Jorvanultumn took a moment to translate the most recent exchange for the benefit of the Isyar.

After that, Davorultumn stood up and said, “Let’s make some room for the ceremony, shall we?” He then translated himself for the humans, after which everyone stood up.

“You will need something personal, Jorvanultumn,” Chiansamorkin said. “Fevionawishtensen and I already have ours. Do you have something?”

Jorvanultumn thought for a moment. “Not on me, but I know what to use. I’ll go get—”

“Jorvanultumn,” Davorultumn interrupted, “will you help me with these dishes so the others can lower the low-table?”

There was no way Davorultumn actually needed the help. The spells he had used to bring everything in would have barely affected his power reserves. No, he clearly wanted to talk, and Jorvanultumn could guess what he wanted to talk about. Jorvanultumn turned to Meleng. “Meleng Drago, can you go to my room and bring me my element decahedra? I need to give away something personal in the ceremony.”

Meleng nodded. “Of course.” He hurried off, grabbing only his cloak to help against the cold.

Jorvanultumn gathered some air with a twist of his wrist, then created a small but strong wind to lift plates from the table. He then followed his diare into the adjoining room. “You wish to talk?”

Davorultumn leaned on the high-table. “That easy to read, am I?” He sighed. “I just want to say that, while I do not approve of his behaviour, I understand Hedromornasta’s reaction. You are…flouting our traditions. This is not what the fomaze is supposed to be.”

Jorvanultumn guided the plates gently on to the high-table, then released the wind. “I thought similarly, Diare, but Fevionawishtensen assures me there is no formal rule requiring…” He trailed off as Davorultumn shook his head.

“That may be so, Jorvanultumn, and I suppose it may be your right, but think of the optics. Couldn’t you at least wait until after the Lamdritta has ruled on your elispt?”

Jorvanultumn nodded. “We intended that at first. It was an impulsive decision I made just before dinner to take advantage of having witnesses all gathered together. I do understand your concerns, Diare. This has all happened very fast, and I’m sorry for that. I suppose I just needed something good to happen. I’ve been out of sorts on this trip. I know the havoc I’m creating.”

Davorultumn circled the high-table and touched his forehead to Jorvanultumn’s. “It’s all right. You’ve made your decision. I hope you’re all happy. Genuinely.”

“Thank you, Diare.”

Davorultumn returned to dealing with the dishes, lowering them into a bucket of water with a wave of his hand. Then repeated twitches of his wing stirred and agitated the water.

“You and Mikranasta never chose to perform the fomaze with anyone?”

Davorultumn continued to agitate the water while he stared up at the sky. After a moment, he shook his head. “With everything I know, I didn’t feel right doing it with any of my friends.”

“Everything you know? You mean the Pundritta?”

Davorultumn looked at Jorvanultumn, but there was a distance in his eyes. He looked about to say something, but paused.

“Diare?”

Davorultumn relaxed. “Yes, the Pundritta. It would be hard to keep such information to myself. And luckily for me, Mikranasta keeps from forming close relationships. There was never anyone she considered close enough for the fomaze.”

“That makes sense. I always did wonder about it.”

Davorultumn gave him a smile. “I can take care of everything from here. Perhaps you should return to the others. I will be out shortly. Don’t start without me.”

Jorvanultumn smiled back. “We won’t.” As he returned to the others, he could not shake the feeling that Davorultumn had been about to tell him something different.

In the gathering room, the low-table had already been lowered to its usual height, and the stools had been moved out of the way to one side of the room. Fevionawishtensen and Chiansamorkin stood by the wall farthest from the heating stones. The other Isyar appeared to be trying to give them space while also trying to be as far from the heat as possible. Hedromornasta stood staring across the room, but did not seem to be looking at anything in particular.

Hilkorultumn came towards Jorvanultumn, pausing briefly by Hedromornasta, who did not acknowledge him. Hilkorultumn shrugged and continued to Jorvanultumn. “Strange lad, that one.”

“He’s just sulking,” Jorvanultumn said. “He does that.”

“I want to offer my congratulations,” Hilkorultumn said, “but also to warn you to be careful. There will be others who think like Hedromornasta. It would have been better if you’d waited.”

“That’s what my diare said.”

“I taught him well.”

“There’s just not much time.”

Hilkorultumn touched his forehead to Jorvanultumn’s. “That’s what the young always think.” He sighed deeply. “Go join your new family.”

“Thank you.” Jorvanultumn crossed over to Fevionawishtensen and Chiansamorkin, who both smiled as he approached.

Ready? Fevionawishtensen signed.

“Just about, I think.” He looked about the room. Sinitïa, Gen, and Ting were warming themselves by the heating stones.

“Meleng Drago hasn’t returned yet,” Chiansamorkin said.

“He probably got distracted by something,” Jorvanultumn said. “What are you two offering as personal objects?”

Fevionawishtensen tapped the sword at her side.

“You would give her your sword?”

Fevionawishtensen looked at him blankly. It is the most personal thing I have. But I also have another.

“And you?” Jorvanultumn asked Chiansamorkin.

She grinned at him. “You’ll see.”

