Book One – Chapter 15

WHY?

It was the first thought that surfaced.

Why THIS?

Why would you bring this ugly, horrible — this horribly ugly thing here? Why not something beautiful? Why not something bright, something to uplift your desperate days in Albweiss, to allow you a bit of daydreaming on an otherwise unbearable day of endless toil and isolation? The paintings in the common room were one thing. But this? Of all the things to hang in a kitchen – a place where warmth, food, and comfort should be found – why bring in something so soul‑crushing? If Yu —

“Take them out. Serve the shaman first.”

Bubs.

The cook stood at the counter beside the deep stone sink, knife flashing in precise, rhythmic movements. Thick slabs of meat fell beneath the blade, each slice landing with a dull, wet thud against the cutting board. He did not look at Yu as he spoke, just jabbed the knife in the general direction of the steaming pots. A tray sat ready before them, bowls already filled to the brim with stew.

Yu’s stomach churned. The moment his focus shifted from horror to hunger, the scent hit him full force, thick and intoxicating, rich with marrow and spice. His beak watered. His hunger sharpened to pain. He swallowed hard and shuffled forward, just to stop again after the first three steps, as the heat from the fire wrapped around him. He could feel the relief seeping into his skin, just from standing so close. A moment of warmth. A moment of want.

“What are you waiting for?” Bubs snapped, breaking the spell.

Yu stiffened, blinking hard.

He had no answer.

His thoughts were sluggish, his body heavy with exhaustion. He was just not all there anymore.

He shuffled forward, attempting to grasp the tray. His wings did not fit through the wooden side handles, which were meant to be grabbed by fingers, but the raised frame offered enough surface for him to press his wings against the tray’s sides. What remained of his lower arms did not suffice, so he bent both wings and locked the tray between the sharp Vs that his upper and lower arms formed around his elbows. It was heavy. Six full bowls. Yu needed to squeeze hard to lock and hold it in place. He struggled to keep it balanced. His wings ached from all the scrubbing.