The Twenty Seven

Chapter 5

"We've been here three days," Ty says the next morning. "All I'm saying is we need to start doing something."

"We have been," Nes says, not looking up from her book. As the sun rose, they all went back to work on what they'd started the previous day.

"No, we haven't. All we've done so far is make some stupid bargain. One that we haven't even started to fulfill."

Finally, Nes eyes Ty. "We don't need any supplies yet. We don't need to start on the list until we do."

"I don't know," Es says, flipping her own book onto the table, the spine bent at an angle to keep her place. "Maybe we should. They seemed like nice enough people."

"Most of that stuff seems like things we should do anyways. If we can help them, shouldn't we?" Eira asks.

"What is your top priority? Getting the Cloch back? Or helping people who would get along just fine without us?" Ty bites her cheek at Nes' words. "Don't make me have to report you to the Ri."

"What'll she do? Send me back to Crann? Or tell me to stay here?" She gives a laugh, her eyes lit with frustration. "There's nothing she can do. You've kept us cooped up here for too long. Come on, Es, Ei. Let's get out of here and maybe do some actual good." She turns and begins to walk away, not looking back to see if anyone was following her.

Es and Eira share a look. Es stands, knocking on the table beside Nes as she joins Ty. "Sorry One. She's right."

Nes doesn't say anything, fixing her gaze on Eira. "What about you, then?"

"There's nothing on the list I know how to help with."

She sighs. "That's probably the best argument I've heard in favor of it. We need you to practice if we want to be able to get rid of the black cloaks, whoever they are." She eyes Eira up and down. "We could all use a change of clothes, too. I guess it's a day on the town, then."

"I told you," Ty says from where she was listening on the stairs. "Even Nes doesn't like to stay in one place for too long."

By the time the girls reach nearest mall, it's late morning. "Alright, we can't spend too long here if we also want to fix the tree today."

Eira stretches out as she stands. "How are we going to do that, again?"

"Not we, bud," Ty says, clapping Eira on her back. "You. Nes said you found a Toch for it."

"But a tree isn't a person? Or--" Eira turns on her heel to face Nes. She tilts her head a little to one side, blinking a few times before she speaks. "They don't have to go on a person, do they? But then, like, if someone were to put, say, strength on a shirt? Does that mean the shirt would be super strong? Or would whoever was wearing the shirt? And, like, if you put the growth Toch on a tree, like we are, does that mean that the tree will grow more? Or just the specific piece of bark? And then, in that same vein, does that mean the fruit will make people grow more?" As she talks, Es gently spins her around. They guide her into the store, ignoring the few strange looks they're getting. "If you put one on a pregnant lady, would the child get the same effects?"

"Do you want the logical answer or the factual answer?" Nes asks when she finally finishes. Es stands near them, picking out a few things for everyone to try on.

Eira bits her lip. "Both, I guess."

"Logically, it affects the whole structure of whatever you draw it on. Factually, we don't know."

"I think this'll fit you," Es says, pulling a dress off the rack and holding it in front of Eira. "Green's your color."

"I'm not usually one for--" Eira catches a quick glance at the price tag and shakes her head, stepping away. "Yeah, I don't think that's the best one for me." She turns back to Nes. "How, exactly, are we going to pay for a new wardrobe?"