I knew it would be best if I got back to work as well, though the temptation to be lazy was awfully strong. Sinking back into the pillows, I allowed myself another few minutes before getting up and go into my own room for clean clothes.
As usual, there were plenty more snacks and tea waiting for me in the kitchen. I could hear Tap and Seir having a conversation as I crossed to the library, but I was too embarrassed to say hello myself. By now everyone probably knew what had caused Tap to completely shut down the crossroads, and while there was nothing shameful about it, I still wasn’t sure how I was going to look anyone in the eye right away.
The library was calming in its familiarity, the stacks of deals right where I’d left them. I scooped up an armload, muttering to myself as I separated them out. I was settling into the quiet headspace I loved, the place where my body and mind just did what they were supposed to without me having to think through every step. It was the same place I’d always gone to when copying pages for Father Morton, and sometimes when I drew. Extreme focus where nothing else mattered and my mind was still.
“Silver in the crate, gold over here. Red over there. Silver, silver, gold.” I paused, something flashing at the edge of my vision. “Silver…” I turned my head quickly, trying to catch whatever it was that I was seeing. I gasped, finding a glowfrom within the piles. “Gold?” The glow changed, from white to yellow. Shaky, I focused on the deals in my arms. “Red.” The single open deal in my hands emitted a faint red light. “Saints.” I squeezed my eyes closed, quickly sorted what I had, then went to the farthest corner of the room and gathered up an armload of envelopes. With my eyes closed, I tried again. “Silver.” When I opened them, several of the deals I held were lit with a white light.
Needing validation that what I was seeing was real, I finished with that set and left the library.
“Tap?” I called, my voice missing its usual rasp, and at least twice as loud as it had been in years.
Both he and Seir came around the edge of the hall at the same time.
“What’s wrong?” Tap’s question was strained, his pace hurried.
“Sorry, I wasn’t trying to scare you. I’m fine.”
“Phin, you yelled! How exciting!” Seir enthused. He gestured to his brother. “I think it scared both of us, but for different reasons.”
I couldn’t resist his offbeat humor and chuckled, but also I was sure he was telling the truth. “Can you both come look at something?” They glanced at one another but followed me into the library. “Gold,” I said with intent. “Do you see anything?”
“Oh.” Tap grunted, moving toward a shelf where yellow light glowed from multiple different envelopes.
“That’s fantastic!” Seir leafed through several envelopes, exposing more of the light. “How’d you do that?”
“I have no idea. Silver.” The light shifted again and both men reacted appropriately, small gasps and mumbles of appreciation. “Red.”
“This is fascinating, Phin. Has this ever happened before?”
I shook my head, realizing I had no idea how to make it stop. “No, never. I’m honestly really relieved you see it too.” I pulled out a handful of the red ones, wandering around the room to gather them. It really was very handy to be able to identify them so easily. “Green?” I said, wondering if that would throw off illumination. All the light disappeared.
“Fantastic,” Seir clapped again. “I’ll take this and bring you more empty ones,” he said, picking up a full crate.
“Thanks.”
He left the room, and Tap dipped his head, pressing a kiss to my hair. “That’s a very helpful ability, Feather. What do you think it is, exactly?”
I shrugged. “I know about angelic Voice, of course, but I’ve never had a talent before.”
“That you know of.”
I couldn’t help but agree. “That I know of.”
“What about your father?”
I shook my head. “I never saw him use one that I can remember. We were in the archives a lot but there were no lights. He never spoke much there at all, actually.” I frowned, wondering if his silence meant he was hiding his talent.
“Mmm. Well, I’m glad your throat is healing in any case. Do you need more tea? Water?”
I couldn’t help but smile. Still catering to my every need, all the time. “No, I’m fine.”
“Alright.” He ambled out as well, and I happily dove back in, calling up the silver deals and wondering if I could beat my record of six crates before the day was done.
I’d only managedfive crates, all told, but it had been a productive day.
After dinner, Tap and I adjourned to the living area. He was studying some kind of astral calendar while I repainted his fingernails.
“You should do yours too,” he encouraged. “Or I can?” He seemed intrigued by the suggestion even though he’d been the one to make it.
