I chuckled immediately.
"You still carry that everywhere?"
"Of course," he said proudly. "Civilization would collapse without this."
He poured the drink into several small glasses sitting on the table and pushed one toward me.
Arkas walked over and took a seat while Lucien followed, the atmosphere instantly shifting from shock to something much more familiar.
"Please sit sir Guardian," Edgar said. "We have a lot to talk about."
I pulled a chair and joined them. For a moment no one spoke as Edgar handed out the glasses.
Then Arkas leaned back slightly in his chair, studying me the way he always used to when he was trying to understand what had changed about a person.
"So," he said after a moment, his voice calm but curious, "tell us about the journey. You've been gone for a long time. How was it?"
I took a slow sip from the glass Edgar had poured before answering.
