“That explains why you have all the best recipes,” the quartermaster said as he collected everyone’s empty plates. A moment later, much to the delight of the assembled Riders, he came back with a single layer cake bearing one large candle. A chorus of off-tune, vaguely baritone, traditional and ancient happy birthdays sung out as the cake was placed before Fin, his grin so wide it threatened to split his young face.
“Wish. Wish. Wish. Wish. Wish.” The chant had him laughing and screwing up his face to make the wish before he blew out the candle. There were applause and cheers, then we cut and enjoyed the cake. The buttercream was wonderful.
“Hey, if I’d known we had butter,” I said. “I could have made a richer dinner.”
“We don’t have butter now,” the quartermaster laughed.
After the cake came the presents. Gifts were small and personalised, mostly made here on the island. I glanced around. I had spent a lot of years wishing I could get reposted out of here, to somewhere warmer for my hands, somewhere drier for my feet, and somewhere Fin could mix with more kids his age. But that had tapered off lately. I’m not sure when it happened, after that chat with Fenwick probably, but I’d started to see that Fin and I had found a family here. A place I finally felt I belonged. I smiled and glanced at Shi beside me. Shi with the inscrutabilityand unlined face. He might be older than me, but I was the one showing the first grey hairs. I looked away from him and around the room, at the grins and joy and laughter.
There’s nothing quite like the enthusiasm of a child to make a bunch of grown men revert to being kids themselves. Especially when the kid was one they’d come to think of as theirs over the last six years. As I —
My smile slipped and I sat back. How strange. I’d spent the last few years grinding my teeth and wanting out of this gods-forsaken fortress, and suddenly I realised that it had become home. How did that happen? When?
“Dad?” Fin’s call drew my attention to him. “Are you all right?”
“I’m good.” I smiled and reached out to ruffle his hair. “Just realised that we’ve spent more of your life here than in Pasaocea. And wondering at what point Unkea became home.”
Fin shrugged. “Feels like it was always home to me. Should I do the washing up?”
“No!” That word got chorused.
“Not on your birthday, son,” I smiled. “No chores for you tonight. Go see Dora, she’s getting grumpy with me for keeping you up here all evening.”
“Thanks. I’ll show her all this.”
Fin was never one to miss out on seeing dragons, so he scooped up his haul of presents and ran.
That marked the breakup of the party. When I moved to clean up, it was Jimny who stopped me.
“I’m on cleaning duty tonight.”
I knew the rota, and he wasn’t.
“I’ll give him a hand,” Fenwick said before I could argue. Then he turned me around and pushed me toward the door. “Go, so I can spend time with my boyfriend.”
That made me laugh, and I wandered out, headed back to my rooms. I’d go down to get Fin in a while, but I wanted to let him have some time where he was most at home himself. What surprised me was that a few minutes after I got to my rooms, there was a knock at the door.
I pulled the door open, surprised to see Flight Captain Ang Shi standing there.
“Flight Captain?” My surprise sounded obvious to my own ears. “I’m not shirking my duties, sir. Jimny—”
I stopped at the raise of his hand. “I’m not here on official business.”
That was odd. He was always all business. I stepped aside for him to come in. He took the necessary two steps and I closed the door. Not that it guaranteed privacy, there were no locks, after all. I moved in, to better be able to face him.
“What can I do for you, sir?”
His lips parted as if he would speak, except he didn’t. Instead his hand raised and he held out a wrapped item to me.
“A gift for Fin?” Why hadn’t he given it to Fin himself.
“No.” That was uncharacteristically sharp. He pressed his lips together and pushed the bundle closer towards me. “Home … welcome … It’s for you.”
I took the bundle. Its weight was a surprise, and I instantly knew what it was. Confused, I looked up to Ang Shi, but he’d already turned on his heel and was out of the door.
This didn’t make sense.
But it was a gift and I was keen to see it, so I pushed back the material.
