"Do you even experience fear," Sairu wonders aloud.

Kaseo laughs.

"How are you not dead?"

"Good question. I'll let you know if I figure it out."

Sigh.

"Since you've been so helpful, I won't leave you under the pain spell for four hours first," says Sairu.

"Oh, is that what you've been doing. No wonder everyone's so fucked up."

"I help, sometimes."

"That's cute."

"Not what I'd call it."

Shrug.

"...I'm genuinely curious now if I could leave the pain spell on you all night and in the morning you'd look at me and say 'wow, that sucked. Did I miss breakfast?'"

She cracks up.

"Wouldn't rule it out!"

"It occurs to me to wonder if you aren't as unflappable as you look, just really clever and good at bluffing."

"Guess you'll find out."

"I think you're for real," he says, "and luckily for me, I also have a convenient way to test that theory -"

And he puts the pain spell on her and carries her the rest of the way to his room.

Anaseverina opens the door since he has his hands full.

"Do you want me to wait for you to go to sleep before I start on her?"

Shrug. "I don't really care."

"All right. I'll give her half an hour of this and then see what she's like."

"'Kay. I don't think I'll be asleep by then, I have some magic practice to do."

He nods.

He sits by Kaseo and reads a book for half an hour, and then he ends the spell.

She lies there for a few seconds just breathing, and then:

"Wow, that fucking sucked."

...That actually startles a small snicker out of her.

Kaseo laughs.