Page 44 of Prince of the Sun

“And what brilliance wasthat?”

That I want to know what your mouth tastes likes.

Shit.

Come on, Quinn. Keep your mind on the task at hand.

“How did you learn English?” I blurt.

One eyebrow raises over one silver eye. That was not what Daerios was expecting. He leans back into the futon and says, “I learned it the way any being learns a language: practice.”

I shake my head. “That’s not what I meant. I meant, well, Elaërion is an entirely different planet. I can’t imagine there are any native English speakers there. Yet the elves showed up on Earth knowing perfect English. How is that possible?”

“Ah.” He nods, spreading his hands on his knees. Hands that, I cannot help but notice, look extra large when splayed out over soft grey fabric. “That.”

“Unless it’s another one of your secrets.”

“No. Well, maybe. I don’t know. I don’t care, really, either way.”

This is news to me. “You don’t?”

“No.” He glances at me sideways. “I would rather not have secrets from you, Quinn.”

He called me Quinn again.“What?”

“You heard me.”

“I did. But the elves—”

“I don’t care about the elves. You’re my…” He hesitates. “Friend. My friend. I don’t want to keep things from you.”

“I wasn’t aware we were friends.”

At this, Daerios looks at me with genuine surprise. “You weren’t?”

I shake my head.

He blinks. For a moment, I think he’s going to be angry.

Then he tips back his head, covers his face with a hand, and starts to laugh.

“What?” I ask, cheeks reddening.

“Gods, Kallister,” he says through split fingers. “I thoughtIwas bad at making friends. You’re so terrible, you don’t even know when you’vemadethem.”

I shove his shoulder, which only makes him laugh harder.

“Fine,” I say. “We’refriends.”

And to my great shock, when the word comes out of my mouth, I realize it’s true.

Before I can dwell too long on the implications of that statement, I ask, “So, if we’refriends, does that mean you’ll tell me how you learned English?”

“Of course. It would be nothing short of cruel to deny a language scholar such as yourself that information.” He shifts on the futon, turning to face me full-on. “So. Back on Elaërion—”

“Wait.” I hold up a hand. “Set the scene for me. Where did you live on Elaërion? What was it like?”

The corners of his eyes turn up, as if remembering something warm and light. “Berendir and I grew up in Árrion.”