Chapter 15
Aoede’s Song Evades Being Eaten
Octavian raised his fiddlestick, ending the rapid impromptu “Shark Fin With Spinach”, and the audience exploded with cheers and applause. A girl with red hair, in a vintage museum dress, applauded especially warmly. A picture-perfect toucan was sitting on her shoulder. The girl and toucan appeared suddenly – a minute ago there was no one at the table by the stage.
The chef-maestro bowed and approached the new guests.
“I want to thank you on behalf of music,” the girl made a curtsy, and the bird waved its colorful beak. “My name is Aoede.”
Octavian peered into her dimples:
“Have we ever met before? Your face looks familiar to me.”
“As does yours to me” the girl sat down, and the toucan jumped off her shoulder onto the tabletop.
“Are you fro
