As she left her fabric magic class on Wintday, Ayan walked with a spring in her step. They had spent the day parsing out different types of cotton. "Why start with cotton?" Mr. Depping asked.
A girl on Ayan's left with russet brown skin shook out her hair which fell nearly to the floor. "Cotton is common, isn't it?"
Mr. Depping nodded. "That's right, Miss Rolil. And it is generally easy for beginners to work with."
Another student raised a hand. "But only certain types of cotton are easy, aren't they? I mean, if you've never used a sewing machine before, you probably don't want your first project to be denim or knit."
"This is true. But here's another reason to start with cotton. Whatever the final goal of your sewing is, there is probably a type of cotton that will let you accomplish it." Ayan loved that Mr. Depping always found value in the answers his students offered. Still, she raised her hand tentatively, and he nodded to her.
"Cotton is not only the most widely worn fabric because it's readily available. I mean, there are some religious groups that exclusively wear cotton." She glanced around the room, half expecting the other students to sneer at her for being a know it all. No one did. The girl with the long hair gave her a thoughtful glance.
Mr. Depping smiled at her. "Very astute, Miss Tyeen. Like any magical working, it is important to keep in mind who will be using your creations, and this may affect your fabric choices. We'll be talking about that more later in the year."
They had taken extensive notes about varieties of cotton, discussing the obvious, like how to identify them, and which worked better for weather proofing or temperature control. Mr. Depping also mentioned how the different varieties could be used in less-obvious magical workings, such as luck and safety. "Now, you probably won't be creating works like this your first year, but we will be looking at some creations by others next week." Ayan had a feeling she was the only student at Faraday sad to see the weekend arrive.
As Ayan left class, the girl with the long hair found her. "Hi! Ayan, right? I'm Neekwi. That was smart of you to mention in there--the religious thing. I'm Vitnu myself, but I never know if people are going to understand the all-cotton-fiber deal."Ayan had guessed the girl was Vitnu, based on her long hair, but didn't bother to mention it. "Some people can act very strangely about things they don't understand."Another girl in a Liberty jacket came running up to them. She looked somewhat like Key, though with lighter skin and much lighter hair. "Hey Neekwi!"
"Oh this is Noylu. We've been friends for forever. This is Ayan, from my sewing magic class." The two shook hands, and then the older girls asked who Ayan was eating lunch with. Before Ayan could answer, she spotted Tilli and Key walking near the lightning ball pitch, scanning the ground.
Ayan drew the other girls toward the pitch. Tilli's glasses hung on the end of her nose and her eyes were wet. "She lost her necklace," Key said when Ayan asked what was wrong.
"I know I put it on this morning, but I didn't have it when I got to class." Tilli's hand went up to her neck as if she might find it there suddenly. "I've looked all over the main building. I knew I should have fixed the clasp before I left." She said some other words in a language Ayan didn't know, but she guessed their meaning.
Key put a hand out to steady her roommate. "Hey, we'll find it," she said in in a surprisingly gentle manner.
"Look, it's hard to explain, but that necklace is really important to me."
"Maybe we can help you find it," Neekwi suggested, "what's it look like?"
"It's bone--bone beads, with teal lettering."
Neekwi turned to Noylu. "You do stone. You think you could do bone?"
"It's worth a try." Noylu got down on her hands and knees and closed her eyes. The other three girls watched for a moment as she breathed in and out. Then she turned her head. She opened her eyes and pointed. "I think it's over there."
The five began to scan the ground in the area Noylu had pointed, but of course, she picked it up first. She examined the teal paint on the beads. "Pretty. What language is this?
Ayan had recognized the necklace when she saw Tilli wearing it on the train. She had a suspicion how Noylu and Neekwi would react if she told them the truth. She also knew Audeni would recommend against it, but she didn't have to.
Key gently took hold of the necklace. "Oh, that's human bone." she said.
"Human...?" Noylu dropped the necklace as if she had been scalded. Key caught it and continued to examine the artwork on it. Then she handed it to Tilli as if she hadn't noticed the older girls running toward the cafeteria.
"How did you know it's human bone?" Tilli asked as she accepted the necklace and fastened it around her neck.
Key shrugged. "I've met a few of people who use it in their bows instead of animal horn."
"Bows?!" Tilli exclaimed as Ayan pulled the others toward the cafeteria. "Thisaazhou make bows with human bones?!"
"Only some of them. Besides, Xurguwi have made instruments out of human bones. What's the difference?"
"We waited until they were dead! Of natural causes!"
Key looked back over her shoulder. "And you think we don't?" The look on Tilli's face resembled Noylu's, but she didn't run. Key kept walking toward the cafeteria. "We don't need to kill anyone. The Xurugwi keep the bones of their dead, others purposely discard them. We just... help them."
Tilli turned to Ayan, who was trying to remember what cultures discarded the bones of their dead. Finally she shrugged at Tilli. "Thisaazhou are known for sourcing hard to find items."
Tilli fingered her necklace. "And you're not bothered by this?"
"I grew up in Forgecard Falls," Ayan explained, "The Xurugwi there make buttons instead of beads. I help them re-sew them to new clothes in exchange for fabric scraps. Also," she ventured, "my roommate is Xurugwi."
"Miriam? Really?"
"Well, I don't know for sure, but she does have a rebirth necklace she keeps in a box on her desk. You know, we could probably find a new clasp for your necklace in Shakif tomorrow. I could help you fix it."
Tilli touched the necklace again. "Thanks."
"How'd the test go?" she said as they joined Mat at their table.
Key shrugged. "I didn't make the light bulb explode this time, so I guess that's a good thing."
"Honestly, I think Tilli's right," Mat said, "I don't think she expected us to succeed. So if you did, it's all the better."
