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“Okay, got that too.”
“Now fly away, fly away, fly away home.”
“Isn’t that what you say to a ladybug?”
“A what?”
“Never mind.”
“Then just do it.”
Blake closed his eyes again, thought as hard as he could about ladybugs and flying home, and he opened his eyes a moment later to see Ryan, leaning over him with a look of deep concern. Mikos was kneeling beside him too, with Rakkur and Tilar hovering by his head. The others were crowding in the door and the little kitchen was full of his family, none of whom would have been there if he hadn’t stayed on Tygeria all those years ago. They looked very relieved to see him open his eyes.
“You scared us, omak,” Rakkur said, leaning down to kiss his forehead. “We couldn’t get you to wake up at first.”
“Oh goodness,” Blake said. “I had the strangest dream.”
“You knocked yourself out, because you overdid it and lost your temper,” Mikos said, frowning at him. “Wait until Father finds out.”
“You need to keep your mouth shut, young man. And stay away from your father!”
“Huh?”
“Never mind. Just do as I tell you. Help me up, baby,” Blake said, holding out a hand to Rakkur. He got to his feet and swayed a little as he stood there, so Mikos swept him up in his arms and carried him out of the kitchen. “You need to lie down.”
“No. And don’t carry me around—I’m a grown man.”
“Who is injured. I’m only taking you to lie down.”
“At least take me to the main hall, so I can see the tree. Is it decorated yet?”
“Almost. We stopped when we heard all the shouting coming from the kitchen. And
I’m taking you to your room so you can rest. You can see the main hall later.”
“You’re just like your father.”
“Thank you.” Mikos said, grinning down at him. “Come on, omak. Give us a chance to finish decorating before you see it.”
“Oh, all right. I probably should lie down for a minute. I do have a bad headache,”
Mikos and Rakkur took Blake to his room, and then left to go back to the main hall. Ryan stayed and sat down beside him to assure him that he and the cook would finish the dinner. Then they’d wrap it up and they could all have it the next day, when Blake was feeling better.
“I don’t see how you can. Nothing is right.”
“Yes, maybe so,” Ryan agreed with a shrug. “But the beauty of it is that no one here will know the difference. We’ll tell them this is how it’s supposed to be, and they’ll say okay and then behind our backs they’ll congratulate themselves on how Tygerians are the greatest species ever, with the best food and the best holidays. Like they always do.”
“Smug bastards. I really wanted to show them.”
“I know. But maybe it was a bit ambitious. Next year, we’ll do the shopping ourselves and not trust the traders.”
“If there’ll be a next year.”
“Okay. That’s it. You need to rest. You always get like this when you get too tired.”
“I have no idea what you mean.”
Ryan laughed. “Rest a while. I’ll bet Davos will be here soon.”
