‘Ratty, dear boy, you look splendid,’ Gavor said, flapping down to land in front of the felci. ‘They go with your eyes.’
Dar-volci looked at him steadily for a moment and then inclined his head slowly to look up at his benefactor. ‘Very droll, Andawyr,’ he said. ‘Very droll. But you should know better by now.’ Then, returning his attention to Gavor, his mouth bent into a sinister smile. ‘Light be with you, crow,’ he said, and, like a wet dog, he shook himself vigorously from nose to tail. The sparks flew off in all directions, showering most of the people standing nearby.
The main recipient, however, was Gavor, and as Dar-volci ended his impromptu display with a vigorous scratching to dislodge a few more sparks from behind his ear, he looked at the raven critically.
‘Very fetching, Gavo
