“I can use a rapier,” she says, bubbling with sudden defensive energy, stabbing a piece of chicken that’s a bit too big. She sticks it in her mouth and bites down on the bait so hard the hook lodges in her cheek. Her mouth is full of blood. She keeps on and doesn’t notice.

“I’m good at it.” Something sticks in the back of her head. There’s a pause as the gears pull loose and start to go again. She swallows her mouthful and goes for the bread. “Look,” she continues, on vibes alone now, “everyone in the cohort learns the rapier. It’s a just in case thing, right? You only get one cavalier per necro, so if the cav dies first, you need to be able to grab a backup.”