Page 31 of Family Found

He looked happy to see me. Ugh. I had to have bed head.

“I thought I’d let you sleep, sadir.”

I nodded. “We’re getting ready to head to the Stone, right?”

He tilted his head. “Yes. Magic?”

I shrugged. “Just a little.”

“He won’t be doing any magic without food,” Lissir said from his place at the table, so I ended up sitting between the two of them with both of them making me try what the Raiken kitchen had prepared.

I discovered a new dish I liked: batake. The batake itself were a type of spherical bean that was boiled until it turned a soft daal-like consistency and then seasoned. They reminded me of chestnuts and butternut squash.

Lissir spooned all of it onto my plate; my third serving. “They’re a favorite side dish in some places. I don’t like them much.”

Once I was done with the last of the batake, Vergis blew into our room like a thundercloud looking to strike some lightning. He narrowed his eyes at me.

“Recharging the magical twink, huh?”

I took a bite from another of those sweet vinné. “Good food nourishes the soul and the mind.”

Vergis rolled his eyes. “Oh my fucking god. When did you turn into a fortune cookie?”

Inkiri clicked. “My mate is quite sweet.” He licked my neck. “Yes, cookie flavored.”

Lissir chuckled. “Careful. If Nokim hears, he’ll want to taste Rory to compare him to all the cookie recipes he’s been trying. He’ll want to come up with a Rory-flavored recipe.”

Inkiri growl-purred. “My mate prefers me tasting him, no one else.”

“I did not need that mental image.” Vergis glared at me. “Your fault.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “I know what you’re doing.”

Vergis cocked his head. “And what’s that, Princess?”

I pointed another vinné at him. “You are trying to get me to pee with fear. Now, full disclosure, I’m not saying I won’t pee a little later today when we go do the thing, but I’m no longer susceptible to you, Vergis. We got high together and cuddled in a hammock. That inoculated me. I’m immune to you now.”

Vergis shifted gears so fast I coughed, the bite of vinné almost sticking in my throat. He went from glaring to sneering and showing his teeth, and he scratched the floor with the claws of his left foot; not hard enough to score the stone, but enough to make an eerie noise.

“Sweet thing, is all well?” Inkiri said, stroking my back.

Lissir huffed and handed me a glass of flower tea. The friendship bracelet dangled from his wrist. “Stop this, Vergis. I will ask your hangu father for embarrassing childhood tales.”

Vergis stopped and narrowed his eyes at Lissir, who easily held his gaze.

“I’m fine,” I said and took a drink.

“See? Tough little twink.” Vergis sat down across from us.

Inkiri rubbed my back while turning to Vergis. “Kinnek is well?”

Vergis shrugged. “Yeah. He’s coming too.”

I cleared my throat. “We’re really doing it. Today.” I felt stressed, so I took the small bowl of something that looked a lot like disset jelly Lissir was holding out to me. A quick spoonful told me it was a lot like fruity yogurt, just more yummy. I ate more of it.

Lissir straightened. “Actually, Hove suggested tonight. Or rather, your mate did, Rory.”

“Huh?”