Page 272 of Hunters and Prey

“I thought you said he was supposed to be your brother?” she said. “That your parents were supposed to adopt him, before he got sold?”

Revik nodded, glancing at Black.

“That’s true,” he said. “But they weren’t my real parents… they were also cousins. So we would have all been cousins, living under the same roof. Me, Kirev, and the children of our adopted parents.” Cocking an eyebrow at Black, he gave him a half-smile. “Still not real brothers.”

“Thank the gods above,” Black muttered.

Lily looked at him, then back at her father.

“You look like brothers,” she announced.

Black rolled his eyes. “Kid. You are blind. I’m waaay better looking than your dad. You’re too young to know it, yet, but trust me. I am.”

Allie snorted an overt laugh at that, poking her husband with a foot and grinning.

Lily looked between them, confused.

“You look the same to me.”

“Because you are clearly blind,” Black repeated, rolling his eyes in exaggerated seer fashion. “Gaos. We’ll get your eyes checked tomorrow. There has to be a witch doctor in town who can look at you. Give you ground up otter poop to eat or something…” He paused when Lily burst out in a laugh. “I’ll take you myself. We’ll bring all of the isthelay with us. That way your father can’t follow us and pay the doctor off to lie when I’m not looking.”

Lily giggled again, shoving at Black’s arm.

When Black glanced over, Revik was staring at him, his clear eyes motionless.

Smiling to himself at the look, Black glanced back at Lily, scowling.

“Now go away. You’re bugging me.”

She laughed, smacking him on the chest. “Come outside with me!”

“Why?” he said. “You still haven’t given me a good reason.”

“I don’t need a reason!”

Black frowned at her. “Of course you do. The world is a rough and tumble place, kid. Make me an offer. Make it worth my while. Or buzz off.”

“What kind of offer?”

“I don’t know. How much money do you have?”

Revik clicked mildly from the couch.

“How has your wife not murdered you yet?” he muttered.

Black glanced over at that, letting his body fall deeper into his seat, resting his arms on the cushioned backrest.

“It’s been touch and go a few times,” he admitted. “Thank the gods above and below, she mostly finds me amusing.”

“You are a lucky bastard,” Revik said.

Allie laughed, poking her husband in the belly again with her bare foot.

Black found himself looking at the windows though, and at the darkening sky he could see through the long pane of glass.

Briefly, a denser pain rose in his light.

“Don’t I know it,” he muttered back.

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