“Oh? Your shift is over so soon?” Jarot asked.

  “Yes,” came a response from Gorot. “There are movings for Twilight Month, and they have returned us early for the st two days of the festival.”

  “This soon?”

  “There are signs of a Great Twilight.”

  Jurot, Jaygak, and Kitool exged looks between one another.

  “What fortunate news,” Jarot said, not hiding his grin. “It seems you will all be having much fun.”

  “Safely,” Sonarot said.

  “So many guests?” The Devilkin who wore Taygak on his chest asked. He gnced down to Adam for a long moment, before his eyes fell to the others. ‘Two Half Elves?’

  “There is much to tell you,” Jogak said.

  Adam hat all the children’s parents were about, all save for Surot, who was missing.

  “I shall tell you when the childre to bed,” Sonarot said. “This is Adam, Nephew of our family, and Jurot’s brother.”

  “A brother?” Tizgak asked, reag over instinctively to shake the Half Elf’s forearm. “Have we gone for that long?”

  “Adam, son of Fate,” Adam said, shaking the Iyrman’s arm.

  “Tizgak.”

  Jarot smiled. “You have missed much.”

  “If Uncle is smiling, then it must be lots of trouble,” Halikan’s husband said.

  Kaygak and Tizgak returo their children, Taygak and Saygak. Raygak was with them, eating some of Taygak’s vegetables. Jogak was beside his wife, who held a cut from her lip to her cheek slightly, listening tak rambling about the snow.

  Shikan and Arokan, Amokan’s father and mother, sat together with their twin nephew and niece. Rokan was quite a handsome fellow, and his children looked so much like him, save their eyes, which took after Halikan.

  Then there was Citool, and her husband, Zorool, who Katool sat between, her hands hooked around their elbows. Raool and Ikool, who seemingly had no children of their own, sat he group too.

  ‘Wasn’t there someone?’ Adam thought. ‘I think Jarot mentioned another Ool with Nirot at some point.’

  “Is that snow wine?” Zijin asked, appearing from the darkness.

  “Do not e to steal ours, Elder,” Jarot pined. “You have plenty of your own.”

  “Steal from you, Jarot?” Zijin raised his brows. “I could not even if I tried.”

  “What brings you here?” the older Iyrman asked. “Is Adam in more trouble?”

  “I, for once, have been a really good boy,” Adam said. “I think.”

  “I am here to speak with him,” Zijin said, though made no indication about what.

  “Oh, man,” Adam said. “I swear I didn’t do anything this time, I think.”

  “e, Adam,” Zijin said, smiling.

  “Does your Nephew always get into trouble?” Ikool asked.

  Sonarot smiled. “Yes.”

  “So?” Adam said.

  “It is about your ons,” Zijin said. “The two you made were aued, and the st spear was bought by the Iyr.”

  “That was easy,” Adam said.

  “We wish to put the spear you made, the new spear, up for a prize during the bouts fhtval.”

  “Are you asking my permission?” Adam asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Sure.”

  “We will also inform everyohat you were the Enter,” Zijin said. “Is that fine?”

  “That’s fine?”

  “Does everyone know?” Zijin asked. “Sir Eastke, and the others.”

  “Oh.” Adam blinked. “No. Vonda doesn’t.”

  “Sir Vonda,” Zijin corrected.

  “She said it’s okay, we’re friends,” Adam replied.

  Zijin nodded.

  “She’s cool, I guess. She already knows Lucy is a Demon and has kept it a secret, so far.” He thought about Fred. ‘I mean, Jonn knows, and I trust Fred a little more.’ “It should be okay.”

  “If you are certain.”

  Adam finally returned back the group without Zijin.

  “What did he catch you on?” Jaygak asked.

  “Nothing,” he said. “I never get caught.” Adam winked.

  “If you have done something in the Iyr, you will get caught quickly,” Jaygak said, speaking with wisdom beyond her years.

  “He spoke to me about some stuff I crafted a while ago,” Adam said, dropping down opposite him.

  “What a talented Nephew you have,” Tizgak said.

  “What kind of crafting?” Ikool asked, holding Katool on her p, a finger in each of the girl’s hands.

  “It’s a-“

  “Smithing,” Katool said. “Cousin Adam is very good.” She punctuated her statement with a nod.

  “Am I really?” Adam asked.

  “Yes,” she stated, once again nodding.

  “Katool is always so kind to me,” Adam said, cutting some fruit before her the fruit.

  “Cousin Adam is also good at Enting!” Raygak decred, loudly, smiling proudly.

  “Which was meant to be a secret,” Adam said, raising his brows at the Devilkin.

