“It’s not a big, planned occasion of course, but they all make a point of being here.â€? She thought for a moment, and then laughed a little. “I suspect they must enjoy the ritual well enough, even if they won’t admit it.â€? Some of the students smiled – it was good to see the human side of their idols occasionally. But Arhan seemed distracted.

Elhana looked at him for a moment and paused, trying to judge whether their friendship could stand further dialogue, no matter how innocent the topic. Finally, she thought better of it. His morning assignment had ended awkwardly: Elhana had not known what to say regarding his creation. There wasn’t anything wrong with it, exactly; it just wasn’t right, either. But why…?