said, though with no malice. "And I'm glad you're going."
There was no bitterness in it; if anything, he sounded relieved.
Sonder accepted that with a small inclination of her head.
She returned her attention to the table and carefully gathered the shards, handling them as little as possible. Each one was wrapped and layered with care, nestled among the others in her pack, contained, and the pressure in her mind eased, dulled but not entirely gone.
Only then did she glance around the room.
"Sireacht?" she called softly.
The dust creature had hidden herself near the cupboard, her shape drawn in and uncertain.
Her form and shape were wavering from loose to tight when Sonder called, as if she couldn't quite decide what to do.
She didn't move to Sonder right away.
Of course, Sonder thought. After all that, she'd be scared of herself too.
She crouched slightly, lowering herself, making herself smaller rather than reaching out.
"I know," she murmured. "I wasn't myself. I didn't like it either."
Sireacht stirred, hesitant.
Sonder held still, her voice gentle, steady. "It's alright now. And I promise, I won't do that again."
Then the dust shifted, drawing outward like a dandelion before it bloomed, and drifted toward Sonder in a soft, wavering spiral. She climbed her arm slowly, cautiously, until she settled once more on Sonder's shoulder, still weightless, as she always had been.
"There you are," Sonder whispered.
She straightened, adjusted her pack, and cast one final glance toward the mage. He was already busying himself with cleaning up his house.
He made a point not to look at her.
He waved his metal stick through the air, symbols flashing as a few objects stirred to life. The broken broom resisted, standing, wobbling, then toppling over uselessly. With a scowl, he abandoned the spellcasting, grabbed the broom himself, swept a few irritated strokes, then tossed it aside like trash.
He sat down heavily on a chair and leaned far back like Sonder had seen him the first time.
She thought about offering him help in cleaning up, but she thought that she had done enough already, and the best course of action would be to just let him be.
With Sireacht at her shoulder and the shards secured, Sonder turned and stepped out the door and into her journey once more.