“Dizuno and soon,” Father Tai answered.
Kayluth turned to his fathers, finding them grinning widely. He chuckled at their ridiculous secrecy. “You knew?”
“Ssu, of coursse,” Tailyn answered, “esspecially ssince it wass I who contacted him.”
“Him?” Sekvyn asked, glancing around the group.
Kayluth sighed. “Thiss iz not a bad thing, but my uncle iz…”
“Eck-ssentric.”
Kay snorted. “That iz labeling him unkindly, Father. Dizuno iz Father Lyurn’s brother and he iz a handful, but he iz a good Sskeppare. We have not sseen him in eonss.”
“He has a ssobroke now, Kay,” Tailyn said of his brother-by-marriage. “Sshe hass mellowed him.”
“From your mouth to Dracco’ss earss.” Kayluth pointed a stern finger at Father Tai. “I look forward to hiss arrival. It hass been too long.”
The door opened, and Orm entered. He knelt quickly on one knee, then hurried to Kayluth’s side.
Kayluth sighed. “>”
Orm snickered. “>” He gazed sidelong towards Bjorn. “>”
Tailyn and Lyurn gasped, but Kayluth ignored them to ask, “>”
“>”
“>”
Orm frowned. “>”
Kayluth risked a glance in Moondrake’s direction. He sat close to Sundrake with Raisa and Reykos. This day was set aside for a celebration of life, and even though information about Tore was important, it was not more important than being together with their family, immediate and extended.
“Can it wait until tomorrow?”
Orm nodded. “Ssu, of coursse.” He glanced around the room. “My ssinceresst apologiess for dissturbing your party.”
Kayluth chuckled. “What disturbss me more, my friend, iz why you and Sseraphina were not already here joining uss.” He cocked an eyebrow at his second in command, his oldest and best friend.
“We received the newss az we were preparing to come.” Orm grimaced. “I wass unssure if the information could wait.”
“What information?” Bjorn asked, his expression a stern mask. “You slipped into Drakken for the important part.”
Kayluth shook his head. “Orm bringss newss of your brother, but az you heard, we will meet tomorrow to disscuss it. After we break our fasst?” He tipped his head in Moondrake’s direction.
Bjorn opened his mouth to object, but Kayluth stared at him. “I will not ruin my ssobroke’ss sselebration.”
Bjorn frowned, unhappy at having to wait, but when he followed Kayluth’s glance at his younger brother and saw Moondrake’s smile, he reluctantly agreed.
Kayluth nodded and threw an arm around Bjorn’s shoulders. “Come, Your Majessty, now that we have had cake, we can eat like ssivilized Drakken.”
“Or mere humans?” Bjorn laughed, letting Kayluth steer him to the buffet awaiting them.
“Perhapss.”
“Father?”
Little hands clung to Kayluth’s thigh. He peered down at Reykos. “Hungry?”
