Page 37 of Dark Destiny: A New Thread in the Tapestry

"And I chose you." Tula leaned into him and kissed him on the lips. "That elevates you to the highest station among immortals."

"Yes, you did, and yes, it does." He kissed her back, the way she deserved to be kissed, until she pushed against his chest.

"You need to go," she said.

"I do." He kissed her once more before heading out the door.

He stopped at the work shed.

The four faces were still lined up where he'd left them, and above them on the shelf stood the ones he'd carved of Khiann. He'd gifted the best ones to Annani, but he still had some left.

He picked up the best one, turned it over in his hand, then put it back.

Bringing Khiann a carving of his own image wasn't a proper gift. Perhaps he would give him the carving later, when he visited his work shed.

Esag sighed. It would be a long time before Khiann was well enough to stroll through the village, and even then he might not want to see his old friend's workshop.

They had been friends five thousand years ago. It didn't mean they could pick up where they'd left off and become friends again.

He went out empty-handed.

The path from his house to the square ran between beautifully maintained hedges and flowerbeds, reminding him of the palace gardens, and he wondered whether Khiann would see it the same way once they finally let him out of the clinic. Would it bring him peace as it had for him, Davuh, and Roven?

He hadn't told his friends about the invitation because Alena had told him only he could come, and he didn't want to tell them that. Perhaps later, after he saw Khiann, he would call them and explain that those were the Clan Mother's rules and that there was nothing he could do about them.

When he walked through the clinic door, Gertrude greeted him.

"Good afternoon, Esag. Khiann is asleep, but he should be waking soon." She waved a hand, indicating he should follow her. "Have you been in our basement yet?"

He shook his head. "I didn't even know the clinic had a basement. What's down there?"

"The labs, the operating room, a recovery room, and miscellaneous storage areas. It's much bigger below than it is above." She snorted. "It seems to be a theme. The keep is also much larger below ground than it is above." She led him down the stairs. "The operating room is the largest, so we converted it into a ward for Khiann and his guards, who remain unnamed."

"Anything I should know before I go in?" Esag stopped in front of the double doors.

"Don't lean over Khiann or the others. Approach them from where they can see you coming without turning their heads. That's still difficult for them." She pushed the door open with her shoulder.

It was easy to see that the room had been an operating room before it was turned into a recovery ward for five males awakening from stasis. It was evident in the overhead lights and the floor drains, but instead of an operating table, five hospital beds were arranged in a row, and Annani sat in a rocking chair beside the middle bed, her back to the door.

Alena, who was sitting in one of the chairs lined up against the wall, got up the moment she saw him, crossed the room, and hugged him, which he hadn't expected.

They weren't close.

Perhaps that was her way of apologizing for keeping him out for so long, or perhaps they had grown closer over the past few days since Khiann had opened his eyes and her updates had become more frequent.

"He's still out," she said quietly. "But he should be waking soon. The pattern is usually twenty minutes of wakefulness followed by three to four hours of sleep."

"I don't mind waiting." He turned to look at Annani's back. "I should say hello."

She nodded.

Esag walked around the foot of the bed, stopping at a respectful distance from the chair, and bowed. "Good afternoon, Clan Mother."

He hadn't looked at Khiann yet because he was waiting for her permission to do so.

"Good afternoon, Esag." Annani did not get up, nor did she let go of Khiann's hand. "Thank you for coming."

"Thank you for permitting it."