Page 95 of Alien Burn

Dhomhes and his brother had the same way of pretending to be offended.

Tivek was still practicing. His mouth kept giving him away. Dhomhes could hold the expression longer, which only made it worse when she caught the beginning of a smile.

She had been sitting with one shoulder against him for several minutes now.

Neither of them had moved.

“The important part,” Tivek said, apparently unwilling to let the subject die, “is that the second descent was excellent.”

“It was,” Dhomhes agreed.

His brother glanced at him, briefly startled out of his argument.

Sereya liked that too. Dhomhes hadn't made the praise into another joke.

“Show me,” she said to Tivek.

He brightened, picked up the practice sling, then looked at the garden wall with interest.

“In words,” Dhomhes said.

“I knew that.”

“Did you?”

Tivek gave him a patient look and turned toward her.

“The descent is only the beginning. At the rite you have to find a vein yourself, cut from it, and bring up what you've taken.” He held the sling between his hands, showing her where the load would sit. “No one points out the best place. You have to judge it.”

“And then climb back with that?”

“With the stone in it, yes.”

“How much stone?”

“As much as you can carry.”

“As much as you can carry safely,” Dhomhes said.

“That is what I meant.”

“No, you meant as much as Kessin carries, plus a piece large enough to irritate him.”

Tivek's expression betrayed him.

Sereya pressed her lips together.

“I see,” she said. “A very spiritual undertaking.”

Dhomhes laughed. The sound was lower this close, warm against the garden's quiet, and she found herself wanting to make him do it again.

“My brother,” he said, “has mistaken a coming-of-age rite for a chance to win a lifelong argument.”

“It's an efficient use of the occasion.”

“You see what I live with?” Dhomhes asked her.

“I think he may have learned something from you.”