she seemed perplexed, and so he drew away after a lingering moment. his gaze found her own, and unbidden he slipped closer, though not so close that she would lift her ebon lips in scorn. the dark one did not chastise him, but nor did she speak, and so taltos filled the silence between them with brief words. your mother was my witch. the earthen man did not know if tonravik would understand, for he had played but a small role in siku's life, though he knew his love for her had never gone unnoticed.
and you are of her blood, taltos murmured, eyes traveling to the scene before them, rainwet and sheeted in grey mists. the implication was clear — yet he did not yet call her witch. proffering but a taste of what his service meant; he hoped that it would be enough to invoke in her the spirit of her mother, and deem her worthy of his title.