“Told you,” Phemi tells Ethelo. Ethelo is a passus, forsaken by dragons, and it leaves him prone to joking—about himself, and about others. He wolf-whistles at Delo as he gets to his feet. “We’ve been waiting on this one for years, brother.” He lifts a mug of tea as if in toast and bows with a flourish. “Heartfelt congratulations to you both.”

