Fuck, I wasn't nearly as good at this as I thought.
But Keir pulled out a chair beside him. I dropped into it, aware Hawke was smiling behind me. A moment later, a plateof fae food was set before me by a delicate human hand. I glanced up to see Rain carrying her own around Keir to claim the seat beside Aspen, but Jack? He hopped from her shoulder and fluttered down to mine.
"Court," he said, looking at me intently.
"Yeah, Rain knows me too well," I told him.
But Jack ruffled his feathers and jumped down to the table so he could look up at me. "Queen. Court!"
"Prince," Rain offered.
Jack twisted his head. "Jack-court. Court-queen."
"Does 'court' mean me this time?" I asked him.
The bird twisted his head as if that was an answer.
"I think," Wilder said around a bite, "he's trying to say you acted like Aspen this time."
But Jack shook his beak from side to side, a clear no. "Court!" he said. "Jack-Rain-Shadow. Morrigan. Court." Then he cawed at me. "Queen. Morrigan. Court-court-court. Court."
"He means it's one court," Hawke said. "Not sure the rest of it, but pretty sure that's what he's getting at."
"And Torian did a good thing?" Rain asked.
Caw!
"You need more words," Rain grumbled.
"Wait," Aspen begged. "Let me try, Jack?"
He flapped his wings, then belted out, "Court!" Then he hopped over. "Court." And next he hopped back. "Court!"
"Summer, Winter, and Wild?" Aspen guessed.
Jack twisted his head, but he was looking at me. Rain said that meant she wasn't completely right or wrong. Then it hit me.
"Summer, Winter, and Earth."
This time, the bird nodded. "Court!" he agreed.
"And I have no clue what that's supposed to mean," I told him. "We've already figured that part out."
"Well, we're pretty sure he can see the future," Rain said.
And my eyes narrowed on Jack. "Do you know something?"
He nodded, but it was small, not a huge thrashing of his beak like he usually did.
"Should I have accepted their oath then?"
He quickly shook his beak. Ok, that made me feel a bit better.
"Court," Jack said again.
"Try a few more words," Rain suggested.
Jack skittered a few steps on the slick table, clearly thinking. Then, "Hunt-court. Morrigan-court. Court-enemy!"
