Page 25 of Splintered Shadow
Then, without prompting, he crossed the room to open a window. Humid evening air flooded in, carrying the scent of flowers and grass.
The bird flew in, wide black wings beating loudly in the room. Sarah felt it brush by as it passed overhead before perching on the back of Vekele’s chair.
“What’s the bird’s name?” she asked.
“The karu does not have a name.” He resumed his seat, his posture upright, stiff, and reserved.
“Everything has a name.”
He rolled the dice and gave a weary sigh.
Oh, her prince was all dramatic.
“She is ancient among her kind. Being chosen for a bond is an immense honor. I do not presume to name such a being,” he said.
Sarah made an agreeable noise, nodding her head. “But what does she think about it? Can you tell through the bond?”
The karu in question perched on the back of Vekele’s chair. A small rodent hung limply from her beak. She shook her head and swallowed it whole.
Sarah could never unsee that.
“She thinks you are too squeamish,” he said, his voice warm and—unbelievably—amused.
“Don’t laugh at me. That was…”
“Perfectly natural.”
“Something, okay.” Something she never wanted to see again, but the karu probably thought the way she ate was unnerving, too. “Did she really say that?”
He stroked the karu’s head, gently gliding his fingers over smooth black feathers. “The bond is imprecise. I have impressions of her thoughts and emotions, but not exact words. To answer your previous question, I am an egg. Her egg. I cannot name her, but she is… agreeable to the concept of a name.”
It took Sarah a second to sift through his words to find his meaning. Vekele was her baby, and the baby didn’t name the parent.
It was adorable.
“She wants me to name her?” Sarah asked.
“She would not object—”
Sarah gasped in delight.
“But she is an ancient—”
“Yeah, yeah,” Sarah said, speaking over him. “Ancient, honorable, and dignified.”
The karu studied her with enough intensity to make Sarah squirm. The karu was regal in a way that made Sarah feel as if she tarnished the room with her presence, like she classed down the place.
Definitely not a Muffins or Birdy McBeakface name situation. The karu needed a serious name.
“I’ll think on it,” she said.
Vekele gave a grunt that sounded vaguely like approval.
The next round went swiftly, with Vekele claiming all her pieces in less than three moves.
“How long—” she started, but he spoke over her.
“No. I answered your question. Now you answer mine.”
