The Gift of Volkeye (48 page)

“Belch made us a wonderful breakfast, not an hour ago...but you all enjoy yourselves,” Nigel said, bending over to hug Zynathian. “We’ll talk later, mate.”

“Certainly. It’s so wonderful to see you both again,” Zynathian said to Nigel and Reena. “Nice meeting you, Alex. We’ll get further acquainted later.”

Alex nodded. Then they were off.

They looked about, inspecting the place, trying to take in every single detail. This portion of the Igloo was designed specifically to match the decor of the
Frozen Teeth and Toenail Cafe
. The only difference was that there were no cauldrons here, because the complex was heated perfectly well. Intermittently spread about were floor-to-ceiling pillars with detailed artwork etched into the stone. It was the same with the surrounding walls, on which entire stories were told through images.

Belch led them to the culinary entertainment area, which had a cooking station jutting outwards from the wall. Guests could watch the chef at work and see their meals being prepared here. However, the station was presently empty. Belch directed Zynathian and family to a large table just beside it.

They sat with content, highly impressed with Belch’s efforts. His eye for detail and nitpicky personality yielded impeccable results. Even with all the work he oversaw, he didn’t forget to accommodate his best friend, who now sat in a Maugrimm-sized throne at the end of the dining table. Mawg leaned back in his personalized chair (which also had his name etched into the back) and smugly put his arms behind his head. But then he noticed something.

Just beyond their seating area, there was a short stairway leading to a lower level of the restaurant. Next to an empty dance floor there was more dining area, and two of the seats were occupied. Mawg rubbed his eyes, wondering whether or not he needed glasses, but upon further scrutiny he realized he’d not been deceived.

Why me? Is me such a terrible person that me warrants this kinda’ injustice? Of all the rotten luck in the blasted world…

“Sorry, everyone, but me gots ta’ be runnin’ along. See ya later! Oh, and um, Belch…you gots some serious explainin’ to do, matey!”

At this, Maugrimm tore out of the cafe with Khyetarah and friends under his arm. Speechless, everyone glared about with his or her mouth hanging open. Belch, however, wasn’t surprised in the slightest. He knew he’d have to come clean with Maugrimm sooner or later.

“What the hell was that about?” Zynathian asked, astonished at his friend’s behaviour.

“Oh, nothing…it’s just that ever since I changed the location of my restaurant, my clientele has followed me. Some of that clientele is—”

Belch lost his thought as his best employee arrived one hour before he was due to be on the clock.

“Little Nick...great! I’m going to take a break now, seeing as you’re early for your shift.”

To all of their amusement, Rosa Lee’s son,
Little Nick
, was the cook! He was laden with an apron, a chef’s hat, and his laser pistol, strapped to his side.

Nicolas greeted the family with enthusiasm. “Hey you all, you made it!”

“This little one is my secret weapon…a wonderful cook! Eventually he’ll be better than me, and I thought I’d never say that about anyone!” Belch remarked.

“Oh my goodness, Nick, when’d you learn to cook?” Lyn asked, making a mental note to scold Annie for not mentioning that he was one of the chefs in the restaurant here.

So this is where she’s been staring at him! I wonder if she mustered the courage to speak to him last night, like we discussed?

“I used to help Mom at home all the time. Now, with the few tricks Belch has taught me, I’m a master. Watch closely if you wanna’ learn something.
Nicolas, the gun-toting grill man is at work!”

He had the family in stitches with this.

“How is Rosa Lee?” Asha asked.

“Mom’s great…she’s still sleeping.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Nicolas saw the pretty redhead approaching Lyn from behind. That girl was a shy one. She’d been staring at him for the last two weeks, but had yet to speak!

Annie surprised her from behind. “Hey, Lynnie!”

They exchanged kisses. Annie greeted everyone at the table and then took a seat next to Lyn Sha, whispering in her ear. They’d begun another of their conversations involving subject matter that they should’ve been far too young to know anything about. If any grownups had been listening in, they would’ve been appalled at the depth of their knowledge with adult matters (the benefits of reading too many PoisonTongue stories beyond one’s age level!).

Wanting to impress Annie, Nicolas was now showing off. He threw two insanely large pieces of meat in the air with his spatulas, did a three-sixty spin, caught them, and then slammed them back on the grill on their opposite sides. He received thunderous applause for this.

“Lyn, look at the way Nick handles his meat…he’s sooooo hot!”

Lyn Sha spat up all of her water, laughing.

They watched him, a young master with spatulas and butchering equipment, slicing and dicing the meat into square chunks, tossing the pieces about.

“You gotta’ wonder if he’s that good with all his utensils,” Lyn said.

She and Annie stared at each other, blushing. Then they leaned on the table and buried their faces in their arms, laughing heartily. Everyone looked at them, wanting to be let in on the joke. However, they did not share.

Annie was actually
very
hungry but too shy to speak up and order anything. Lucky for her, Nick was a considerate chef.

“So what’s it gonna be for you guys?” he asked, everyone.

“Lot’s of pancakes!”

“And sausages!”

“I want scrambled eggs!”

“With cheese on them, please!”

“Got it,” Nicolas answered.

Nick was so talented that within several minutes he’d already prepared one serving. He thought he might use this as an opportunity to meet the redhead.

“Hey, Lynnie, who’s your friend? We haven’t been properly introduced.”

Everyone else understood what was going on now, for Annie was far too obvious with her blushing. This both amused and puzzled the girls, as she was quite a ‘take charge’ person with regard to serious matters. However, when it came to boys and crushes, she was a lost cause.

After being elbowed by Lyn Sha about ten times, Annie slowly walked over to the kitchen with her head down. She was petrified.

“I’m Annie,” she whispered.

Nicolas heard but pretended that he didn’t. “Sorry, I didn’t catch that.”

