Chapter 29

“That is Aripi, Valmont’s familiar, mon chéri,” Delphine explained.

“Aripi…I want to say Wings?”

“Oui, Otto. En anglais. You are very learned.”

“Only about some things. Math. Languages.”

“Even Romanian.”

“Un pic. Un peu.” Now, I was showing off. “A little bit.” A fan shaped patch of dirt showed where I’d cleared all the leaves by sweeping my foot. “Our familiars don’t get to follow us to…Heaven?”

Heaven. No one had used that particular word during the funeral. No one had used that one, either.

“Aripiwill remain here,” Delphine said. One of many reasons sadness fills us when one of our own is taken.”