"That's easy for you to say," Tilli pointed to Mat. "You didn't crash your plane into a wall."
"She said you were impressive." Mat took a bite of his chicken sandwich.
"Yeah, I don't think she meant it." Tilli delicately removed a slice of tomato from her own sandwich. She had chosen the vegetarian option that day, as Xurugwi tradition forbade anything to do with birds, who were viewed as tricksters.
"You crashed your plane into a wall?" Key said, "Now I feel better about my test."
"Yeah. And then Mat here landed his perfectly. Did you know he was that good?"
"Yeah. It's annoying."
Mat had set down his sandwich and stabbed his rice pudding with his spoon. "Actually, I cheated."
Tilli's head snapped in Mat's direction. Key's jaw dropped. Ayan had no idea what to say. Tilli spoke first. "How do you cheat on a test like that?"
Mat's face turned red and he looked between the three girls. Then he shrank in his seat as he said, "I used my luck."
Ayan couldn't help it. She burst out laughing. Tilli rolled her eyes and Key smacked his arm with the back of her hand. "That's not cheating, dummy. Heck, if Mrs. Theelnin had known you'd woven wind and luck together, she'd probably have given you extra credit."
The next thing Mat said, Ayan couldn't understand, though Tilli arched an eyebrow when she heard it, and Key rubbed his back. Then she cast a glance around the table and looked at Ayan.
"Where's Miriam?"
"I don't know. But she did mention last night that she needed to call her uncle today." Ayan didn't tell them that Miriam had also mentioned Jo. She didn't feel that was her story to explain.
Mat looked up from his sandwich. "Long distance? That'll be expensive."
"I'm guessing she can afford it. Apparently, he's wealthy and influential."
Tilli nodded. "One of those people with a finger in every pie."
Mat cocked his head. "Miriam's uncle... makes pie?"
Key held her hand up to her mouth to keep from laughing and Mat turned a worried glance to his sister.
Tilli swatted at her roommate and turned to Mat. "It's a Shugbo idiom. It mean's he's involved with a lot of things."
"Oh. Zhu enga uu ixlit iinenxaqiq"
"Yeah." When Tilli turned to Ayan, she must have seen the confused look on her face. "Zhohu." She translated. "A log in every fire."
Ayan nodded. The idiom was the same in her native Imk.
Key stood up suddenly and Mat followed her with nervous eyes. "I have to go," she said, "I have to meet with... a classmate..." She looked at Mat. "I'll catch up with you in channeling objects?"
Mat nodded and waved as Key picked up her tray and strode away.
"Ayan," Mat broke the silence that followed. "What's that on your cuff?Ayan looked at her sleeve, and then noticed, in lavender thread, she had embroidered a spiral with lines extending outward from it like a sun.
Ayan walked down the street with her newest scraps pressed to her chest. She had spent the day re-sewing bone art buttons in the Xurugwi temple and had bargained for enough fabric that she could begin her most ambitious project yet.
"Ayan?" She turned at the sound of a familiar voice and found a short, stocky woman standing behind her with a purple kerchief around her neck. "I haven't seen you around here in a while."
"I was helping at the Xurugwi temple." Ayan held up the scraps she'd gathered, glad, at least, that she didn't have to lie.
The woman looked at a piece of torn velvet Ayan held. "We've missed you."
Ayan silently cursed herself for visiting Temple Street the same day the Pelan had their service. But she'd practically forgotten when they held it. Ayan had only attended a few temple services since she was caught trying to steal Audeni Deneen's necklace, and at most temples, the members gave her strange looks, all too aware of the thief in their midst. She'd only maintained decent relationships with the Xurugwi because she'd been working with them so long, trading fabric and sewing bone buttons.
"I didn't think you would want me back," Ayan admitted.
"When you give light to others, your light only grows brighter." She looked Ayan up and down. "How long has it been since you've eaten?"
"Lunch." Ayan had first found the temple during the year she and Leo had gone without a home. And even though Altiane never let them go hungry, the temple matriarch still asked when Ayan was around. Ayan let the woman steer her back down the street to a stone building with a purple torch painted over the door.
As Ayan entered the building, she could smell grilling fish, probably fresh caught. Familiar faces greeted her like an old friend, and not one of them mentioned her crime. They placed her in a seat of honor and with the velvet in her pocket, knowing it was only days before she finished her dress, she burst into tears.
"It's a reminder to be a light to others." Mat blinked at her, a look of surprise on his face, so Ayan explained. "My brother and I didn't have a home for a while. I used to go visit the temples in Forgecard Falls because sometimes they'd feed me. The Pelan matriarch used to tell me that instead of stealing light, I should give it. So when I made my uniform for Faraday, I embroidered the Pelan sun there."
Tilli leaned in to get a better look. "So why is it purple?"
"Purple is the Pelan holy color." Ayan saw Mat's mouth crook upward slightly. "You probably already knew that. Thisaazhou." Mat nodded.
Tilli glanced at Mat. "Why does being Thisaazhou mean you know?"
Mat explained slowly, searching for the right Shugbo words. Ayan was grateful that she wasn't the only one in their group that still struggled with the language. "The Pelan are a sister culture. We... We have a lot in common."
"Have you really not met any Pelan?" Ayan asked Tilli, "In all your traveling with your parents?" Tilli twirled one of her red braids around her finger. "Well, it's not mom or dad's area, exactly. I've met them here and there, I guess, but I've never stopped to ask about their religion. How do you know so much?"
Ayan considered explaining that the Pelan were one of the five founding cultures of Antaran history, but when she looked at her watch, she noticed the lunch period was almost over. "Like I said, there's a lot of temples in Forgecard Falls. They're pretty fascinating. But I'll have to tell you later. Mat and I should get to history."
