Omen: 2, 10

  Adam stared down at Taygak, his brows furrowed. Taygak returhe stare up at him, her eyes expet. She wore clothing which had been gifted to her in the m by her mother, red, like blood. Her hand was ed with all kinds of cloth which had been hao her by the other children.

  “Hmm,” Adam groaned, rubbing his . He gnced around, looking at all the other children, who were looking at him expetly. “There seems to be an issue.”

  The children gnced between one another, but did not say anything. They were waiting for it. They khe joke, they khe punch line, but the anticipation was causing them to twitch.

  “I have this ,” Adam said, revealing his ptinum . “I ’t seem to find the person I o give it to.”

  “Who?” Taygak asked.

  “I am looking for my adorable Cousin Taygak. She’s turning oday, but I ’t seem to find her.”

  Taygak ched her fist and stood up taller. “I, Taygak.”

  “What?” Adam asked, gasping.

  The other children began to giggle and cackle quietly between one another, but they pced their fingers on their lips to try and quieten down.

  “I, Taygak,” the Devilkin girl repeated, fidently.

  “You are Taygak?”

  “Daughter, Kaygak,” the girl stated firmly.

  “Taygak, daughter of Kaygak?”

  “Yes.”

  Adam gasped. “What? You are Taygak, daughter of Kaygak?”

  “Yes.”

  “Oh my Gods,” Adam said, pulling back. “You ’t be Taygak! You’re too big and to to be my little Cousin Taygak!”

  The children burst out with ughter, giggling wildly.

  “Cousin Adam, you are so silly,” Katool said, pointing up at him.

  “You joke too much!” Turot accused, but he was ed by a fit of ughter.

  “I, Taygak. Big. Strong.” Taygak shrough her nostrils, wideniance as she stood up straight.

  “No! My adorable Cousin Taygak should be small and cute, like always.” Adam frowned.

  “No,” Taygak replied firmly. “Big. Strong.”

  Adam lifted the girl up, grunting as he pretele. “Oof! Taygak, you are too big now!”

  “Strong,” Taygak accused, narrowing her eyes suspiciously at him.

  “I’m strong?”

  “Yes.”

  Adam stood up straight, holding the girl to his chest. He stared into her eyes, his brows still furrowed, as though thinking. “You know, Taygak. I think you’re right.”

  “Yes.” Taygak smiled. Of course she was right, she was Taygak.

  “Happy birthday, Taygak,” Adam said, huggiight, before letting her down. He k down and held out a ptinum . “Remember, this is your , and not even your mother take it from you.”

  “Taygak ,” she said, taking it.

  Adam smiled. “Do you like it?”

  “Yes,” the girl replied, staring at the . It was so shiny, and she hadn’t seen much ptinum in her life.

  Adam raised his brows.

  “Thank,” Taygak said, patting her Cousin’s shoulder.

  “Good girl.” Adam smiled. “It’s a shame I missed my other adorable Cousin Gaks’ birthdays by only a few days, but you got your , didn’t you?”

  “Yes,” Raygak replied, and Saygak nodded.

  “Good,” Adam said, his eyes catg Lavgak’s and Kaygak’s eyes. “Well, it’s not like I could have beat them up to get them to hand over the s.” Then his eyes fell to Jogak and Tizgak.

  Jogak and Tizgak exged ghe pair wao fire something back, but they were both sure they couldn’t beat Adam, though perhaps together they stood some ce. However, two adult Iyrmen against their daughters’ patriot? They wouldn’t be able to live with the shame.

  Adam wi the pair, before letting the ive their gifts to the small Devilkin. Jurot had given her a shield, one which had been given to him when he was a boy from his granduncle, Sarot. Kitool had given her some cy she had brought from Red Oak.

  “Taygak, e,” Jaygak said.

  Taygak walked over to her cousin, standing at attention. Like all Iyrmen children she made sure to listen to her cousins. It was the way the Iyr worked. There was a level of trust between all Iyrmen, and if something o be do was to be dohout question.

  Jaygak unstrapped Stormdrake, before dropping to a knee. “You meditate with Stormdrake and py with it.”

  Taygak twitched, her eyes fluttering. She looked to her mother, who thought for a moment, but nodded her head. Taygak then looked to Jaygak. “Taygak, py?”

  “Yes,” Jaygak said, handing the girl the sword in its sheath.

  Taygak stared down at it wide eyed, and the other children stared at the sword and their cousin, who was the oldest of all the children. Taygak’s ti beat quickly, feeling the shock of excitement.

  “Taygak, py?” Taygak asked, staring up at Jaygak in utter shock, uo prehend she was allowed to py with this on.

  “Yes. Be careful, okay?”

  “Okay!”

  Jaygak remained with Taygak, making sure she didn’t do anything to hurt herself. Though Taygak was allowed to meditate with it, she didn’t, ioo busy showing it off to her cousins, letting them touch it and swing it, with the girl’s guidance.

  It was surely the best gift.

  The other adults gred at Jaygak fiving such a great gift to the girl. Jaygak smirked in response, uanding their gres. She basked within the gres, but she knew she could do this without getting reprimanded.

  ‘I wonder how they’ll reae they find out what my real gift is?’

