Page 36 of Thalen

I stepped outside, standing off to the side of the general store to lessen the noise from the passersby.

I frowned as I accepted the comm, the name unfamiliar.

“Thalen Rukor?”

“Yes, you have the correct person,” I confirmed.

“Thank the stars! My name is Bevit Grix, and I’m with Child Unification Services.”

My hearts stilled in my chest. Child Unification Services was not anyone a person usually heard from. Their sole function in Dragonii society was placing orphaned kits with loving relatives, and if none, with a family who would cherish them as their own.

“Are you still there? Oh, I do hate long range comms. One never knows if the signal has gotten lost in space somewhere,” the male's fussy voice said.

“I’m still here. I was just surprised, was all.”

“Oh. Well, yes, of course. People usually are. I’m reaching out on behalf of Clovira Hrial.”

“I don't know anyone by that name.”

“She said that you’d say that,” he sighed. “You probably knew her as your best childhood friend, Hrak Mathrus’s grandmother. I’m sorry to say that Hrak and his mate died in a flitter accident shortly after their kit was born, along with his mother. His mate’s parents still had kits at home, and they felt unable to take him in full time, so he’s been living with Clovira, with them helping out now and again. Clovira recently heard from your aunt that you’d moved to New Haven a few years ago and have a successful farm, and decided she wanted to ask if you’d consider taking the kit in as your own.”

“Would she be coming here with him?”

“I...I’m not sure if she thought about that. Is that something you’d agree to as a condition to adopting him?”

Evan and Jason came out of the store. “Can you please hold on a moment. My mate just arrived, and I need to catch him up.”

“Everything alright?” his eyes turned towards our farm. “I don’t see smoke anywhere,” he said, scanning the skies in that direction worriedly.

“It’s not the farm.” I quickly relayed what I’d just been told.

“His great grandmother has been raising him all on her own?” he exclaimed. “That had to have been tough.”

“With assistance on occasion from his other grandparents,” Grix reminded him.

“Yeah. That’s not the same as being there all the time. How old is he?”

“Eight years old in your years.”

“Dad, if he doesn’t come here to be my brother, will he go into a home like I was at?”

Evan shook his head. “I don’t know, but Thalen, he was your best friend’s son, and she reached all the way out to you. It was obviously meant to be.”

“I’m getting a brother!” Jason shouted excitedly.

“Ask if she’d like to move here too, to be near him. We have the room.”

“But you’ll take him?”

“Yes,” Evan spoke for me.

“I’ll make the arrangements and notify you if she wishes to join you as well.”

The comm call ended.

“Well, when I came to the store today, I certainly didn’t expect to be bringing home another kid.”

“He’s not here yet, Dad,” Jason reminded him.