Selthía;
I start him with listening.
Not magic, or books...but listening. It's the first thing my teachers ever taught me, and I've never found a better place to begin.
"Close your eyes, don't try to do anything. Just tell me what you feel." I guide him, and he nods as he shuts his eyes.
It's barely dawn. The window is grey, and the room is cold. Elien is propped up on pillows, a blanket tucked to his chest, and a cup of bitter tea cooling between his hands. He carries the baby higher now. I can see her shape under the wool every time he breathes in.
Koda sits at the foot of the bed with a book open on his knee. He hasn't turned a page since he sat down. He carried Elien up the east stairs himself this morning, the way he has every morning, one slow step at a time.
"I feel the baby," Elien says, with his eyes still shut.
"What does she feel like?" I ask, and he goes silent again. Then...
"Warm." He whispers, and the corner of his mouth lifts in a small smile.
