Celesta threw her arms around Aizel’s neck.
Aizel squeezed her back, relishing every second of the warm contact.
Finally, when Celesta loosened her arms, Aizel sat up. Using their wordless language, Aizel opened her palm flat and touched her own cheek to imitate a person sleeping. Then, wiggling her fingertips she made a wide arc above her head to signify the sparkling stars above. Finally, she kissed the back of her own thumb and pressed the kiss against Celesta’s nose.
For Aizel, the motions were as habitual as speaking. To her, they meant: “Sleep well. The sparkling stars will watch over you. I love you.”
Celesta smiled in understanding, repeating the same gestures back to her.
Reaching up, Celesta held two fingers against Aizel’s throat. “Sing for me?”
That was a request Aizel could not deny. Rearranging herself more comfortably on the edge of her sister’s narrow, low bed, she inhaled deeply and closed her eyes.
Celesta cuddled up against her, close enough to feel the resonance in her chest and throat.
The low rumble of the sea’s crashing waves drifted through the light paneled walls of their low island home. The steady rhythm of a tasker’s gait sounded from the street on the other side of the house. One of these sounds brought comfort and peace, the other made her alert and uneasy.
She focused on the sound of the sea, imagining its ebb and flow overpowering the tasker’s footsteps.
Then, she began a slow melody her mother had taught her in the ancient words. Her grandmother had known their original meaning, but Aizel could not remember her Amma’s translation. She still liked the sound of the ancient song, and it never failed to soothe her.
It was Celesta’s favorite as well. Even though she could not hear the words, she was always calm and peaceful after Aizel sang it.
By the time she had finished the first verse, the tasker’s footsteps had disappeared into the night and the only remaining sound was that of the sea.
Aizel exhaled, relishing the relaxation that spread from her scalp to her toes. If she could stop time, she would choose to live in this moment. Her body and mind were at peace and her little sister was safe.
But tomorrow, the sun would rise and she would be up before it, her body tense and alive and ready for work. And Celesta’s twelfth goldenreign was only a few months away. That would change everything.
“Shush!” a harsh whisper sounded through the woven reed door. “Are you daft? They are practically outside the door. Quiet your voice.”
“Sorry, Mama,” Aizel whispered, her relaxed muscles instantly tensing. She tightened her throat, as if blocking the words inside her would remind her not to speak—or sing. A Majis who used magic outside of their task would be forced to wear the necklace and there was nothing she hated more.
But if this was her last night with Celesta, she was happy to have risked it. Aizel leaned back down for one last hug. She had tears in her eyes that she needed to hide.
Her sister was more perceptive than most—since she had to rely on reading lips and facial expressions—and she would notice the tears immediately.
“I love you forever and always,” Aizel whispered, her lips hidden from view. “I hope you never doubt that.”
Celesta pushed against Aizel’s shoulders to lift her from the second hug. The younger girl’s face was pensive and she ran her thumb under Aizel’s eye.
Aizel blinked sheepishly. “I should have known better than to try and hide it from you,” she whispered, signing their motion for an apology.
Celesta raised her eyebrows and lifted her palms face up.
“I’m just tired,” Aizel answered her sister’s signed question both by speaking and by tilting her head into her hand. “They made me do extra dives today.”
Celesta narrowed her eyes, shaking her head in disapproval. “Did you upset them again?”she asked with her hands.
Aizel shook her head, keeping her eyes steady. “They raised the quota again and I had to go back down for more.” It was mostly true at least. Her sister didn’t need to know she’d also given away two of her pearls to Sol while they were still under the surface.
“You gave yours away? Again?”Celesta raised her eyebrows.
Aizel smiled in defeat. Celesta could always see right through her. “Just two.” She raised her hand, holding up two fingers as she spoke.
Celesta shook her head. “Why is it that you always help everyone else, but you never let anyone help you?”
Aizel nodded. “It was worth it. Sol has more mouths to feed with his father being sent to the shipyard.”
