Della finally remembered the spoon in her hand and brought it to her mouth.
"Mmm...!"
She closed her eyes.
The crab broke apart against her tongue, sweet and tender beneath the warm butter. She'd expected something like the little river crabs sold in baskets near the market. Those needed sauce and a great deal of patient picking to become worth eating.
This filled her mouth with rich, succulent meat, and she wanted another spoonful before she'd finished swallowing the first.
"Oh, Goddess."
Tavi looked down at Della's bowl, then hurriedly tasted her own.
"Mm!"
Her free hand caught Della's sleeve. Della nodded to her, understanding perfectly, and went back for more.
Across the fire, Brena had stopped watching Black. She was bent over her dinner, using a piece of bread to push every loose flake of crab onto her spoon.
"Lucille," she managed after swallowing, "what did you put in this?"
"Butter, salt, and the herbs Della brought."
