The Line Between

20: Strings and Circles

It has been said that, if you write a message in the sand by the sea, the waves will carry it to the spirit world for you.

~

"Kavin!" Amayo called, jogging to catch up to his friend. "This isn't the way to the sick houses."

Slowing his steps, Kavin shrugged. "They don't actually need my help right now. Everything's in order, and we organized all the healers into shifts. I won't need to go back until tomorrow morning. Though I think I'll drop by and check on things this evening just in case."

"But then where are we going now?"

"Well, do you remember how my parents used to go on and on about seeing new places and doing new things? I always thought it was just talk, and then they off and did it. And I was thinking, here I am, my first time in a city outside of Kwair." He paused, turning his gaze to the city around them, a hint of wonder creeping into his face.

"You're in a rather good mood."

"What, am I not allowed to be?"

Amayo snorted then laughed. "No, of course not. I just haven't seen you looking anything but grim since Origins. I'm glad you're feeling better. You seemed kind of upset about losing that sword."

A flicker of unease stirred in Kavin at the mention of the sword, but he put it out of his mind before it could sink its roots. "That crowd over there seems to be having fun. Wonder what they're up to."

The two made their way through the throng. Excited whispers buzzed about their heads. Soon they were standing on the edge of an open square. There was a fountain in its center, but there was no water in it at the moment. Instead, a girl was standing on the rim of the basin, supporting one side of a brightly colored contraption that bore some vague resemblance to a kite. Only it had a lot of layers and extra wings and was many times the size of the fountain upon which it was balanced. An older woman in Reilin robes was talking to several other mages from both Temples, gesticulating at the kite thing as she talked. Instructions given, she stepped back and gestured at the girl on the fountain.

The girl nodded, grinned, and began to weave her way through spaces in the kite thing's structure. The mages dispersed themselves in a loose circle centered on the fountain and waited.

"Ready!" she called, settling into a space in the contraption that Kavin now saw was designed to cradle a human body.

Instantly, a wind kicked up around the square. It whirled and whistled, sending tremors through vivid, paper wings. Then, with a slow steadiness that was both reassuring and astounding, the contraption rose off of the fountain.

Cheers went up from the spectators. The Skylin mage nearest to Kavin and Amayo turned around as the contraption soared even higher, his face split by a broad grin.

"Rides will be given starting after the big race," he announced. "I hope you will all join us."

Children began to pull at their parents' shirt hems. The crowd dispersed.

Kavin stepped forward to get a closer look at the hovering contraption. The announcer spotted him and strode over.

"Master Kavin! It's nice to see you again. How are you?"

"Well, thank you. Uvan, right?"

The mage nodded, beaming. He looked much younger than he had when they had first met him outside the sick houses during the Nightmare incident. The weariness was still there, hovering like a veil behind his face, but it was much less prominent now and most of the stress lines had smoothed. "Would you like to try our wind rider? An early preview. It's perfectly safe—everyone here is an expert at wind manipulation. Some of the best from the agricultural and weather watching teams."