Page 11 of Dark Destiny: The Turning Of The Loom

Khiann wore a dark blue button-up shirt, and the fuzz on his scalp was a little denser than it had been the last time Esag had seen him. He looked like a shorn sheep, but he also looked awake.

"You look terrible," Esag said. "Better than last week, though."

Khiann grinned, and there it was, the face he'd carved countless times over, down to the crease beside the mouth.

"Roven and Davuh send their regards. They want to know when you can join us for a card game."

"It will be a while." Khiann lifted a hand and let it drop back into his lap to demonstrate what he'd meant. "And you will have to teach me the rules. I do not remember any games."

"They'll love that. They will cheat, and you won't know."

Khiann laughed. "But you will. I know you will look after my interests."

It was nice of him to say, even though the history between them didn't exist as far as Khiann was concerned.

"I'm just joking," Esag said. "They wouldn't dare cheat, and they would love having a fourth hand at the game table. Tula sometimes joins us, but lately she has no patience for games."

"Please thank her for the stew. It smells wonderful, but regrettably, it does not bring anything back."

Esag shook his head. "I didn't expect it to do anything, but I'm going to have to lie to Tula about that. I'll tell her that you smelled it and wept. She'll be upset otherwise, and it's not good for the baby."

Khiann's eyebrows went up. "A baby? Are you about to become a father?"

Yes, just not in the way Khiann imagined.

Esag would be the one mated to the child's mother, and he would do his best to carve out a role for himself in the child's life, but he would most likely not be called Father.

He didn't correct Khiann's misconception, though. The story was too complicated for a male who'd just recently regained consciousness.

"Six weeks to go, more or less."

"Congratulations. I hope your mate is doing well."

"She can't see her feet, and she is crankier than usual. Yesterday she told me that the crib I built is too tall."

"Too tall for what?" Khiann asked.

"For her to lean over. I said I'd cut down the legs, even though the crib isn't the problem. Her belly is. But I know better than to argue with her, or the Tuh'u will end up on my head instead of in my belly."

Khiann laughed, and Esag noticed how much easier it came with just the two of them here. Khiann might not remember their friendship, but something in his soul responded to the guy he'd grown up with.

Esag reached into his pocket and pulled out the figurine he'd brought with him.

"I wasn't sure about this." He leaned down and placed the carving on the coffee table.

It was small, only palm-sized, but it was well made.

Khiann took it, turned it toward the light, and frowned. "Is that what I looked like?"

"It is, and soon you will look like this again. The hair's coming back."

Khiann traced the wooden jaw with his thumb. "Did you always carve?"

"I did, but not nearly as well. I've gotten better over the centuries. Anyone can become a master at anything with enough dedication and repetition."

Khiann regarded the carving for a long time. "You found your passion."

"Yes, but one day I might choose to do something else. That's one of the perks of immortality."