Oooh, berry pie!
It seemed that knots or no knots, his stomach could still eat berry pie. Saliva pooled in his mouth, and his stomach grumbled. Brannal moved his plate full of the dinner that he’d mostly not eaten and pushed over his own mostly clean plate with a large slice of pie and fresh cream piled on top of it. Perian could have scooped it into his mouth with his hands, but he managed to use a fork. Barely.
He realized that most of the table was watching him with bemusement.
“Pie is so good,” Perian mumbled. “Berry pie is the best.”
“It’s late in the summer for berry pie,” someone observed.
“But berry pie is Perian’s favorite,” Brannal told them.
Perian actually paused with his fork halfway to his mouth. “Did you ask for berry pie just for me?”
He peered around and suddenly realized that he couldn’t see any at the other tables.
Brannal’s lips tipped up. “Someone may have asked me what your favorite was, and I let them know.”
Perian just goggled at him for a moment. Someone in the kitchen had askedSummuswhat Perian’s favorite food was so they could make it for him? Aww. That was the sweetest thing ever. Perian felt like he was going to melt.
“That’s so thoughtful.”
Brannal nudged him gently. “So eat up. You don’t want it to go to waste.”
Perian really didn’t want that to happen. It was so delicious that he wanted to eat and enjoy it forever.
That was definitely a nice way to end dinner. It made Perian feel a lot better, and he was much more relaxed as they all headed towards the door. He’d have to thank everyone in the kitchen tomorrow.
There was a sudden swell of noise, and Perian realized that Gribon was in front of him. Everyone around him tensed.
The other man met his eyes, a resolute expression on his face as he… held out his hand?
Perian stared at it, confused.
“I wanted to apologize,” he said, sounding awkward but determined. “I… didn’t know. I didn’t want to believe. I apologize for how I treated you.”
And Perian couldn’t really blame him for that, could he? How would Perian feel if he learned something this shocking about his friends? That seemed completely impossible, but even thoughhe’d never liked Venoran, that didn’t mean that it wouldn’t be the same sort of shock for the man’s friends. There was a wide gap, after all, between snide comments andassault.
Gribon may have made him uncomfortable the next morning before he had all the facts, but he’d picked a very public venue to apologize. And he’d done so after the verdict, in a place where Perian was fully protected.
Perian reached out his own hand, only realizing belatedly that it was, of course, his injured right hand. It was much better but not fully healed.
But the other man shook it gently, like he was mindful of Perian’s injury.
“Thank you,” Perian said. “And I understand. He’s your friend.”
The man still looked awkward, but there was resolution in his honey-brown eyes, too. “Was,” he corrected. “Hewasmy friend. It’s become clear I didn’t know him as well as I thought I did.”
Perian nodded, because that was fair enough. Perian didn’t imagine for a moment that Venoran had treated his friends the same way he treated the people he attacked. They all showed different sides of themselves to different people, and this man had a very ugly side that he’d kept mostly hidden for a long time.
“I hope you’re well enough to train again soon,” Gribon said, actually sounding sincere.
Perian’s lips tipped up. “It’s funny to watch, isn’t it?”
The man’s face creased with amusement, and he looked very relieved. “It is, actually. But you’re not quite as terrible as you were when you started.”
There was general laughter from the group that had been standing witness. Perian nodded at Gribon, Gribon nodded at Perian, and that seemed to be that.
Perian waited until they were far enough away from the dining hall that they couldn’t hear the rumble of sound anymore. “So, that was interesting.”
