Page 12 of Dark Destiny: The Turning Of The Loom

"I would not know." Khiann turned the figurine upside down and traced Esag's mark with his finger. "May I keep it?"

"Of course. That's why I brought it."

Khiann set the carving on the table and pulled out his phone. "Adaluh sent this to me." He turned the phone to show Esag a picture. "They took it on the porch of their new house."

"Nice." Esag smiled at the four males in sunglasses, sitting in chairs just like Khiann's and squinting at the sun. "Are they still going by those turtle names?"

"For now." Khiann tucked the phone away. "Will you come with me when I go to visit them?"

"I would be honored." Esag leaned back. "I have something for them too."

"What?"

"It's a surprise."

Ogidu walked into the living room and bowed. "The Clan Mother asked me to inform you that your presence is requested at the dining table."

Esag and Khiann followed the Odu to the table, and Esag took the seat Annani pointed him to, which was across from Khiann, with the pot of Tuh'u steaming between them.

As Oridu ladled it out, Annani commented on the coriander, Khiann asked about the color, and Esag felt like an interloper.

He had never sat at a dining table with Princess Annani.

The stew was good despite the strong smell, and when his phone buzzed against his thigh, he didn't need to look at the display to know who it was.

"Tula probably wants to know how it's going," he said without pulling it out.

It was not polite to do so at the dining table, and especially not with the Clan Mother present.

"Go ahead." Annani waved a hand. "Answer it. Your mate might be in need of you."

Esag doubted Tula needed him for anything other than to ask how everyone liked her stew.

"Thank you, Clan Mother." He pulled out the phone and smiled when he read the message. "Just as I thought. She's asking if the stew did its magic and got Khiann's memories back."

He narrated as he typed. "We're eating it now, and Khiann has tears in his eyes." He winked at Khiann across the table.

Annani shook her head at him.

The phone rang before he'd put it down. He answered it and got a sound he didn't expect.

"Why are you crying, Tula?"

"I'm so happy," she said. "Tell Khiann that he needs to eat all of the Tuh'u for the magic to work."

"I will."

6

ANNANI

"It was good to see you, Esag." Khiann escorted his friend to the door, looking energized rather than drained by the visit. "Next time bring Tula, if she is up to it."

Esag chuckled. "The question is not whether she's up to it. I'm not sure you are."

Khiann frowned. "Why? Did I do anything to upset her in my prior life?"

Annani had told him about the shenanigans in the palace that Tula had been part of as a girl, but she was not sure what he remembered of her stories and what he had already forgotten. His short-term memory functioned better than his long-term memory, but he still forgot many of the things she told him.