It is, he agreed grimly. LongNight was awful, and he only regretted that they couldn't convince everyone to leave the Grounds for the week. Some Attuned might be able to shelter in the ocean in their shifts, but only as a last resort... and none of the ones I know would willingly abandon their people who can't shift. Still, he sent gratitude through the bond, appreciating Delta's kind heart and willingness to help. Thank you.
He listened with interest to hear that the merfolk had a far-speaking device like the shells he had given to Phoebe, before she had abandoned the Grounds for greener, wetter pastures. We had a similar device, once, he agreed with a sigh. But Phoebe took it with her when she came here and I don't know what's happened to it. It would have been good to have during LongNight, though. The purpose it had been made for, and the reason he had reunited her with the missing half, back when she had been their Healer and dedicated to saving the wounded and the dying. Once, we might have been able to... there were those who could create such magical items. But the human magic of the world shifted and ever since the art has been mostly lost. Maybe we could find a nonmagical way? As easy as it was to rely on magic, the shifts had shown that it wasn't always a stable power. And now the only one who he knew could make such things was Deimos, and even then only rarely.
He bobbed his head in eager agreement to hear what Delta would like, and his eyes brightened at the mention of cake. He had to work to keep the jewel held firmly in his jaw when he started salivating at the thought. Frosting or icing, yes. Very sweet, sugary stuff. I think you'll like it a lot. He could get small iced cakes from Amalia when he told her about the merfolk.
He was glad he had phrased it as "what kind of" and not "do you have" buildings at her answer. Glad, too, that she was patient with his lack of knowledge of her people. Are they made from stone? He was trying to imagine how they must look, underwater, where things were lighter and tended to float - or at least, he tended to float! Most human buildings are made from wood or stone, but I didn't think... well, do you have anything like wood, underwater? Some tough plant material that doesn't rot when its wet?
He listened with interest to hear that the merfolk had a far-speaking device like the shells he had given to Phoebe, before she had abandoned the Grounds for greener, wetter pastures. We had a similar device, once, he agreed with a sigh. But Phoebe took it with her when she came here and I don't know what's happened to it. It would have been good to have during LongNight, though. The purpose it had been made for, and the reason he had reunited her with the missing half, back when she had been their Healer and dedicated to saving the wounded and the dying. Once, we might have been able to... there were those who could create such magical items. But the human magic of the world shifted and ever since the art has been mostly lost. Maybe we could find a nonmagical way? As easy as it was to rely on magic, the shifts had shown that it wasn't always a stable power. And now the only one who he knew could make such things was Deimos, and even then only rarely.
He bobbed his head in eager agreement to hear what Delta would like, and his eyes brightened at the mention of cake. He had to work to keep the jewel held firmly in his jaw when he started salivating at the thought. Frosting or icing, yes. Very sweet, sugary stuff. I think you'll like it a lot. He could get small iced cakes from Amalia when he told her about the merfolk.
He was glad he had phrased it as "what kind of" and not "do you have" buildings at her answer. Glad, too, that she was patient with his lack of knowledge of her people. Are they made from stone? He was trying to imagine how they must look, underwater, where things were lighter and tended to float - or at least, he tended to float! Most human buildings are made from wood or stone, but I didn't think... well, do you have anything like wood, underwater? Some tough plant material that doesn't rot when its wet?
