Page 63 of Dark Destiny: The Turning Of The Loom

"So would I."

It was a joke, and they both knew it, but Annani let herself enjoy it nonetheless. The other possible explanation was too troubling to consider during a joyous celebration.

She would speak with Aru tomorrow.

Now she had hellos and introductions to make.

She started with Toven and Mia because Khiann had already met them.

Alena's four came next. Sorcha and Una on either side of their brothers, Tavish and Innis. Each of them took Khiann's hand in turn and said their name.

Annani saved Roni and Sylvia for last because they were the youngest.

"This is Roni, Darlene's son, Geraldine's grandson. He is a decipherer of things. And this is his mate, Sylvia."

"What do you decipher?" Khiann asked Roni.

Roni looked at Annani. "Decipherer?"

They were all wearing earpieces because of Khiann, but not everyone was aware of the limitations.

"There is no better word in the old tongue for what you do," she said.

Sylvia shook her head. "Breaking secrets is a better definition. Imagine a text written in code and hidden somewhere no one can reach it. Roni can find where it is, open the vault, retrieve the scroll, and decipher it."

Annani nodded. "That is a better definition than mine."

"I still do not understand exactly what that means," Khiann said. "But it sounds like a complex operation, which means you have to be very smart to do what you do."

"I am smart," Roni did not even try to sound humble. "And I am the best at what I do."

The twins completed the round.

Ell-rom and Jasmine, Morelle and Brandon, whom Khiann remembered from Thursday.

Alena came out of the kitchen, her hair coming loose and her cheeks flushed. "Mother. Thank the Fates. Come and see this."

"See what?"

"I cannot explain it. You need to see it."

Annani followed her into the dining room, where Ovidu had set out the buffet. It was a beautiful table. The serving dishes were arranged by height and color, the utensils were aligned to a hair's breadth, and the sprigs of rosemary between the platters were spaced so evenly that a ruler could not have improved on them.

Geraldine was standing at the far end of the table with a covered dish in her hands. As Annani watched, she set it down between two of Ovidu's platters, nudged the platters apart to make room, and stepped back with a satisfied nod. Then she went into the kitchen.

Ovidu materialized from the other door. He looked at the dish, then at the platters. Without a word, he moved the dish to the end of the table, restored the platters to their original positions, and adjusted the rosemary sprig that Geraldine had knocked askew. Then he went back into the kitchen through the same door he had come out of.

Geraldine returned with a second covered dish, spotted the first at the end of the table, and frowned.

"Now, who put that there?" She picked it up, carried it back to its spot between the platters, made room, set the second dish beside it, nudged the platters apart again, and nodded. "There. That's better."

She went into the kitchen.

Ovidu came out. He moved both dishes to the end of the table, restored the platters, and adjusted the rosemary.

Alena had a hand clamped over her mouth. "This is the fourth time," she whispered. "She does not remember doing it, and he does not understand why she keeps rearranging his carefully set buffet table."

"How many dishes has she brought?"