Page 85 of Dark Destiny: A New Thread in the Tapestry

He drank. One swallow, his throat moving with the whole effort of his body. When she drew the straw away, his lips parted, and he pushed air through them, and a sound came out.

"Ab."

It was slurred, but it was the first sound that meant something, and Annani's throat tightened around a sob she refused to let out.

She had waited three weeks for that sound. She had waited five thousand years for him, and here it was, one wrecked syllable pushed through a throat that had not spoken for five thousand years, and it was the most beautiful thing she had ever heard.

Her glow brightened so that Gertrude turned to look and smiled. "You are happy, Clan Mother."

"Yes," Annani said, to Gertrude and to Khiann. "Water. That is the word. You said it. Can you say it again, my love?"

"Ab," he repeated, clearly this time.

"This is wonderful." She leaned over him and kissed one cheek, then the other. "I am so happy." She leaned away. "I have waited so long to hear the sound of your voice."

His brow furrowed, his throat moved, but his next attempt produced no sound. It was only a breath. She kept his hand, neither rushing him nor letting her hope show, to avoid pressuring him.

"Na…An…Nnnani."

It was slurred, almost unrecognizable, but he had said her name, and he was looking straight at her when he did.

Annani lost the fight against her tears and let them come.

"You said my name, Khiann, for the first time in five thousand years." She lifted their joined hands and pressed his to her cheek. "Thank you. Thank you for coming back to me."

From the far bed, the male who had spoken first was making syllables again.

"Ada…Ad…Ada…luh."

Julian looked up from his chart. Gertrude froze with a cup in her hand.

"Adaluh," he said it clearly now.

Annani smiled through tears at Khiann. "I think one of your friends found his name. Adaluh. Is it okay if I go to congratulate him?"

He squeezed her hand once.

Annani rose and went to the guard.

"Adaluh," she said. "That is your name. Esag was right." She took the guard's hand. "Welcome back, Adaluh, son of whoever you are. We will learn the rest together."

The guard did not seem to understand what she had said. But he had given her his name, and that was wonderful progress.

The Fates were merciful.

She had traded Khiann's memories of her for his return, and she did not expect that debt to be forgiven. But the guards had been swept into the bargain through no fault of their own, and the Fates seemed to be giving them back their words, their names.

Piece by piece, the Fates were returning what stasis had taken. If they were merciful to the four guards, perhaps somewhere in their vast weaving they would find some mercy left over for Khiann.

She did not say it aloud because it was greedy to hope for more when she had already been given so much.

The doors swung open, and Alena came through, balancing two cardboard trays of coffee cups.

"I brought coffee for everyone," she announced. "Mother, I got you the tea you—" She stopped, noticing her mother's tear-streaked face. "What happened? What did I miss?"

Annani took the tea from the tray. "Khiann said my name."

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