Hajin sat beside the garden pond and scattered toasted oats for the carp while Vella hovered at his shoulder.
Hajin tipped the last oats from his palm, leaving room on the bench as Vella came down beside him to watch the carp.
She watched the ripples spread across the water, then chose to tell him what she learned about Nyra in the workshop.
"She spent nearly two hours in the workshop yesterday," the spirit maiden remarked softly, her voice carrying a playful lilt.
"Sava said the girl tested several sounds before settling on something that felt right."
"A person ought to take their time when picking what they answer to," the young summoner replied with a calm smile.
A soft crunch of footsteps announced an arrival, and both of them looked up to see the young child walking toward the pond.
She held her folded practice scrap tightly against her wool coat, her posture straight and her chin held with quiet resolve.
