Page 60 of I Am the Night

Okura and Akuro greet me first, landing before me when I materialize at the entrance. The baby is with them and I show them the portrait I created for the three of them. This one is etched into stone, which seemed fitting.

I don't know if Gargoyles decorate or enjoy this kind of thing, but I wanted to do something for them.

They are speechless. "I've never seen a likeness made of our family like this," Okura admits, her deep voice thick with emotion. "Our kind doesn't really get gifts. Ever."

"I hope I haven't offended you with this," I say, wondering if I should have checked the protocol first.

"Not at all," Akuro says. "We are pleased."

I take the baby when Okura offers her to me and cuddle her. Well, as much as you can cuddle animated stone.

I also hand them a Memory Catcher. "Please do not watch this unless something happens to me."

Okura frowns. "Is something meant to happen to you?"

I give a sad smile. "None of us are guaranteed a tomorrow. But if the worst happens, watch it and you'll know what to do."

I swear I see a tear slide down Okura's stony cheek as I enter the Mausoleum.

Ifi and Elal aren't in the morgue, so I head to their apartment, and there I find them cooking dinner.

Their door is left open, likely to air out the smoke building in their home.

"What are you two doing?" I ask, choking as I use a bit of air magic to help clear out the kitchen.

"Oh thank the gods you are here," Elal says, sounding more like Ifi than himself. "My husband has decided to take up cooking. That's normally my job but he insisted he wants to be more helpful in the kitchen." Elal waves a hand as if to say, 'look how helpful he's being.'

I chuckle. "At least he's trying."

Ifi huffs as he stirs a large pot. "I am creating a masterpiece. Both of you take a seat at the table and stop your whining. A little smoke never hurt anyone."

I could cite studies that would disagree with that, but instead I follow Elal to the table and we both sit, eyeing the Ifrit nervously as he serves up whatever is in the pot into large bowls that he places before us with a flourish.

"Now, dine on the most magnificent food you will ever experience in your lives," he says.

Whatever is in the bowl… and I really do meanwhatever… is green and slimy, and my stomach flops over at the thought of introducing it to this substance of questionable edibility.

"Um, Ifi," I say, not quite sure how to phrase this. "You know that though I'm a Fate, I'm still in a mostly human body, right? So, I have to be careful what I put inside it, lest I end up on your table prematurely."

He cocks his hip and rolls his eyes. "I know, I know. Rude. I assure you, this is safe for human consumption."

Elal moves the gelatinous sludge around with a spoon, not looking the least bit convinced by his husband's encouragement.

He looks up at me. "Ladies first?"

I fall back on my standard line in this world. "Age before beauty."

"How about we do this together?" Elal proposes as a compromise. "On three?"

"Fine."

"One. Two. Three."

I take the smallest taste I can, while still managing to get some on the spoon. I'm definitely expecting to gag. Possibly die.

The flavor takes a moment to hit, and when it does, I see Elal's eyes widen just as mine do.

I take another bite just to make sure I'm not hallucinating, and yep, I was right. "Ifi, this truly is amazing."

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