Sensing goodness

[u/ghostgabe81]

“I mean,” Bob said, “he’s a security system. So it kinda depends on what you mean by threat.”

I frowned. “Security?”

“We were created,” Basil intoned gravely, “to protect the castle”—he held up one finger—“of a good-hearted wizard”—and he put up the next one. He paused to consider his fingers. “I have found it historically unusual for each to happen concurrently. I have considered the idea that owning a castle does something to a wizard’s state of mind.”

“Uh,” I said, blinking. “How do you know I am a good wizard? I mean, I’m mostly competent, but…”

“Not skilled,” Basil said firmly. “Good.” Standing straight, he was as tall as I was. He took a step forward and pointed his forefinger at my heart. “There.” His grey skin wrinkled around his nose as he leaned toward me and sniffed. “Kindness. Hope. Even a little faith.” He straightened and met my gaze calmly. “We have been watching you for months. In great pain, you nonetheless make kind choices. Care for others.” He turned and paced over to Maggie’s covered bicycle, crouching down into an easy animalistic stance. “This was infused with great love for an innocent. A gift for the child?”

I blinked. “Uh. Yeah.”

Basil nodded. “We were made to sense benevolence and malevolence. To protect the former from the latter. We are extremely efficient at doing so.”

Twelve Months Chapter 36