Chapter 14: Innocence.

EATING DELICIOUS YARE-NUTS, Render sat at the alien food table. He sucked on the sweetness, then chewed and swallowed.

Toren stood before the windows with his prayer book in his hands. The monk didn’t appear to be reading and instead stared at the ocean. Daris reclined in his usual spot at the foot of the bed, with a glass plate in his lap, feet propped up and crossed at the ankles. The alien stacked his top two tentacles on his head.

Since their trip to the waterfall, Render had found his time with Daris glorious. Now that the pretense of him and Toren being teachers had lifted, they were free to be themselves.

The last two days, they napped, ate, and looked after Daris. If the next king wanted to go somewhere or do something, they accompanied him as guards would. Mostly, Daris read on his tablet. The alien was very studious. When he had questions about Albeon, the next king asked Render or Toren.