  Raygak dropped his smile. “Sorry, Cousin Adam.” He looked down, cheeks turning flush.

  “Since my Cousin Raygak is so big and strong now, I’ll five him,” Adam said, the boy some peppers.

  Turot looked at the cheese, which Adam sacrificed to make his Cousin happy.

  He pletely ighe gazes of the others, Sir Vonda and Fred, whose eyes were burning a hole on his fabsp;

  Raygak had dropped quite the bombshell about Adam, but it seemed the Half Elf wasn’t ied in expanding the versation in that dire.

  “Speaking of which, after the festival tomorrow, do you want to tihe game of Warriors and Wanderers?”

  “Yes,” Turot said, biting into the cheese.

  “I see?” Katool asked, her mouth half full of fruit.

  “You want to watch?”

  She nodded her head.

  “Sure.”

  “I e toak asked, finishing the pepper he had protected from Jaygak.

  “Sure, why not?” Adam replied, a small smile on his face.

  Sooher children all asked him if they could e, and he supposed he had enough paper to deal with their requests.

  “What about you, little Taygak?” Adam asked.

  “I e see, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  “What is this game?” Lavgak, Jaygak and Raygak’s mother, asked.

  “It is fun,” Sonarot said. “It uses dice, and one’s mind.”

  ‘Mind?’ Lavgak thought, w how her son would manage in such a game.

  “The kids e see for now, I’m not sure I deal with so many adults watg the game. It’s currently made for children, and I’ve geared that towards them for the moment, so it’s a little embarrassing.” Adam, for once, was filled with an introverted shyness.

  “ I e see?” Jarot asked.

  “Since you’re a child, it’s okay,” Adam said.

  “For Churot, you fool,” Jarot growled, whag Adam gently against his back with his one good arm. “Do you want to see, Churot?”

  “Yes,” the boy replied, quietly.

  “If he wants to e and see, he do it without you,” Adam stated.

  “Without me? Churot, without his grandfather? It is not done!”

  “He needs his freedom, you old geezer. You ’t just suffocate him with your coddling, he’ll be a young man soon.”

  “I if I wish!” Jarot decred. “You should focus on tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow?” Adam asked.

  “Has no oold him?” Jarot asked. He had assumed Adam knew, even though he had asked previously if there was anything special.

  “What?” Adam asked.

  “Adam was w,” Sonarot stated, simply.

  “What?”

  Jarot smiled.

  “It’s that,” Jurot said.

  “What?”

  “That,” Jarot said, following his grandson.

  “Is anyone going to tell me?” Adam asked, gng between them all.

  “I will take him to see it tomorrow,” Jarot said. “We will take some snow wih us.”

  “There only be two,” Sonarot reminded him.

  “Yes…” He brushed Churot’s hair, ruffling it gently. “Then who wishes to take him?”

  “I will go,” Mirot said, sipping some wine.

  “Denied,” Adam said.

  Mirot almost spat out the alcohol. “What?”

  “I’m not going anywhere with someone who doesn’t like me,” Adam said, sipping some of the snow wi was sweet, with a hint of sourness, and quite warm.

  Mirot gred at the Half Elf. “You are taking the opportunity away from my son. Do I not have the right to go?”

  “Then Turot take me,” Adam said, simply.

  Mirot bliurot turo look at his mother, unsure of what they were talking about. All the while, the other adults gnced between one another.

  “Usually it is someone from the eion, but…” Jarot rubbed his . “There is no reason against his offer.”

  Mirot, who could find no fault in the logic, bowed her head. “Very well.”

  “What is tomorrow?” Dunes asked, w if he could pry out the information.

  “Something only very few see,” Jarot said. “We ot say more to Guests.”

  “Oh!” Jaygak said, quickly. “It’s that! Am I going this year?”

  “Taygak will go,” her mother said.

  “’t I go with her? Please?”

  “Perhaps we should send multiple children together?” Jarot supposed.

  “Damokan and Kalokan go together,” Arokan said.

  “Raygak and Taygak?” Lavgak offered.

  “Kitool and Katool,” Zorool, their father, said, quietly.

  “Turot and Adam?” Sonarot stated, looking to Jurot, who nodded. “They follow another family there.”

  “I will ask Elder Zijin,” Jarot said. “They follow the Jin family.”

  “Hold on,” Adam said, remembering his other Cousin. “Shouldn’t Nirot and Turot go together?”

  “Not this time,” Jarot said.

  “Why not?” Adam asked, w where the young Iyrman was. He hadn’t seen her in some time. “I don’t mind sitting it out if it’s a big deal.”

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