<br /><br />NaNoWriMo Update - Talien's Tower<br />

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Sunday, November 2

NaNoWriMo Update

I'm on track!

When I awoke, I noticed Ivasik staring at me from near the table on the opposite side of the room.

“Why are you over there?” I asked. There was a reason we both hid by the trees; it was a great hiding place.

“You’ll see,” said Ivasik.

That was all I needed. Screwing up my courage, I sprinted over to him. The curtain was thrust aside right after I joined him.

Yaga entered the main room with a pile of gems in one arm and a silver birch broom in the other. She leaned the broom against one wall and then bent down into some of the empty pots near the other odd trees. Yaga, humming to herself, dug a hole in each pot. She set then placed a gem in each hole, covered it up with dirt, and poured some water on it from a watering can.

When Yaga left, I crept out of my hiding place.

“You could have told me,” I snapped at Ivasik.

Ivasik shrugged. “I learned the hard way.”

“What’s with the broom?”

“It covers Yaga’s tracks,” said Ivasik.

I didn’t like the sound of that. People who covered their tracks were up to no good. I made a mental note that the broom could prove useful in the future.

I padded over to the pots. “Why is she planting gems in the dirt?”

“To grow trees,” said Ivasik.

Before I could ask him more, Nyx entered. I ran to get Lycus.

He stumbled out, rubbing his eyes. Nyx stopped what she was doing to stare at him.

“I uh…” he stammered, thrusting the scarf towards her, “…this is for you.”

Nyx took the scarf. “For…me?” Her eyes were wide. She stared down at it in awe.

Lycus shuffled his feet. “Yeah.”

“I didn’t know you could weave!” said Nyx breathlessly.

Lycus shrugged.

Nyx wrapped the scarf around her neck. She turned away to stare in a mirror that leaned against one wall, so that Lycus couldn’t see her. But from my perspective I saw her secret smile.

“I…this is very nice of you.”

“You’re welcome,” said Lycus.

She wiped her eyes.

“Are you all right?”

Nyx sniffed. “Yes, it’s just that…this is the nicest thing anyone’s done for me in a long time.”

Lycus shrugged again. “I figured I owed you.”

Nyx sat down, still wearing the scarf. “I didn’t do anything.”

Lycus shrugged. Around girls, it seemed to be Lycus’ preferred means of communication.

Yaga entered as the two sat at the table, trying studiously to avoid looking at each other. “What are you doing up so late?” she said to Lycus. Yaga was clearly agitated about something. “You can make yourself useful. I want all of my trees watered,” she pointed at the trees. “All of them. And if they aren’t watered then there will be grave consequences. They must all be watered before daybreak.” She stomped out of the room.