[Volgin was going to be hard-pressed to talk about the Raikov he had initially met at Groznyj Grad and now was residing far away at a school for monster-children. There were few things he was reluctant to converse about, and that was one of them.

He already had a feeling he would never see the former again.

A shame this Raikov would have seen his avoidance as cowardice, and not the conventional wisdom of not lighting up next to a gas leak. He could already smell the gas.

... And the varenyky!]

Aren't you a good guesser?

[Sure his tone was affectionate, but he still was a little harsher in the nudging business, already prepared for the red spikes of pain waiting for him when he made his mad dash to the kitchen on his bad foot.]