Page 21 of Dark Destiny: A New Thread in the Tapestry

"Ask him if your eyes are brown."

Two consecutive squeezes.

"Thank the merciful Fates." Annani let out a breath. "He understands me."

"Yes." That one short word coming from the physician was more encouraging than her previous statement.

Khiann's mind was working, and he understood spoken questions.

Bridget patted her shoulder. "There are probably a thousand more questions you want to ask him, but try not to exhaust him."

"Thank you." Annani put her hand over Bridget's.

"I'm going to make the update calls outside," Alena said. "Give you privacy with him in case you don't want us to overhear your questions."

Annani laughed, not because Alena's nonsensical teasing was all that funny but because she was giddy with excitement and happiness.

"None of you know enough of the old tongue to understand me if I choose my vocabulary with care."

"True," Alena agreed. "But the other four might, and they have ears. I don't know about their vocabulary, but I assume it's sufficient." She winked and walked out the doors.

Annani was glad that Alena was keeping the family updated. Esag too. She still felt guilty about not inviting him to visit.

Perhaps she could ask Khiann if he wanted to see his old friend?

"Do you remember Esag?" she asked.

Two barely-there squeezes indicated that Khiann was weakening, and she did not have much time before he drifted away.

"I see that you do not. He was your best friend, and he wants to see you, but I am not ready to share you."

There was no response, which was a good sign in itself. She had not asked a question, and he had nothing to answer.

"Do you remember me?"

One, then before her heart completed its somersault, two.

"Are you not sure that you remember me?"

One.

That was encouraging. Perhaps the Fates were merciful after all and had let him remember at least fragments of his life prior to the stasis.

"Are you in pain?"

Two very weak squeezes.

"Are you tired?"

One.

"That is perfectly understandable. You have made so much progress today." She adjusted his blanket. "If you need to go back to sleep, do not fight it. Your body needs the rest."

Two, indicating that he did not wish to allow sleep to claim him yet.

"Then I will ask one more question."

His eyelids were coming down and then hauling themselves back up, and each time they came up a little slower and not as far.