When His Magick Exploded ✓

21: Feeling good with a 'special friend'

Back in the main hall, in the dining area, Cypur was finishing some traditional warm milk-based drink called 'keibeck'. It had cinnamon in it, some red sweet-and-sour powder he later learned was crushed raspberries, and maple sugar. He never knew such a drink existed.

"So, you like it?" Daero asked.

Cypur licked his lips, tasting it again. "I think I do."

Daero gave a trill and beamed. "She'd love to hear that!"

"Who?" Cypur thought Daero or Kirlan had made this. But his question was ignored as Daero and Kirlan went on to talk in their own language. Cypur wondered what they were talking about and if they could talk about him with him right here. Would 'Cypur' translate, or would they just say 'Cypur'? He listened, but he couldn't catch his name.

"Alright, I need to make my rounds, check up on things," Daero stretched his arms up and headed for the door, "and go to the Third Ring to fetch, uh, well, a couple hours until dinner, you'll be fine, I hope?" he said to Cypur who nodded.

The keibeck was pretty filling and he knew he would last. Once Daero left, Cypur was left alone with Kirlan for the first time. He didn't know what to say. They didn't have anything in common. Besides, now that he thought about it, he was certain one of the Kathula that Alsinda had as her entertainment piece was Kirlan.

We're enemies, practically. He sipped the last bit of keibeck and used his mixing spoon to scoop up the bits of maple sugar that didn't mix in well.

Kirlan tipped back his cup until the last drop fell on his tongue. Then he tapped the mug on his left shoulder.

Noticing Cypur staring he said, "We throw carcasses over our left shoulders to say, 'it was a good meal' or 'thank you for a good catch'. After we got in plates and cups and breakable things, sometimes we tap our left shoulder with it. Always the left as long as it was good. We don't always do it. It's still engrained in my habit."

"Oh yes," Kirlan reached into a bag at his feet, "Wescherlie said to get you these."

It was a mesh bag with Crunch Bars in them. Two were broken in half with a little note on them:

"Maple Sugar and Orange Chocolate you must share with partner in crime. I hate peanuts, so you can have the third one whole."

Oh, Wescherlie. Cypur smiled.

"I could take you to her?"

Cypur's head jerked up. He had forgotten Kirlan was there. Kirlan was clearing up the table, snatching Cypur's cup on the way, but he didn't seem to be hostile.

"Yes, that would be great," he said with a slight smile. "How is she?"

"You'll have to ask. I must make a delivery first. I'll be back in a little minutes."

A little minutes? Cypur smiled after Kirlan turned his back. Daero spoke natural Universal, but Kirlan had trouble. He wondered how Daero came to know so much about the world outside the Third Ring. Kathula never left the Third Ring for centuries.

Since Cypur didn't know how long 'a little minutes' was going to be, he stepped out onto the porch. A hill descended into a grassland with several one-story log houses dotting the pasture. Chimneys had smoke coming out. On the breeze wafted scents of dinnertime—freshly baked bread, roasting meat, and garlic. Kathula children were at play far in the distance and he could almost hear their laughter, playful growls, and short hisses as they chased each other around.

He didn't know what life had been like for them two years ago. Cypur was indifferent to the rest of the world and ready to start Academy. Seeing a bright future and not all the stupid things that followed.