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He laughed. “Good, right?”
“That is like eating nostalgia and happiness. What even is that?”
“It’s a toxin the ovili produce,” he explained, picking up one for himself. “Absolutely lethal when it’s harvested fresh, but when it’s cooked properly, it’s unspeakably delicious.”
She almost regretted eating this at the beginning of the meal. It wasn’t sweet, but this kind of thing definitely qualified as a dessert.
But she understood why very quickly. When she nearly grabbed another one, Serval stopped her and encouraged her to eat something else. He served her up a slice of fish and, though it smelled amazing, it was nothing compared to the ovili.
Then she tasted it. And the aftertaste of the ovili was still on her tongue, and it spread into the fish, enhancing its flavors, making it better. When she broke off a piece to dip it into one of the spicy sauces, it somehow got even better.
The small bites of ovili were meant to be eaten throughout the meal, elevating everything just for sharing space on her tongue. She had never regretted being full more. She wished she had a bigger stomach so she could eat more.
No wonder his family was doing so well, despite the relatively small size of their farm. These things must sell for astronomical prices. Even when she couldn’t push another bite past her lips, she wanted to keep eating.
If this was how his family ate all the time, she never wanted to leave.
Chapter 22
Serval
His Sophie was enjoying herself. And he loved seeing it.
He shouldn’t be surprised; he’d already seen the way she ingratiated herself into a store of strangers on Holivair. Around his family, she was lit up and effervescent and joyful. It took her a few tries, but by the end of the meal, she was recalling the names of most of his family without help. She was prompting stories to be told and giving a few, short but funny, ones of her own.
She was fitting in like she’d been born here. Like she was always meant to be here. And when his mother and aunt started talking about having a beading ceremony for her – since she was an adult and soon-to-be citizen of Wav’aii – she eagerly and excitedly joined the conversation. It was traditional to do it nude, but she was already uncomfortable with that, so they were discussing options for her so that she could have her human modesty respected, while still honoring the allowee ceremony. They debated about what kind of skirt she should have, what pattern would be best for her, and what colors should be incorporated – all of which were important and symbolic of her as a person.
That talk turned into a conversation about the mating ceremony. It was more abstract. They were deliberately not talking about their mating ceremony, but his mother and aunt were telling her about everything involved in general. And Sophie listened with all apparent interest, asking questions and comparing her own mating traditions.
It was good to see. Serval could only smile as he helped clean up the celebratory meal.
“She’s nice,” his father said, standing beside him as they washed dishes with a few cousins.
“You like her?” Serval asked, as though there could be any chance that someone wouldn’t like his Sophie. She seemed to have made an art of making friends.
“I do,” Woll said simply, eyes on his job, a small smile on his face. “It’s nice to see you happy. I haven’t seen you smile this much in a long time.”
Serval started, surprised. Had he really looked so unhappy whenever he returned home? He didn’t like returning, but he never had a bad time when he was here. He certainly never meant to give his family the impression that he was so displeased to be with them.
“I need to buy her a water breather,” he said, returning to the washing. “I want to show her around the island. Including the underwater portions.”
Woll nodded. “I already ordered one. It will be here tomorrow with our usual supply delivery.”
Something warm bloomed in Serval’s chest. He wasn’t surprised by this either. Of course, his father would have already thought about her inability to hold her breath for long and would have taken steps to help her. Just as he would have already bought her beads for her first beading, prepared everything they needed for a mating ceremony, and set up their room. Woll wasn’t a male to do a lot of exuberant talking and welcoming like Ellow, but he took care of people silently, giving them what they needed and wanted without drawing attention to himself.
“Are you moving home now?”
And there it was.
Serval tensed. He knew that question was going to come up eventually. And he supposed it was better that his father ask him in quietly aside rather than his mother or aunt shouting it loudly so that the whole family could hear.
He didn’t answer. Which drew his father’s eyes to him.
Before either of them could speak again, a collective, exasperated groan made them both turn.
Sophie was right in the middle of his family, everyone gathered around where she was sitting, and they had all leaned away from her, some rolling their eyes, others dropping their heads and groaning, a few with their faces in their palms, shoulders shaking with laughter. All of them were smiling and laughing as Sophie looked around, a puzzled, slightly concerned expression on her smiling face.
“Not another one!” Uwila, one of Serval’s cousins, groaned.
