"What've you noticed?"

"Nothing I know how to explain."

"Yeah, some of it's hard to describe. Another reason not much gets written down. I've invented a couple dozen words expressly to describe magic. I guess if I compile a book on the subject I'll have to open with a glossary."

"And how will you define your terms?"

"Vaguely, of necessity. I mean, the one I made up as a shorthand for 'the warmth that people emanate which manages somehow to serve as a medium of transmission for their thoughts but which can't be interrupted by conventional alterations to temperature, only by sufficiently full-coverage intervening objects or sufficient distance' is pretty straightforward, but I also have a few that I don't even know how I'd begin to define. They're the slightly better differentiated equivalent of 'you know, that one thing' only designed for notes to self and not for evoking anything in other people."

"I see."

"So it would be a bit of a project. With any luck the rash of bad luck that has been afflicting primes in the past quintile will leave me alone."

"Yes, that would, rather by definition, be lucky."

"It would be any luck. If I had large quantities of luck, there would not have been such an issue in the first place, I would not have had to make two trips abroad in close succession, Auney would have merely broken bones again, and Patience wouldn't be preparing to bury and succeed her grandfather."

"Let's stop at the first temple we see and see if we can get you some luck, when we're home," suggests Aleko.

"Sure. And we can show Ekador how drawing blessings works, too, in case the description left anything to be desired."

"I look forward to the demonstration."

"I'm kind of surprised that you had a Welchin mother and speak the language so fluently and have managed to not know the basics of the country's cultural makeup. How'd that happen?"

"She spoke the language at home while I was growing up. When she learned Malinquan well enough, she switched. She never spoke about the country directly."

"You didn't ask, or she wouldn't answer?"

"Or that's a personal question."

"Yes."

"Consider it withdrawn."

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it. Let's see, what else will you need to know... It's customary, though not obligatory, to wear jewelry like Aleko and I are to display your blessings, more or less all the time. To me this seems a priority to be saved for after you've been to the Serlast forest but perhaps before you appear at court."

"Are there options other than necklace and bracelet?"

"Rings, hairclips, pins, you could probably get something custom-made if you had an idea that would accommodate three charms."

He touches the plain string that is currently half-serving the job of tying back his hair. "Hmm."

"I'm sure you can find something to get blessing charms attached to that will hold a ponytail."