"Get the bowls," Sol ordered, his eyes gleaming with the reflection of the fire. "We're going to be kings."
But first, they had to eat.
Sol ladled the steaming, golden-red broth into wooden bowls for the family. He made sure each serving had a generous chunk of the searingly hot rock-badger meat, a piece of the caramelized tuber, and plenty of the glistening, fat-rich liquid.
The hut went silent, save for the sounds of frantic slurping and satisfied sighs. The spice warmed them from the inside out, chasing away the morning chill, while the rich fats coated their tongues in a way boiled water never could.
Veyra was the first to break the silence, though she didn't look up from her bowl.
