Lacuna - N.R. Walker Page 0,65

knows gives her more power than I’m comfortable with.”

Tancho, quiet for a moment, conceded a nod. “Agreed. It makes political sense for more than one person to know and for people from all four kingdoms. We can’t be the only ones. That wouldn’t be fair on Samiel or Elmwood.”

Crow nodded and gave him a smile. “I’m pleased we agree.”

Tancho smiled right back, then turned his attention to the table of food. “Which should I try first?”

Grateful for the change of subject, Crow picked up a small pie. “Here, try this. It is spiced meat, a favourite from my childhood. Soko and I would sneak into the kitchen and steal them. Although I’m sure Scaevola knew because she always baked a separate batch.”

Tancho took a bite and hummed, his eyes lighting up. “Oh, I do like that.”

Smiling, Crow picked up some bread and dunked it in his favourite sweet treat. It was syrupy though, so Crow held one hand underneath it and lifted it directly to Tancho’s mouth. “This is a honey and nut mixture that Bjalla makes. It is my favourite.”

Tancho swallowed down the rest of his pie and was perhaps a little embarrassed at being hand-fed. But he opened his mouth and bit into the bread and he hummed louder as the taste hit his tongue. He licked his lips, delighted, speaking with his mouth still full. “This could be the best thing I’ve ever tasted. What did you say it was?”

Crow was still looking at Tancho’s lips, at where his tongue had just been . . . “Oh, uh.”

Tancho smiled, obviously knowing damn well Crow was lost in lurid thoughts. “Did you say honey?”

Crow shook his head and had to remember the question. “Yes, honey from the northern yellow bee. They feed only on the lemon willow flower. It’s a distinct flavour, yes? And the vetur nuts come from the snjor bush. It grows low to the ground in the lower regions, and only for a few months of the year.” He felt foolish for going on and on about food. Crow couldn’t remember ever being so nervous. But then Tancho took another piece of bread, dipped it in the syrup, and bit into it. His lips glistened and a tiny drop ran down his chin. He laughed as he wiped it away, then—because he was sent to drive Crow to the point of madness—he sucked the syrup off his finger.

Crow’s mind came to a grinding halt, and it appeared he forgot how to breathe.

Tancho grinned and picked up another piece, dipping it into the syrup and putting it to Crow’s lips. “Your turn.”

Crow opened his mouth and took the bread, Tancho’s gaze firmly on Crow’s lips and he appeared dazed. Crow smiled, glad he wasn’t the only one affected. “You’re doing that on purpose,” Tancho murmured.

“Doing what?”

“Moving your lips like that. Making them glisten with honey. And smiling. It’s the smile that . . .”

“You started it. Smiling all beautiful like that. Licking your lips and sucking on your finger.”

Tancho looked up at him, and for a long moment, no one breathed. “Do you think I’m beautiful?”

“Like nothing I’ve ever seen before,” Crow whispered.

That wretched smile pulled at Tancho’s lips again, and Crow was about to tell him to stop it when there was a knock on the door. “Everyone decent?”

Crow sighed. “Soko.”

Without being invited, the door opened and Soko’s smiling head appeared, poking around the door. He studied both Crow and Tancho and, no doubt, how close they were standing. “Everything okay? Didn’t interrupt, did we?”

“We?” Crow asked.

Soko pushed open the door to reveal two human coat racks. Well, it was Karasu and Kohaku wearing . . . Crow wasn’t sure how many layers of coats. “I wanted to show them the snow and thought we’d see if you wanted to join us. Did you know they’ve never been in snow before? Isn’t that just absurd? Anyway, they don’t handle the cold too well.”

“I can see,” Crow said with a laugh.

Tancho chuckled. “You look like starfish.”

“If I have to be subjected to such ridicule,” Karasu said, “the least you can do is join us.”

“Coat up,” Soko said, grinning.

“I have a coat you can wear,” Crow told Tancho.

Smiling, Tancho gave a small nod, then turned to his friends. “Kohaku, you must try this bread and syrup.”

He and Soko hustled to the table and started shoving food in their mouths, and Karasu waddled over and tried, to no avail, to pick up a small pie. Her arms were