Davorultumn entered the room. “I hope I haven’t held things up.”

“We are still waiting for Meleng Dragon,” Jorvanultumn said, then repeated it in Arnorgue.

“I’ll go get him!” Sinitïa said. “He probably got distracted looking at something.” She grabbed her cloak and hurried out of the room.

Mikranasta approached Jorvanultumn and touched her forehead to his. She did the same with Fevionawishtensen and Chiansamorkin. She grinned at them all. “Last chance to change your minds.”

“No changing here.” Chiansamorkin nudged Jorvanultumn. “Right?”

He grinned. “Right.”

“Then I wish you the best,” Mikranasta said. “This is something I was never able to commit to.” She moved aside.

A minute or two later, Sinitïa returned to the gathering room. Her face was paler than usual and she was trembling.

“Sinitïa?” Jorvanultumn said.

Her face contorted like she was about to cry. “He wasn’t there. I can’t find him.”

“What?”

She held out a shaking hand. In it were Jorvanultumn’s element decahedra. “These were on the floor. The fire one is broken.”

Jorvanultumn stared at her open hand for what felt like an eternity. Were other people saying and doing things? Maybe. He could not be sure. He did not really care.

Meleng.

“Meleng!” Jorvanultumn bounded forward and took Sinitïa’s hand. The decahedra scattered, but they did not matter. He and Sinitïa ran for Jorvanultumn’s room.

His room looked undisturbed apart from the missing decahedra. He had spent very little time in here since returning; he had not even slept in his bed. “Meleng!” Meleng was clearly not here, but if he was nearby, perhaps he would answer.

No answer came.

Sinitïa repeated his call and still no answer.

Fevionawishtensen pushed past them into the room, holding up a hand to motion them to stay put. She knelt down and began tracing equations on the floor.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

“What’s she doing?” Sinitïa asked.

“Her job,” Chiansamorkin said, placing a hand on Sinitïa’s shoulder.

Fevionawishtensen moved about the room, tracing equations on the walls, the bed, the high-table. Occasionally, tiny sparks danced at her fingertips.

Sinitïa fidgeted and squirmed about, but Chiansamorkin held her back. “Where’s Melly? He wouldn’t just leave. He only has his cloak. He’ll freeze.”

Jorvanultumn placed a hand on Sinitïa’s shoulder as well. “Just be calm. Let Fevionawishtensen finish. She may be able to tell us something.”

Mikranasta came up behind them. “I have sent Hedromornasta to inform the Hgirh and Lamdritta that Meleng Drago is missing.”

Sinitïa whimpered. “Missing? Maybe he fell and hit his head and can’t call out.”

“We would have passed him,” Jorvanultumn said.

“But what about the other rooms? We have to check everywhere.”

“It’s being done,” Mikranasta said, “but unless he has a tendency to go into other people’s private places uninvited, I doubt we will find him in any of them.”

“But he has to be somewhere!”

“Of course, and we will find him. Just be calm.”

Jorvanultumn squeezed Sinitïa’s shoulder gently. She was shaking considerably. “Mikranasta is right. Just be…” He trailed off a moment and looked at Mikranasta. “Calm.” She had spoken and understood Arnorgue. But how…? She must have used a translation spell! “You…”

Mikranasta held a finger to her lips. “Drastic times require drastic measures. Let’s keep it to ourselves, shall we? Fevionawishtensen wishes to say something.”

Jorvanultumn jolted his attention back to the room.

There are signs of mentalism magic, Fevionawishtensen signed. Probably an inexperienced user, or they would have covered their tracks better.

“Or they didn’t think they needed to,” Jorvanultumn said. “Has Hedromornasta been in here recently?”

“Only to bring you the papers I wrote for you,” Mikranasta said. “There’s no reason he would have needed any magic for that. Besides, that would have long since faded by now.”

“What are you talking about?” Sinitïa said. “I understand Mikranasta, but I haven’t learned all Feviona’s signs yet, and those ones were hard, and you keep talking your language.”

“Sorry, Sinitïa,” Jorvanultumn said. “We are just discussing what might have happened to Meleng.”

“What happened?”

“We think he might have been abducted by someone using mentalism magic,” Chiansamorkin said.

“Abducted? Mentalism. I don’t understand!”

“Someone might have used magic to kidnap him,” Jorvanultumn said.

Sinitïa wailed.

“Mind control of some sort?” Chiansamorkin asked Mikranasta in Arnorgue.

Mikranasta nodded. “It’s a distinct possibility. I will ask Captain Etiënne Gen if there are any mentalists in his crew.” She started to leave, but Jorvanultumn touched her arm.

“There are not.”

“You’re sure?”

“Positive. Only a couple of them even have the talent, and like most humans, they are untrained.”

She frowned. “Then you suggest an Isyar did this.”

“Who else could it be?”

Mikranasta shook her head. “I will ask the Captain anyway because your accusation will not be accepted until all other possibilities are unequivocally eliminated.” She pulled away from him, but stopped again, gazing at her hand. Streaks of yellow, like pouring paint, swirled around her hand and then her arm.

