“Like who?”
“My mother,” he answered, the words a deep timber that melded beautifully with the quiet of the kitchen. “My aunt, Aina.”
I was aware his mother had passed on into the next realm. Judging by the expression on his features regarding his aunt, I could only assume the same thing.
Not his father? I knew the head of House Kaalium hadn’t been back to Krynn in years.
“But the beauty of it is that Luc is still in this realm,” Kaldur finished. “Laras is not so far away.”
“Yes, but the Luc I knew is gone,” I confessed, lulled by the quiet. “He had once been so ambitious, so driven. Laras…that place beat him down. He told me he’d lied in his letters because he hadn’t wanted me to know he’d failed. He didn’twantto see me.”
Kaldur’s silver gaze was luminous in Halo orb’s softened light. “He…turned you away?”
“I only saw him once when I was there. He wouldn’t tell me where he lived. I couldn’t find him again.”
“I have people searching for him,” Kaldur told me. “They’ll find him eventually to make him the offer.”
The one I’d bargained for.
“I just know he works at the docks,” I said, nodding. “I went a couple times, but…they were a lot bigger than I thought.”
“That’s still helpful to know,” he said. “I’ll pass it along. And as for Syndras…she fought a little when a swarm of keepers showed up at her doorstep this afternoon.”
I bit my lip, imagining the scene with the stubborn female. “I should’ve warned her.”
“They explained. She told them that she expects your visit soon. To explain further.”
“But she accepted them?” I asked.
Kaldur’s gaze went to my finger, still smoothing over the teacup’s edge, before he looked back to me.
“Eventually,” he replied.
“Thank you,” I said.
“No thank-yous,” he said firmly.
I didn’t argue. I didn’t have it in me to argue. The change in Kaldur was still confusing to me. A part of me still didn’t trust it. I didn’t know if I ever could.
“I’m sorry about Luc,” he finally said when a stretch of silence came. “That couldn’t have been an easy thing to face, for someone you held out hope for as long as you did.”
The words made my throat tighten.
“But after he has accepted the offer, I’ll take you see him again,” Kaldur added.
A sharp inhale whistled through me. “Really?”
“Once he’s settled, he might be more like himself,” he said. “Like I said, Laras isn’t far away.”
“I would like that,” I admitted, trying to keep back my tears. “Very much.”
That seemed to satisfy him. He leaned forward, taking more bread, slathering on more preserves. There was something almost boyish about the action, and I felt my guard slipping as a smile appeared.
“Hungry?” I asked, watching him take a large bite.
Then I stiffened a little at the flash in his eyes. His irises actually gleamed at the word.
I hadn’t realized howhungryhe truly was. But I should’ve known better.
