Chapter 9
We gathered back outside, then set out on a short walk away from the house. It was really just a few minutes of walking, Kinnek had assured us, but Inkiri’s eyes were on me as soon as we reached the sunflowers, which were still doing pretty well. I could feel the question brewing before he said it.
“Sadir, are you sure you don’t want me to carry you?”
“You sweet big hunk, you,” Donna said, patting the large white dog, who’d decided to join us. Donna had put the kitten inside the conservatory to make sure it didn’t get too close to the magic. Wise decision in my book.
I tried to maintain my composure while wondering what was so bad about being carried around by your mate. “It’s fine. You have the backpack. It’s probably healthy for me to move around on my own two feet after being out for so long.”
Vergis made a dismissive snorting noise.
“Muffin! Don’t be like that.” Kinnek leaned over to me conspiratorially. “When he was really little, Vergis would insist that his daddy carry him. He’d even hide under his daddy’s hoodie. He was so shy.”
Vergis spun to face us. I’d never been glared at the way he was glaring at his father, not that Kinnek seemed to mind, going by how happy he looked.
Vergis looked at me, and I actually flinched. “Wherever you go, chaos like this follows.”
Kinnek clicked. “Ah, that’s a nice nickname, Muffin! I like it. I’ll tell your daddy to call me Chaos from now on.”
Vergis sighed and faced forward again.
Donna whistled. “You know, I get by fine on my own, but listening to this banter is nice for a change. Come back again soon, yeah?”
Inkiri nodded. “Of course. We’ll be sure to check on you, Donna, and you have Vergis’s number for emergencies.”
The big white dog came over to me, wagging his tail, his tongue lolling out. I scratched that big head and wondered whether bagua kept pets, and if so, what kind. We should probably get a nice pet when we settled down and started our quiet, magic-free life in Esaka.
“Ah, you big fluffy man!” Donna gave Inkiri’s shoulder a friendly pat. “I don’t mean I only need you around in case of emergencies. I mean, drop by again soon with the others so we can all catch up. I’d like to get to know you better too, Rory.”
“I’d like that.” The dog slobbered all over my hand, too enthusiastic about getting my attention. “Yikes. Is it… I mean, you’re safe here on your own?”
She shrugged. “Hasn’t been much of a problem. I keep a hunting rifle just in case, but giving the monsters a wide berth works well enough. It would be harder without the Americans keeping the internet running, I figure.”
I nearly stumbled over my feet with surprise.
“Someone’s keeping it running? I thought…
” I swallowed. What had I been thinking?
Well, mostly that I needed to be careful not to get eaten, that’s what, and being able to send a text was a momentary reprieve.
If I was being really honest, I hadn’t been thinking much at all.
Inkiri clicked, pulling me back to the here and now. “I had no idea about the Americans either.”
I huffed. “Well, you’re not from there. Or here. You know what I mean.”
Donna tsked. “Don’t be so gloomy now, you lot. Doesn’t matter who keeps the internet going, just matters that someone does, and it makes things easier. That’s all I’m saying.”
“Yeah.” My throat was tight suddenly, but I pushed the feeling aside. I needed to stay focused on becoming a trophy mate, that was what was important.
“Honeybees, we’re here!”
Kinnek clapped Vergis on the shoulder and tiptoed out of the way to reveal a ko circle that had been drawn with spray paint on a footpath worn bare of most vegetation.
“I walk here, you know.” Donna eyed the ko circle, then reached for the giant dog’s collar to keep him from sniffing the paint.
I jumped when a burlap sack that was leaning against a tree just moved, and yeah, maybe I screamed a little bit too.
Vergis, of course, cackled. “Scared, Princess?”
He picked up the sack, and it moved even more. It gave me a sinking feeling. By now, I knew what it took to make a ko circle work.
“Uh…”
“It’s all right, Sadir. I know you can’t just stop being scared, but you’re no longer alone.”
Kinnek rocked on his feet. “Quite right. You know, Vergis even snared an extra bunny, just to make sure everything went smoothly. He’s so good at the catching and snaring and all that.”
“I prefer using chickens,” Vergis grumbled.
“I heard that,” Donna said.
Vergis rolled his eyes. “Better a chicken in a bag than a chicken wearing a diaper.”
“Heard that too.”
