Page 42 of The Cerulean Sister
"Ah, thank you, my friend. I have some making up to do." August smiles slyly.
He never drinks while he flies, one of the vows he made to his family when he took the job.
We chat for a long while in the little gathering room, and eventually Allister serves his savory stew to us, gathered around the low table in the true Viathan style of dining.
After August gets me to try whatever is in his flask, I wash it down with the liquor 99 brought as backup. He laughs at the faces I make at the crudely distilled Viathan drinks and then even harder when I tell him about the wine priestesses are given in the Estate with the fermented fruit still floating in it.
Allister joins us in trying the bottles, downing his cup in a single swig. After a couple servings, we notice him leaning back in his armchair, a little heavy-eyed and looking like he could fall asleep.
"That's enough for me. I'm sure every one of my sisters has made something for tonight," August says, putting his empty dessert bowl on the table.
"Your whole family will be there?" I ask.
"All eight sisters and both parents acting like they have not seen me in years when it has only been weeks."
Picturing him with all his sisters makes me think of Leema. The stories he has told me of them are hard to imagine through the lens of my own relationship with my sister.
"Speaking of sisters . . . ," I start before I can stop myself. The drinks are finally catching up to me. "We got word fromminetoday."
Calliape and August notice 99 stiffen next to me.
"Did you?" August says, a little too high-pitched like he is nervous.
"Mm-hmm, and apparently I'm going to be an aunt."
"Well, that's wonderful! By the three worlds!" August holds up his cup and clicks it to mine with the phrase Viathans use to toast.
"Congratulations, Ferren." Calliape smiles at me.
"Thank you."
"August, how many nieces and nephews do you have?" Calliape asks to my surprise, and by August’s dumbstruck look, his surprise too.
"Um, well, that was a question for earlier in the night," he answers, laughing and taking another sip.
"Twelve," 99 chimes in.
I stare at August in shock, and he just shrugs. "Are you serious?"
99 smiles with a little nod when I look to him for confirmation.
"Yes, and may First Mother bless your sister or whatever it is the priestesses say." August raises his cup again, a little drunk but sincere.
"She made the pilgrimage to give birth in the temple, so that is actually a possibility." My joke doesn’t land, and he furrows his brows. "My sister is not divine," I remind him.
"She's in the Temple of Divine Mothers?" Calliape interrupts.
"That's what the message said."
"No, Ferren, the message said she was in the Estate," 99 corrects, his tone making me turn to him, a little defensive and confused.
"Well, if she's in the Estate and pregnant, then she has likely taken vows at the temple for her pregnancy." I can't help the snip in my answer.
"She is hoping for a divine birth?" Calliape pieces together slowly.
"Seems that way."
"Am I missing something? Is there more than one temple?" August looks back and forth between Calliape and me.