Blue circled in front of Jorvanultumn’s face.

“Fuck,” Chiansamorkin muttered.

Sinitïa screamed and fell to her knees. Streams of colours poured from her mouth, nose, eyes, ears, and fingertips. They swirled around Fevionawishtensen, over the bed, up the walls…

“Oh Jorvanultumn,” Mikranasta hissed. “This is bad. You should have warned me someone of her power was untrained. If she—”

“Go talk to the Captain,” Chiansamorkin said. “We’ll deal with this.”

Mikranasta stared a moment, while Chiansamorkin knelt in front of Sinitïa. Then she turned and stormed away.

Chiansamorkin reached out to Sinitïa who was shaking and wailing. “Sinitïa, I need you to listen to me. Please, listen to me.”

Sinitïa stopped wailing and turned her gaze, her head and body still shaking, to Chiansamorkin. The streams of colour continued to circle the room, getting faster and filling up more of the space.

A streak of red sliced painfully across Jorvanultumn’s arm and he jumped a little. It left some of the red behind. No. The red on his arm was blood from the cut the light had made.

Chiansamorkin grabbed Sinitïa’s shoulders. “Damn it, Sinitïa, listen to me! You have to release this or you’ll die and possibly take us with you. Do you understand?”

Sinitïa nodded slowly.

“Now, I want you to do exactly as I say. Focus on all your anger, all your fear, and concentrate it in your hand. Can you do that?”

“I...I don’t know.”

“Try. Imagine it in your hand, like you’re ready to punch someone with that hand. And that punch will have all the force of your anger. Make a fist and concentrate everything there.”

Sinitïa nodded and raised a trembling hand. She slowly curled her fingers, obviously straining to do so. As her hand formed a fist, the colours stopped spewing from her eyes, then her ears and everywhere else, except the one fist, where they were now only circling around it and not spreading into the room. The colours already in the room began to dissipate.

“Perfect,” Chiansamorkin said. “Now, instead of punching, I want you to say a word I’m going to tell you and then throw that rage. Imagine it’s a big rock and you’re going to smash something with it.”

Sinitïa nodded. The colours were winding up her arm now like a rainbow.

Chiansamorkin leaned forward and helped Sinitïa stand, wincing as some of the colours sliced her arm. She whispered in Sinitïa’s ears, then stood back from her. “Now, say the word and throw.”

“Where?”

“Anywhere. Pick a target. Throw at me if you want.” Chiansamorkin moved back farther from Sinitïa, while Fevionawishtensen hurried out of the way.

“At you? I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t. Just imagine I’m the person you hate most in the world. I’m the person who took Meleng! Make me pay. Throw that rock at me and make me fucking pay! Do it or I’ll kill Meleng!”

“No!” Sinitïa raised her arm and yelled a magical word. Then she threw. A small stone flew from her hand and the rainbow on her arm vanished.

The stone hit Chiansamorkin on the forehead, and she winced a little, but smiled. She bent over, picked up the stone from the floor, and twirled it in her fingers. “Not bad!” She pulled a smaller stone from the pocket of her robe. “This is about twice as big as my first one. That’s impressive.”

Sinitïa fell to her knees, sobbing.

Chiansamorkin rushed over to her and hugged her tight. “Oh, you poor child. We’re going to find Meleng, and then we’ll get you properly trained.” She pressed the stone Sinitïa had conjured into Sinitïa’s hand. “Keep this. Treasure it. It’s your first ever use of magic. One day, you’ll be the most powerful human wizard there ever was. I promise. Then you can give the stone to someone you care deeply about, like Meleng.” She kissed Sinitïa on the forehead and continued to hold her tight.

Jorvanultumn rubbed the cut on his arm. He nodded to Chiansamorkin’s wounds. “You’re bleeding.”

“I’ll be fine,” she said in Isyarian. “That was light magic.”

Jorvanultumn nodded. “I know. It doesn’t surprise me that’s what she instinctively went to. From what I understand, it was a very instinctive discipline.”

“Yeah, that no one can teach her anymore.”

“Will you be all right teaching her?”

“Of course. It will be a bit of a challenge at first until she overcomes those instincts, but it’s not like it’s all that unusual. She will be a great conjuror. Trust me.”

Jorvanultumn nodded. “I do.”

“Now, the two of you should go mollify Mikranasta. And you may need to come up with an explanation for Sinitïa’s screams for everyone else.”

Fevionawishtensen knelt beside Chiansamorkin. Thank you. You saved her life and ours.

“Just a standard day for me.” Chiansamorkin grinned. “Shame we didn’t complete the fomaze.” She held out the other stone. “This was my first ever conjuration. I was going to give the two of you it.”

I consider it complete already, but we can formalise it later. Then you can give us the stone. The two of them kissed and Fevionawishtensen stood up. Love you.

Chiansamorkin smiled. “Love you, too.” She glared at Jorvanultumn. “What are you grinning about?” She broke into a grin herself.

“Just trying to get used to that,” he said.

She rolled her eyes. “Go!”

He took Fevionawishtensen’s hand, and they headed back to the gathering room.