Page 64 of Family Found

We’d taken our time with our cocomochos, and then we’d walked slowly along the college’s footpaths in the late August sun. Fellisse was fine with that, given that I still had the ballcap with the crescent moon and cherries Charles had loaned me.

The Buttery was a fancy-looking building with a wide staircase leading up to the wooden doors, but before we marched in there, I gaped at the lawn to our left.

A low chain fence had rusted, and weeds were growing between the links. Someone had locked their bike there, next to the statue of some guy atop whose head a crow sat while another perched on one of the black trash cans and stared at us.

None of that was unusual, but the explosion of flowers that had outgrown the weeds sure was.

I stared at all the color. “Wow. That’s something.”

For the children, the land whispered, then happily withdrew to wherever it went when it wasn’t occupying my mind.

“Vergis said this isn’t what it would have been supposed to look like before.” Lissir put his hands on his hips. “He says the dull humans preferred dull green lawns shorn short. Seeing this, I cannot understand that.”

I nodded. “Yeah, that’s right. Plain green used to be the preferred look.”

Sonyo jogged toward the lawn. The crow on the trash can cawed, but Sonyo clicked. The crow was either confused or calmed by that, and it let Sonyo pick a blue cornflower whose head was hanging over the chain.

He jogged back over and held it out to me. “Flower.”

I took it from him. “Thank you, Sonyo.”

“You’re welcome.” His intonation was off, and he spoke slowly. I was pretty sure he’d only learned to say that today.

Fellisse crossed his arms. “Maybe he can learn about Earth flowers. There are a lot of books here. They and the knowledge in them need care.”

Nokim shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “Oh, the libraries are so exciting. Have you seen them, Rory? I don’t understand how even those humans who remain haven’t come back here to guard them and use them.”

“Good riddance.” Vergis ran one of his claws over the smooth cobblestones.

Inkiri put an arm around my middle. “Maybe we should not talk about such things. Hove wanted to feed us, no?”

My stomach growled on cue.

Vergis rolled his eyes. “You’re so needy.”

Nokim swept in. “You must be hungry as well, Vergis. After all, you did a lot of magic too. Come on, let’s all go eat.”

I caught Lissir’s sly grin as he gave Vergis a little push on the shoulder. We headed up the staircase and went into the very angular building with its rectangular windows.

The doors opened into a spacious room with marble floors. There were more wooden doors to either side, but the one ahead was open. It was framed by two fireplaces, and light streamed in through tall windows.

The dining hall itself was long and marble-floored, with crown molding on the high ceilings and gold-framed paintings of old white dudes hung above the dark wainscoting.

Raikengana sat at the long tables and shared a meal. They were chatting and laughing. At the table to the left, I spotted Kinnek and Hove. The platter of food there was still covered, and the two of them were talking quietly.

Vergis gestured at the interior. “What’d I tell you? Ostentatious as fuck.”

“Okay, you were right. But at least they added fireplaces.” I pointed at the one on the left-hand wall of the long hall. “That’s nice, right?”

“Your standards make no sense.” Vergis headed for the table on the left.

Down the hall, I spotted Gesango looking over. He wasn’t laughing with the other Raikengana, just watching, his expression thoughtful.

Kinnek waved when he saw Vergis and us. “There’s our human koa! Butter cookie, come sit next to me. Muffin, you too. Don’t you dare not give me a hug.”

Vergis rolled his eyes, but he pushed the chair he’d been pulling out for himself on the opposite side of the table right back and went around to hug his dad.

Like Kinnek had asked, Vergis and I sat on either side of him, with Inkiri on my other side and Hove and the rest of the guys sitting opposite. Inkiri clicked and licked my neck for all to see, pulling the scarf Sonyo had given me aside.