“Annie,” she said, finally managing to look him in the eye. Her face was redder by the second.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Nick.”

“I know.”

“I made something for you…you hungry?” he said, sliding the plate across the metal counter to her. “It’s on the house,” Nick said, winking at her.

Wide-eyed, Annie went back to the table with her plate, joyously skipping. Though she really had no way of knowing if this little gesture was Nicolas just being nice, or if this implied that he meant to ask for her hand in marriage, she assumed the latter.

“Lynnie! Lynnie! He made me pancakes and eggs! I’m in love!” she said, flopping down at the table. Annie looked as if she were ready to melt and slide through the seams of the chair cushion. The others broke up with laughter.

Meanwhile, Nicolas was contemplating his next move. Flowers? A promise ring? Why not? After all, he knew Annie was
the one.

Pouring several fresh circles of pancake batter on the grill, Nick went back to his meat and scooped the massive pile of cubes into two separate bowls. “Hey, boss, this meat is done…who’s it for?”

“It’s for two of our favourite customers downstairs.” Belch pointed.

Nick sat the bowls of diced meat on the countertop. Still elated from having just met his future wife, he was nearly singing, as he yelled downstairs to two of their regulars.

“Beatrice
,
Bertha...you’re up!

2

By early evening, the entire Igloo knew the story of Zynathian Volkeye and family. Most had sought them out to express their gratitude and to get to know them better, or to see these unique talents that they’d heard so much about. The kids were all too happy to put themselves on display, and many of the refugees followed them outdoors.

Bahzee brought one of the now-useless cauldrons outside and had a great time portraying herself as a human freak show that could lift a gigantic cauldron filled with squirming, noisy children without breaking a sweat. She was a big hit, and as soon as the kids were tired of the cauldron trick, she became a jungle gym for them to climb upon (ten to twenty kids at a time). They frolicked about in the snow, trying to bring the super strong she-beast down. None of them could do it.

Meanwhile, Teshunua had been taking different children for rides all over the complex. Whilst they sat upon his back, he rapidly scaled the walls and rooftop of the Igloo. While atop the building, he and the kids could see Lyn Sha soar above them with the smallest children on her back, landing on the other side of the complex.

Khyeryn had a large group of about fifty or sixty behind him, watching as he demolished a boulder. He held back, firing slowly as he worked his way down, so they could enjoy it as long as possible. Finally, the rock was destroyed, and he was showered with applause. Khyeryn turned to greet the new groups of people flocking to him, and he transformed his arm several times for their pleasure. Then he started on a new rock…and then another… By the time Khyeryn had blown up a dozen boulders, it had gotten a little old, and he retired indoors along with the others.

After a few hours of this type of meet-and-greet for the family, Belch and Zynathian realized it was time to get down to business. They called a meeting over the intercom. Now the entire Igloo (men, women, children, and beasts alike) was in a huge banquet hall. Presently the room was minus its tables, so they were able to fit everyone. Zynathian and family sat in the center of the room, completely arresting the crowd’s attention. Zynathian addressed them all.

“First off, let me say that I’m deeply sorry to any of you who’ve lost your homes, loved ones, or both to Phyllamon in some way. He’s the reason I’ve called you all here…to protect you. I’m sorry that I can’t do the same for your homes, as I know that many of you hope to see them again. You should know,” he paused, trying to think of how best to break the news, “the chances of you all being able to return to your homes is very slim indeed.”

The sighing and pacing began. People walked about muttering to themselves, and several voices called out.

“Why?”

“How do you know this?”

“I know this, because I have a very well-placed spy in Castle Xyecah, monitoring Phyllamon’s actions. I’ve heard these words from his very mouth. He aims to burn the homes of the Trio to the ground, then to destroy Mashyuvah, brick-by-brick, but not before executing every hostage within the city.”

“Then we leave right now and free them!” one of those from Rhameeryla shouted, brandishing his pistol. His statement was followed with cheers of approval.

Asha waved her hand, dismissing this.

“We have the Castle monitored, not Mashyuvah. We don’t know what we’re dealing with there. For all you know, you could be running into a much bigger problem than you’re capable of handling, remember that. Our best bet is to meet Phyllamon and his army head on, the day they decide to storm the city and the Trio. If we can surprise them, perhaps we’ll win the battle, and then we can see to the hostages in Mashyuvah,” she said, revealing a detail that no one outside the family had been aware of till now.

“What army has he got?” someone asked.

“A very powerful one.” Zynathian squeezed Asha’s arm to be sure that she took care to not inform them about the type of soldiers they’d be fighting…not yet at least. “The problem is, even with our fighters from Rhameeryla, we haven’t a large enough mass to face Phyllamon yet. I’m very sorry to have to put you all in this position, but these are grave times. We must have the help of every able-bodied person, who has the tiniest hint of a warrior within them!”

“I would, but I’m too old!” a woman in her nineties said.

“I’m pregnant…I’m no fighter!”

“One of his Karnovs already took my arm…you want me to give Phyllamon my head next, is that it?”

“I’ll fight!”

“I won’t…I didn’t sign up for this shit!”

This bickering went on for several minutes, until a large man stumbled his way into the middle of the floor, capturing everyone’s attention as he waved about his mug of beer.

“I am no warrior. I’m merely a drunk and a sex machine, but my boys are soldiers! Every last one of them began serving in the military at age fourteen,” the man said, grinning. “If you wish it, they’re at your service, Zynathian Volkeye,
god amongst us men!”

Zynathian’s eyes widened, as he looked this man over, reliving the past for the second time this day. “Peenuhs! Peenuhs Dickery!” Zynathian shouted with excitement. “What are you doing here?”

“Well, my wife and I eventually settled in Mashyuvah, and I’m sure you know the rest.”