Kinnek put an arm around Vergis’s shoulders. “Muffin, be nice, or I’ll have to tell your father about this. You know he adores the chickens too, so no making fun of Wilson, yes?” Vergis groaned, and Kinnek tightened the arm around his neck. “Yes?”
“Yeah, whatever. Can you let go of me now so I can get the princess home? Who knows when he’ll keel over again?”
Inkiri put a hand on my shoulder. “I’ll catch you if you do.”
With those words, I was in heaven. This was what I wanted, what I needed. Learning to faint on cue would be worth it if Inkiri’s arms were the ones to catch me. Yes, I’d do that instead of fainting after using magic where I had no way of knowing if I’d be caught.
I sighed happily. “Okay.”
“Ugh.” Vergis rolled his eyes.
Kinnek let go of him. “Muffin, get us going. Everyone, in the circle, please. No stepping out of the circle, and—oh, I know they have a spiel on airplanes, something about emergency exits and storing your luggage in the bins or under your seat, but we really only have the one rule. Stay inside the circle.”
Vergis turned as he dropped the burlap sack in the circle. “Two rules. We don’t want the princess to do magic either.”
Kinnek beamed. “Good point. Well done, Muffin. Go on, you two.”
He motioned for Inkiri and me to go into the circle, but I stopped and turned to look at Donna, who was still holding on to her dog’s collar.
“We’ll be back. I… Thanks for everything.” Inkiri clicked, and before I knew what was happening, I felt a fat tear streak down my cheek. “Oh.” I quickly wiped it away.
“Sadir? Are you hurt?” Inkiri started feeling me all over, gently, carefully.
Donna looked surprised at first, then just…warm. She really did have the au pair vibe, which was probably why I was crying.
“You had a hard time of it, didn’t you?” she asked softly, coming close enough that she could put a hand on my shoulder, which meant the big white dog was close enough to nuzzle and slobber all over me as if he was worried for me.
I’d really wanted a dog like this as a kid, but I hadn’t been allowed.
“I-I’m fine. I’m sorry. I’m not hurt, it’s fine.” I repeated that a few more times, but Inkiri didn’t seem to want to stop touching me, which was good. I didn't want him to stop either.
“Kinnek, perhaps he’s still not fully healed? Sadir, my Rory, tell us if you’re hurting.” Inkiri clicked at me a few more times, and the way his arms were circling my waist, he was just waiting for a chance to pick me up.
Kinnek put a hand on my shoulder. “I have done no studies on it, but with all the time I spent on Earth, I think humans tend to cry more when they’re sad or distressed, maybe when they’re confused, not just when they hurt.”
“I really am fine,” I sobbed. The dog licked my chin. “What’s his name?”
Donna grinned. “Duckling.”
“Y-you named your dog Duckling and your chicken Wilson?”
She shrugged. “What’s in a name?”
I snorted a snotty laugh. “Did you call the kitten Rose?”
“Didn’t have a name yet, but that fits. I’ll tell him you found it for him.”
I wiped my eyes and looked up at her. “Okay. Thanks. We will come back, okay?”
She nodded. “Bring Nokim for the waffles, and take care of yourself.” She looked at Kinnek. “Make sure to get him a cuppa once you get there. I like him.”
Kinnek beamed. “We will. I like him too. Rory, ready to go?”
I nodded. “Yeah. Sorry, Ink. I didn’t mean to worry you.”
I felt his breath ruffle my hair. “Don’t apologize. Let me worry, so long as you’re fine. Are you ready to go into the circle?”
“Yeah.”
I felt him nod, then hold out his hand for Donna to shake. “We’ll see you soon.”
“I’ll hold you to that. Kinnek, it was good to meet you.”
“Likewise. Muffin, manners.”
Vergis groaned. “Bye. See you and the chicken around.”
Donna clicked her tongue. “Someone likes having the last word.”
Kinnek giggled as we stepped into the circle. The dog sat at Donna’s feet but looked as if he’d happily come with us if anyone just said the word. I wasn’t going to. I didn’t know if the magic would hurt him, and it was probably better not to risk that. The burlap sack was already scary enough.
“Is everyone ready to hop off?” Kinnek asked.
“Ready,” Vergis said.
Inkiri pulled me into a tight hug, holding me so I couldn’t have lifted my arms to reach out of the circle, even by accident. “Ready.”
“Then take us away, Muffin.”
And Vergis did.