Vade
Glancing back over his shoulder, Bade looked at the line of carriages snaking along the path to the landing grounds. “I can’t believe that you’re dragging fifteen belas to the balloon to say good-bye to you.”
“It was their idea!” Vade protested. “They volunteered for it, and got permission from the queen. It’s not my fault.” Turning his gaze on Orinakin, he asked, “It’s not typical for all of the Seven Siblings to escort visitors to the balloons, is it? You don’t always do this, all seven - - eight - - of you, do you?”
“No,” Orinakin admitted. “We each, separately, seem to have decided to see you to the balloon, independent of each other. I’m not sure what the reason is.” As he shrugged lightly, one corner of his mouth quirked upward. “Maybe they like you, after all.”
“After all?” Vade repeated. “Of course they like me. I’m immensely likable.”
“They’re probably just eager to get rid of you,” Bade said. “Or they want to make sure that you don’t try to abscond with one of the belas.”
“Of course I won’t do anything that absurd,” Vade said. “I’m going to abscond with three of the belas. One wouldn’t be nearly enough on those cold winter nights.”
