Idony nodded. “Your father does not know that Biko and I have any gifts. He may suspect, but he and I never discussed it. The only reason I’m certain Lord Lombard has some type of magic is because Biko does. I don’t know for certain, but I believe if only one parent has magic, the child will not have any. Both parents must have some innate gift for anything unusual to be passed down.”
“And yet you cannot shift your body into other forms?” I asked.
She shook her head. “No. I believe my gifts are limited to things I can touch. I can nurture plants into the strongest versions of themselves. I raised a beautiful, powerful son. And that’s been enough for me.”
“I only discovered I could do this maybe a year ago,” Biko explained, his face darkening. “I was out in the orchard at the end of a work day, late in the season last year. I was clearing ant habitats and preparing the orchard for winter when your father—our father—came out of nowhere.” Biko stared down at his wounded hand. “You know, I’ve always known that coxcomb is my father by birth, but…” He shook his head. “He’s a terrible person. I never wanted to be anything like him, certainly didn’t want to know him.”
“What do you mean?” I asked. “Did he try to talk to you?”
Biko growled, his human voice not nearly as fearsome as his bear noises, but still powerful and dark. “He tried to recruit me to work for him,” my brother admitted. “He was nosing around, curious about whether I wanted to make more money and if I had any interest in working for him by night while I continued as a crofter.”
Syndrian coughed into his hand. “Lord Lombard has more than a little larceny in him.”
I looked into Syndrian’s eyes, my horror only momentarily abated by him repeating my joke.
“What is happening with my father, then?” I asked. “He tried to recruit you to work for the Otleiches?”
Biko shrugged one shoulder and hummed. “I don’t know for certain what he had in mind, but I have to assume. After more than twenty years denying I exist, he wanted something that only I could provide.” He chuckled. “I got so angry, I started running, tearing my hair, beating the ground. I found a space between two trees where I could growl and scream and sing my rage out, and…I must have released something. My body started to experience the most searing pain, like my bones were breaking. My back throbbed, and the next thing I knew, I was on all fours on the ground.” He held up his hands and wiggled his fingers. “These were gone. In their place—paws.”
I dropped the blanket and walked over to my brother. “So that’s what your late-night walks have been about? You’ve been…”
“Practicing controlling what I can do.” His laugh was sad. “As you know, it’s not exactly safe to be different in this realm.” He yawned then, covering his mouth with his hand. “Should we go home, Mum? Try to sleep one more night in our beds? Surely Lady Lombard didn’t lock us out already?”
“Stay here,” Syndrian recommended. “Some of the pieces are starting to come together for me. I think you’ll be safer resting here for the night. Neo or his brother can feed from you in the morning if you need more.”
“Are they all vampires?” I asked.
“I’m not.” A very small child with hair shaved close to the scalp stood in the doorway of the sitting room.
“Ivo…” Syndrian gave the child a look. “Your auntie Brex is going to be looking for you, isn’t she?”
The child’s face was expressionless, but the thoughtful, soulful eyes were what moved me so deeply. Looking at this little one was like peering through time, at something very old and very wise, and very much out of place.
“Yes, but there’s too much going on to sleep. You didn’t introduce me to your friends, Syndrian.” The child’s voice was melodic but also a little bit monotonous. Hearing the steady, small voice was almost like listening to a monk’s chant.
“If I do that,” Syndrian said, walking up to the doorway. “You’re going to have to promise me you’ll go right on to bed, then. And maybe give our friends one of those rare Ivo smiles?”
The child’s thin sleep chemise was shapeless and ghostly. But as soon as Syndrian bent to scoop the child into his arm, Ivo’s face broke into a relaxed smile. He wrapped his arms around Syndrian’s neck and pointed at me. “Is that the girl you always talk about?”
Syndrian raised a dark brow and put a finger over his own lips to shush the child. “I thought you were good at keeping secrets!”
Ivo’s face brightened as Syndrian set the child down in front of me. “Brex is not a vampire. In fact, only Neo and his brother, Rain, are. I’m not one myself. But I am…unusual.” The little one extended a hand to me, waiting for my handshake. “You must be Pali. You’re exactly like Syndrian said you were.”
I shook the child’s hand. “And you’re Ivo? I’m so very pleased to meet you.”
“I like games too,” Ivo said, charging ahead as if I hadn’t said anything. “Puzzles really. But Syndrian says you’re the best at playing backgammon.”
I nodded. “I do love the game. I’m not sure I’m the best, but…”
“She’s goooooooood.” Biko lumbered over to the child and offered his uninjured hand. “This one got beaked by a vengersax,” he said. “Maybe shake the other one.”
Ivo shook his little head and pressed his lips tightly together. “Very dangerous, those birds. You’d be better off avoiding them.”
Idony giggled, and I had to stifle my own smiles at the very, very serious child. He could not have been older than four, maybe five years old, and yet he conducted himself with the gravity of a monarch.
“All right, you little scamp.” Syndrian nodded and pointed at the door. “You know what to do. Before Antonia and Brex come in here all in panic.”
Ivo plodded slowly toward the door, but then he pointed at me. “I like her.”