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Niik sprinted across the flat grass at us. He yelped excitedly the way he always did when I returned home. He had two bulging eyes on stalks, antennae, a squat body, and the hind legs of a cricket.
Niik coiled his back legs and jumped as high as I was tall, licking my face with his yard-long tongue. He rolled over and I scratched his belly.
Then he approached Sirena, who shied back. Niik licked the bare toes of her feet and then rubbed himself against her leg.
“He likes you,” I said.
“Does he?” she said. “How can you tell?”
Niik coiled his large back legs and bounded up to head height. He slurped at her with his tongue.
Sirena wiped at her face and laughed.
“You know what?” she said. “I think you might be right.”
Pleased Sirena had passed the Niik test, I extended my elbow to her once more and led her across the long stretch of lawn to the castle’s main entrance.
The guards on duty straightened up and saluted at my approach. The salute consisted of a fist slamming the chest hard. I performed it back to them.
“What was that?” Sirena said.
“Our salute,” I said, performing it again. “It’s a symbol that shows they take me into their heart.”
“As in, they love you?” Sirena said uncertainly.
“A form of love, yes,” I said. “There are many different kinds of love.”
She nodded, understanding. She turned to the guards and copied the salute.
The guards shared a look.
“Did I do something wrong?” Sirena said.
I chuckled and lowered her fist from her chest.
“A female doesn’t perform the salute to a male, or a male to a female unless they’re in a relationship,” I said.
“Oh.” Sirena turned to the guards. “Sorry! I’m new here!”
They nodded respectfully and returned to their duty.
We crossed the castle’s threshold and were greeted with a dozen servants carrying items from one room to another. I stared at them in confusion.
I caught Aunzika’s arm. He was the head of the household and I had never once seen him look surprised.
“What’s going on here?” I said.
“Your sister’s idea, my lord,” he said in his deep voice. “I’m afraid there’s no stopping her when she’s on a roll.”
“My ears are burning!”
My baby sister, Emana, hurried down the stairs and threw herself at me, giving me a huge hug.
“Nice to see you’re still alive!” she said, before frowning. “Or maybe you’re dead and I just hugged a ghost?”
I ignored her. She could always be a little scatterbrained.
“What’s going on here?” I said. “Why are the servants rearranging the furniture? I liked everything where it was.”
