Vulture by Rhiannon Paille

lips together to stop herself from laughing. “Hernadette wouldn’t let us, remember?”
    Krishani let out a reserved laugh. “I remember. She was quite the cook.”
    “So were you. Why didn’t you tell Elwen?” She wanted to know what it was with Elwen. He didn’t seem like the kind of ancestor she would want. It was hard to believe Krishani was related to Elwen at all, that this village was his home. It seemed foreign compared to the way they had grown up together.
    He raked a hand through his hair, shaking the long black locks in every direction. “I didn’t stay here long enough.”
    She picked up the bread at the urge of her rumbling stomach and took another bite. A least it satisfied the body despite its repugnant taste. Krishani watched as some of the other villagers trekked into the hall with flutes, small guitars and drums. Pux pounded blithely on a drum as they gathered in a corner of the room, the joyous tune wafting through the air, picking up speed and twisting into the rafters. A few of the villagers began a jig. It wasn’t the same as the dances on Avristar. The villagers hooked arms and skipped around each other. A whoop came from the crowd as women curtsied and men gathered them up, continuing the dance.
    Kaliel’s eyes lit up and before Krishani could protest she pulled him to the dance floor. Pux caught sight of her and she waved him over. The three of them got lost in the dance. Kaliel passed through the men, skipping around them, keeping her eyes on Krishani as the music swelled and faded. The bards didn’t stop, their swan songs changing melody and rhythm as they played throughout the afternoon.
    Kaliel laughed when one of the men grabbed her by the waist, lifted her into the air, spun around and set her down again. She turned to find Krishani behind her with a warning expression on his face. He stared at her like she was fragile and wrapped his arms around her, spinning in circles with only her, leading her around the dance floor. She meant to dance with the villagers, but he kept her against him, unwilling to let go.
    She sighed when the bards struck up a slow tune and the dancers paired off, moving in slower circles. “Why didn’t you stay?” she asked, resuming their conversation.
    He stiffened but kept moving. “You know what I had to do.” His tone was low, like when he talked about sparring matches, only the meaning behind it was different. He had faced something much more dangerous than a sparring match.
    Her eyes widened. “You mean Crestaos?” Her voice came out hoarse.
    Krishani spun her carefully under his arm and pulled her back. “Yes,” he said, his tone unbecoming.
    She stopped. Her feet didn’t want to move. She didn’t know how to feel. Dread kicked its heels up, frothing her in heat. “You faced him yourself?”
    He hung his head and glanced at the floor. She went to pull out of his embrace when he took her hands and pressed them against his chest, her elbows digging into his stomach. His eyes blazed and she drew a shaky breath.
    “I won.” His tone was harsh.
    She averted her gaze as Pux approached. Krishani let her go. “You’re feeling better?” she asked, her entire focus on Pux. She couldn’t handle Krishani when he acted like he was a battering ram and she was nothing but a helpless sheep.
    “Would you care to dance?” Pux made a grand gesture of bowing and extending his hand to her. She giggled and took it, getting lost in the crowd. She glanced behind her as she rounded the edge of the dance floor. Krishani leaned against one of the stone pillars, his arms crossed. He glared at everyone that wasn’t her. A pang of guilt crept into her bones. She let go of the man she was dancing with, wending through the people until she was next to him. Pux took off again, being his usual silly self. She wondered if the sky would be green when she went outside. “Pux is lively,” she commented, digging her toe into the carpet.
    Krishani didn’t lower his gaze