  Jogak pced a hand at the back of his daughter’s head.

  “Father?”

  “What are you pnning?” Jogak asked.

  Jaygak kept the smirk on her face. “What do you mean?”

  “I feel it,” he said. “The tingling at the tip of my horns. I know yoing to do something.”

  “What have I done?” Jaygak asked, feeling the strong hand at the back of her head. She was enjoying the feeling, the feeling of her father wanting to reprimand her, but with no reason to do so.

  Jogak sighed, pulling her head to his chest. “Do not go too far, it is little Taygak’s birthday.”

  Jaygak just smiled up at her father, which stated that she would take his words into sideration, but she was definitely going to do whatever it was she was going to do. Jogak left, keeping an eye on Jaygak, while she was keeping an eye on Taygak. Even if she was going to go wild ter, she uood that she o make sure Taygak, regardless of how sensible she was, wasn’t in danger because of Stormdrake.

  The Iyrmen tensed up, though seeing the familiar strahey calmed down.

  “Hello,” Strom called, stepping through the archway. “How are you all? I heard it was someone’s birthday so I thought I’d stop by.”

  The Iyrmen should have expected Strom, who had also appeared the month previously for bak and Saygak.

  Adam wao tease Strom, but he couldn’t. Strom was still slowly losi, and his skin was growing slightly paler. He did not give the same intense pressure as he had after giving up his Spark. “Yo.”

  “I hope I’m not too te to give my gift,” Strom said, revealing a sword made of metal which looked almost like the night sky. He had brought simir bdes previously fak and Saygak. They were not magical, but were made of exotic materials, those not found in these nds.

  They all looked to Kaygak, but she looked to the nearby Iyrman. She was a familiar face, which caused the children to rush up to her in delight. She had also e previously with Strom fak and Saygak.

  “Grandaunt! Grandaunt,” they shouted, rushing towards Shaool.

  “Good m,” she said, pig Taygak up, brushing her hair. “What a big girl you have bee, little Taygak.”

  Taygak snorted, before resting her head against Shaool’s cheek. “Yes.”

  “Will you accept Lord Strom’s gift?”

  Taygak looked towards Strom, who smiled politely. She shyly nodded her head. “Thank…”

  “There’s o thank me,” Strom said, who had already showered the Iyr in a hundred ons thus far.

  “Okay,” the girl replied, staring at the sword. She khat Strom was really important, even if she didn’t know who he was.

  It was surely the best gift.

  Jaygak narrowed her eyes towards Strom. “I have a gift too.” She had wao save it for the evening, but she couldn’t let Strom upstage her like this.

  “You have already given a gift,” Kaygak said, trying to put some pressure on the girl. She, like the other adult Iyrmen, could feel it. It was a sense which they had traihanks to the girl, but it had been refined by Adam.

  Jaygak was going to do something stupid.

  Jaygak turned, but found herself face to face with her father. “Step aside, father.”

  Jogak reached up to grab her shoulder, and though Jaygak tried to slip aside, he had anticipated where she was going to go, and mao grab her. He smiled politely, letting her know she was still far too young to be trying to fight him. “We have Guests, Jaygak.”

  Jaygak stared up towards her father’s eyes, and he could tell it wasn’t do. “I have to give my gift to my cousin.”

  “You have given yift,” Jogak rebuked, trying to get her to back down.

  “I have not,” Jaygak stated, not taking it for an answer.

  “You have,” Jogak replied, speaking more clearly. He was making sure she uood she couldn’t act up, especially not in front of Strom.

  “Hmmm,” Adam hummed.

  The adult Iyrmen’s eyes then sowards Adam, who was smiling.

  Oh no.

  Quickly, their eyes so Sonarot, atg it all unfold. Strom, too, watched the py, uanding there was something about to happen.

  “Oh dear,” Adam said. “If Jaygak is uo get her gift, then I suppose I’ll have to say my thoughts out loud.”

  It was an obvious warning.

  “Adam, what are you…” Mirot began, only to hat Jurot and Kitool had straightened up.

  It was then the Iyrmen realised it was not just Jaygak and Adam, but Jurot and Kitool too. Their eyes theo the Guests, all of whom Adam had invited, from Duo Vonda, and those he had adventured with. Adam had ihem to Taygak’s birthday, making sure they had gifts for her.

  If they tihis, they would only tio embarrass themselves, and if Adam said whatever he was thinking out loud, then they could only bme themselves since he had warhem.

  Jogak had to make a decision. He sighed, a go of his daughter’s shoulder, allowio make her way to the house.

  Adam tio smile ily. Even if it meant aggravating the adults, he couldn’t help but want to help Jaygak spoil Taygak. Even if they disliked him for it, it was worth it. Jaygak probably had something great she wao hand to…

  All the eyes fell onto Jaygak as she returned, who held in her hands a sword. The hilt was made of a beautiful red gem, with a yellow cloth tied around it, matg the Gak family tatoo of a red cross with yellow tilted kites.

  It was not just any bde, but one which had sin all manner of creatures, and had no small part in keeping Jaygak alive.

  Strom and Adam burst out in ughter.

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  Jaygak likes to do a little trolling. I'm gd I'm keeping track of days, as well as the various birthdays.