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“Your secretary? I told him you’re taking the day off.”
“He would not believe that.”
Lenore gave him an unimpressed look. “I know you and Harol have been doing your best to hide your condition, and you’ve mostly kept it under wraps, but Des sees you every day. He knows something is up.”
“There is too much to do.”
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, considering that I haven’t had a day off in months,” Lenore said, “but you need time off. Bodies aren’t made to go-go-go without rest. The world will manage for a day without you. Now relax and eat.”
“Bah,” he complained, finishing the tea. “I suppose you plan to pour potions down my throat now.”
“Eat. A piece of toast is not breakfast.”
The tray held a plate of eggs and a bowl of oats dressed with berries. He knew he needed the protein, but his stomach protested. The eggs were too heavy. The oats would be cold and thick as glue.
“You are a tyrant,” he said, selecting the bowl of oats. He disliked the thick texture, but he could manage a few spoonfuls.
“Takes one to know one.” Her lips twitched, as if she fought a smile. That pleased Baris. Several things about the current situation pleased him.
She settled onto a nearby chair, cradling a cup of tea, and folded her legs underneath herself. She faced the window, the soft morning light spilling through the window, illuminating her features, and pooling at her feet. The bottom hem of the shirt rose, exposing a stretch of thigh.
He wondered if she regretted the life she left behind on Earth. She had mentioned her worries about employment and debts. In the aftermath of his first bungled proposal, she referenced a previous mate but offered no further explanation. He wondered about that. Was her mate deceased or had the union been dissolved? He found it difficult to believe that anyone would end a marriage with such a strong-willed, intelligent, and driven female. Yet, for all their conversations, she never spoke much about herself. She said many things, gave many opinions, but never anything too personal. She seemed happy to let Baris ramble on about himself. Yesterday, when he was delirious with fever, she kept up a steady stream of conversation that ultimately told him nothing.
Lenore turned her head to look at him like she sensed him watching her.
“I’m curious about the birds,” she said.
“The birds?” He had to admit he had not been paying attention to her words.
She pointed to the ceiling.
Baris looked up at the pair of golden karu. “It is an old fable.”
“Oh, new lore is about to drop. Tell me everything.” Lenore leaned forward, cradling the cup between her hands.
“I am not a storyteller.”
“Good thing I’m not a literary critic then.”
He considered. “Very well. I will trade you a story for a story. I will tell you of the golden karu, and you will tell me about the mate you left behind on Earth.”
The corners of her mouth pulled down like she had a sour taste in her mouth. “You remembered that.”
He recalled every detail about her. He said, “I’m observant as well as handsome.”
That earned him a small chuckle. “Fine. It’s not exciting, but you have a deal.”
“Before we were one people, before we flew among the stars, we were alone with the shadows,” he started, repeating by rote the traditional words to start an old tale. “The karu were creatures of the sun. When they were cold, they created fire to warm themselves. The specifics are lost to me,” he said, knowing he forgot a large piece of the story. “My brother and I had a book of fables as hatchlings. I’m afraid I don’t remember all of it.”
“It will be the best version of this story that I’ve ever heard.”
“How droll,” he said, and she flashed a satisfied grin. “The shadows are a living entity. It surrounds the people, keeping them ignorant and frightened. The karu see the people struggle and are moved to share their light, but they do not know how. Now, the shadows are tricksters?—”
“The shadows are a character now?” Lenore interrupted. “Like with motivation and a character arc?”
Baris waved a hand, unconcerned. “That is the way the story goes. It was not my decision. Now, the shadows convinced the karu that they could not shine bright enough to dispel the darkness. Oh, the shadow said, ‘See. Your light does not harm me. I am too strong.’ Shadow convinces the karu pair to swallow the shadows.” He was getting the story tangled again. “The shadows were strong. They fought with the karu for control of the body. The people had been tricked by the shadow before and knew not to trust it. The people warned the karu not to swallow the shadow. I should have said that before.”
Lenore sipped her tea, utterly captivated by either the story or his erratic storytelling ability.
