“Not exactly.Well, yes, but the lips don’t move.The song comes from the creature somehow.”
He gazed at me with sympathy.
“What if the thing in my dream is real?”
“Look, I’ve never had children.I don’t have experience with battling monsters under the bed,” Dinesh admitted.
“Under the sea, you mean.You see, I mention the possibility because my own powers are inexplicable.And I wonder if there are things in these depths that seek to harm me.”
“Rooster, you’ve been through a lot.Perhaps this is your mind’s way of dealing with all of that upset.All of that…” He waved his hand in the space above us.
I carried his thought forward.“Guilt from all those lives lost at Cayonne.You don’t have to remind me.”
“I’m sorry.I only wanted to mention that you’re still recovering from that.”
“It’s been months.”
He stroked my cheek with a finger, moving a stray bit of hair behind my ear.
“Yes.But I saw how badly that affected you.I know you were outraged that we kept the town’s destruction a secret, but I’m glad we did.”
I eyed him with displeasure.my little
He tilted his head.“If we had told you whilst you were regaining your strength, the upset would have delayed your recovery.By the time you found out, you were strong enough to face the truth.”
I didn’t say anything.Because he was right, but his obfuscation still upset me.
“I didn’t want to keep the facts from you.But I do feel I made the right choice.”he said.
“I know.But if anything similar happens in future, I want to know the details.Without delay.”
“Of course.”
“I’m feeling a bit better.But I don’t want to talk of this anymore,” I said.“If I turn the other way, will you cuddle me?”
“You mean, like two nesting spoons?Of course.”
I arranged myself so that he could snug up behind me and hold me close to his chest in the darkness.I immediately felt better.
“My mam used to hold me this way,” I whispered.“When I was a wee lad.Before she—”
“Shh.It’s all right.Go back to sleep.I’ll keep you safe, my little rooster.Would you like me to sing you a lullaby?”
I stiffened.
“I beg pardon?A lullaby?I’m no babe or child.”
I tried to turn in his arms to give him a look of displeasure, but he held me firm, chuckling.
“Oh my goodness, that hit a nerve.Yes, a lullaby, my dear lad.There are no written rules that one adult cannot sing a lullaby to another, if they want to.”
I let myself relax.This was no doubt true.
“Do you…know any lullabies?We determined that you have no children.”Something that I’d not thought to ask and was now relieved to know.
“As a matter of fact, I do.Coincidentally, from when I was a lad.”
“That long ago?Is the tune in an ancient language from the dawn of time?”
