Bone and Blood Volume I

13 - The Nest, 1927

"Rani, you squirm too much." Serana shoved Torani away.

His wings crumpled into the den's wall. The pain shocked him to full consciousness. He climbed on top of her, the muscles in his back twinging. There was no room to stretch out properly. Rolling his shoulders, he tried to get them realigned.

As she brushed stray feathers off of him, "Sorry, did I wake you?"

"It's fine. I wasn't enjoying that dream anyway."

"Feeling guilty, are we?"

He cringed. "So... Demeko told you what happened?"

"He said you found out that the queen doesn't trust you around the grubs. You didn't take it well. Knowing you and him, that was probably an understatement."

"Did you know?"

"About you being banned? Yeah."

"You didn't tell me."

"I knew you wouldn't take it well."

Torani rolled onto his side, careful to keep his wings away from the wall. "I feel bad. I want to apologize for yelling at him, but that's beneath my rank. Apologizing might upset Demeko more than if I pretended that it never happened."

"What did you say to him?"

Mumbling, "To go fuck himself."

Serana broke into a cackle. "Oh, you were mad. Listen, I think Demeko has survived worse abuse than that. He knew you would be upset when you found out. He was ready for it."

"I guess. I supposed it's a prince's privilege to never take responsibility for anything..."

"Nah, I think that one's specific to you."

"Thanks."

Serana stretched. "Feels like it's almost sunset. I'm going up."

"This early? Can't you stay a little longer?"

Serana's jaw set in a cocky smile as if she was about to deliver biting sarcasm. Her grin faded. "Honestly, I'm nervous. I want something to do."

"What? Why?"

"Two of the hunters haven't come back in a week."

He tiled his head side-to-side. "That's not too long if they've had a string of bad nights."

"It's too long when it's Ander and Thera."

Torani blinked, his expression unchanged. "Why are they special?"

"Really, Rani? Come on. You know the workers' names. How do you not know our top hunters?"

"Maybe because I'm the top hunter."

"Ander is our oldest. Our best. The fact that he works with Thera speaks to her abilities. If they're not back tonight, I don't think we'll see them again. That's three gone this year and only Kordi ascended. And she'll be a knight soon enough. The food situation's looking bad."

"Rek's close to ascending."

"Good. We need him."

"I think Ru would be too if he would stop giving Rek his food."

"Ru's giving—?! Never mind. Rek's got a royal in his pocket. Of course he's getting special treatment."

Torani shifted position stiffly. "I didn't ask Ru to do that."

"I assume you didn't tell him to stop either."

"...No."

"Exactly." A huff. "You picked out Rek's next syllable yet?"