Sinitïa stomped her foot down as Jorvanultumn entered her room. He took an involuntary step backwards and Sinitïa giggled. “Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.”

“It is all right,” Jorvanultumn said. “What are you doing?”

She was wearing very little, only a thin shift and she was barefoot. She was smiling despite her make-up being smudged with tears. “Chian’s teaching me magic!”

“Chian?” Jorvanultumn looked over at Chiansamorkin, who was leaning against the wall at the far side of the room by the window. She gave Jorvanultumn a little wave.

“She said it was okay to call her that,” Sinitïa said.

Chiansamorkin gave a slight smile. “As long as it’s in private for now. I’m going to have to get used to it in human lands, right?”

Jorvanultumn nodded. “I suppose so. You are teaching her magic already?”

Chiansamorkin shrugged. “She needed a distraction. It’s not really magic yet. She needs to learn how to move her body first. So we’re just doing some basic forms. Speaking of which, that wasn’t bad, Sinitïa, but you are still too loose. Remember the tension when you created the stone. You still have the stone, don’t you?”

Sinitïa nodded.

“Collect it.”

Sinitïa ran to the table, collected the stone from it, and rushed back to the middle of the room.

Chiansamorkin came up beside Sinitïa and made a fist. “Clutch it in your fist like this. Now transfer that tension to your leg. Follow my movement.”

Sinitïa nodded again and made a fist. Chiansamorkin raised her leg, and Sinitïa copied. Chiansamorkin slammed her foot down hard enough that Jorvanultumn thought he could almost feel it reverberate through the floor. Sinitïa brought hers down as well, stumbling as she did so.

Sinitïa grimaced. “That wasn’t very good, was it?”

Chiansamorkin shrugged. “You’ll get it eventually.” She walked to Jorvanultumn and leaned her forehead against his, touched her wing tips to his. “I’m glad you’re here. Have you learned anything?”

“Mikranasta and I went to see Paydamat to ask about Nascanmat’s presence last night. We wanted to talk to Nascanmat, but she would not allow it. She denied he was there and suggested someone else faked his presence.”

“It makes sense,” Chiansamorkin said.

“Mikranasta did not like that it meant someone had fooled Hedromornasta.”

Chiansamorkin chuckled. “I bet.”

“But she acknowledged that he is young and inexperienced.”

“Do you believe her?” Chiansamorkin said. “Paydamat, I mean.”

“I don’t,” Sinitïa said before Jorvanultumn could answer. She sat on the corner of the mattress and crossed her arms over her lap. “She’s mean.”

“That doesn’t mean she’d kidnap Meleng,” Chiansamorkin said.

“She threatened him. Maybe she thought he wasn’t doing a good enough job getting me trained.”

Chiansamorkin shook her head. “Sinitïa, it’s only been a couple of days. Paydamat knows that’s too short a time to train anyone.”

“I don’t trust her.”

Jorvanultumn sat beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder. “We will find Meleng, Sinitïa. I promise you. But I do not believe Paydamat is responsible.”

She frowned. “How do you know?”

“I do not for sure, but I also spoke to Nascanmat without her knowing. I believed him when he told me he was not there.”

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“He might be lying.”

Jorvanultumn nodded. “He might, and we will not ignore the possibility. But we need proof, no matter who is responsible.”

“Fine, but how do we get it?”

Chiansamorkin knelt in front of them. “We can go with what we were talking about earlier.”

“What were you talking about?” Jorvanultumn asked.

Sinitïa’s eyes widened and she smiled broadly. “I’m going to paint!”

Jorvanultumn stared at her as she began to bounce about a little. “I do not understand.”

“Chian says she can do a thing...like...like yesterday.”

“I could set up a heating device in the gardens outside the Governance Building. It will keep her and her paint supplies warm enough for her to paint. I’ll need Fevionawishtensen’s help again though.”

Sinitïa’s bouncing became more pronounced. “Isn’t it amazing?”

Jorvanultumn nodded slowly. “Yes, but how will that help find Meleng?”

“I can watch while I paint!”

“Watch what?”

“Chian said for suspicious things.” She beamed.

“I thought it would make her feel useful,” Chiansamorkin said in Isyarian. “It’s not like there’s anything else she can do, and she wants to do something.”

Sinitïa’s smile drooped a little and her eyes narrowed as she looked to Chiansamorkin. “What are you saying? Why don’t you want me to know what you’re saying?”

Chiansamorkin smiled at her. “It’s not that. It’s just easier for me to explain to Jorvanultumn in my own language.”

Jorvanultumn placed a hand on Sinitïa’s shoulder. “It is okay, Sinitïa. It is a good plan. I may even have some things for you to look for.”

Her smile broadened again. “You do?”

“You do?” Chiansamorkin echoed, her own eyes widening.

He nodded. “When were you planning to do this?”

Sinitïa frowned. “Chian said tomorrow because there’s not enough light left today. Stupid Isyarian sun. It’s so long to wait. What if Meleng is hurt?”

“We will do other things until then. I need to go to Hilkorultumn’s and look at some things there. Would you like to come with me?”

“What things?” Sinitïa asked.

“Yeah, what things?” Chiansamorkin said.

“I will explain on the way. First, I would like to talk to Chiansamorkin for a moment.”

Sinitïa had a confused expression, but she nodded.

He stood up and motioned Chiansamorkin to the side.

“What’s going on?” Although she spoke in Isyarian, Chiansamorkin kept her voice low, and she glanced over at Sinitïa. “What things do you have for her to look for?”

“I’m not entirely sure yet. That’s part of why I need to go to Hilkorultumn’s to find out.”

She glared at him. “You’re planning to explain this to me, yes?”

He nodded. “Yes, but I need you to find Fevionawishtensen first. Then, come with her to meet me at Hilkorultumn’s.”

“But she’s still with the search parties. Do you really want to take her away from that?”

He shook his head. “No, but this may provide us with additional leads.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I know, and I’ll explain as soon as you and Fevionawishtensen get there. I need to tell you both.”

She sighed. “You better.” She turned back towards Sinitïa. “I need to go find Fevionawishtensen, Sinitïa, but I’ll meet you and Jorvanultumn later.”

Sinitïa stood up. “Okay.”

“Before you go,” Jorvanultumn said, “I meant to ask, did Reszidbovroh come by?”

Sinitïa nodded and scowled. “He asked a lot of stupid questions.”

“They weren’t stupid, Sinitïa,” Chiansamorkin said.

“He asked if I thought Meleng ran away on his own to cause...what did he call it?”

“Mischief,” Chiansamorkin said. “Okay, that was a stupid question, but he was just trying to be thorough. At any rate, he thinks he got enough from her to keep others from wanting to question her, and so far, no one else has come.”

“Good,” Jorvanultumn said. “Sinitïa, we should get going.”

Chiansamorkin and Sinitïa hugged. Then Chiansamorkin came over to Jorvanultumn and they touched foreheads and wing tips.

“See you soon,” Jorvanultumn said.

She looked at him with narrow eyes. “Yes you will and then…”

“I’ll explain, yes.”

She smiled and kissed him. “Just so we’re understood.” With a wave to Sinitïa, she headed out the door.