Despite his slight nausea, he found himself hungry.Despite his slight nausea, he found himself hungry. "Don't eat so fast," P'nyssa said. "I said you had to eat it all, I didn't say in a minute flat." "I'm back," Shardik announced as he walked back. "With the old set." He placed the chessboard down on the table carefully and pulled the dark-blue cloth off the top. Furry whistled gently. "That's an Ebby, isn't it?" "On the money, Jofuran. How can you tell?" "Ebberd Winslow is the only person on Pendor who does watercarvings like that with crystal glass. And those Centaurs are definitely watercarvings." "I'm impressed. For someone who hasn't lived on Pendor for ten years, you've got a lot of background." "Thank you." The door to the home opened and Aaden stepped through, his eyes twinkling and his face smiling. "I did it!" he announced. "You don't want to know what I did to the soil on the western face of the bowl, but I did it!" "Did what?" "Taste," he said, holding out a blue slab of cut fruit to Shardik. Shardik looked at it dubiously, then took a bite, chewing carefully. "Not bad. What is it?" "Emani, from the planet Rohetori." He put the bowl he was carrying down and rubbed his hands together. "And Myk said it couldn't be done. 'Not in our atmosphere.' This'll show him." He leaned over and kissed Shardik on the cheek. "How you doing?" "Fine, fine." "Hello, again, Nickolai, Jofuran. I see you're doing much better, Nickolai. I'm sorry; that should never have happened." "There's no reason for you to apologize, Aaden," Nickolai said. "I think there is. I suggested the trip." "You couldn't know that he had enemies, even apparently insignificant ones, in that particular tour," Shardik replied quietly. "I guess not. Still, I'm happy to see you up and moving again." "Thank you." "Want a bite?" he asked, holding out the fruit to Nickolai, who looked at it, then shook his head. "I don't think it's a good idea." "Furry?" "Sure," she replied, taking the morsel from Aaden's paw and popping it into her own mouth. |