InitiationThe feast covered an entire woollen blanket, a banquet of subdued colours and delicious scents: pies crisscrossed with pale pastry, tarts with sodden fruit, the great honey-roasted bird, and sweet cakes made from sultanas and milk. Mina’s stomach made protest at the sight. No food all day, and now enough food to sate the entire village of Andon. Roberto lifted his eyebrow at the gurgling noises from her stomach, and made as if to pass a mead-filled goblet to her. The smell wafting from it nearly made her gag.
‘Now, be careful to drink slowly,’ Roberto said with a grin. Seeing her face, he took the goblet back.
‘Mama, I think perhaps the dandelion wine for Mina!’
Roberto passed the rejected goblet to Jal. Soon, each player held a goblet, though no one drank. Mama Tina handed Mi
