Liya closed the book and shrugged off the quilt draped around her shoulders. Yoshi was waiting for her at the door; they exchanged a quiet greeting, and then began to walk up the hallway together. As the thoughts of beaches at sunrise and of prodding washed-up jellyfish with sticks faded, Liya spoke.

"Hey, Yoshi?" she asked. "Can you teach me Aetherian? I guess I should learn."

Wherever the sun was, it was filtering into the Cynn's office as a lurid orange glow when he finally leaned over and handed Sraddi a sheaf of papers; she took it in her mouth.

< All right, that ought to do it, > the Cynn muttered, leaning forward and rubbing his eyes with the heel of his hand. < Read it back to me, please, Sraddi. >

< Yes, > Sraddi replied, now holding the papers up with one foot. She adjusted it and lowered her head, ostensibly looking at it with her coppery eyes.

[Double update next week and then that's it for chapter 6, just fyi!]