“My apologies, ladies. Our ways are different in Derakh. I did not mean to offend.”
After a carefully calculated pause, Kiya smiled, the stranger passed on, and the party resumed.
“Did you see that?” Rinda asked. “She almost touched Lakeh!”
Iskra sighed. “What difference would it make?” she asked. “She was just touching.”
Rinda’s eyes grew even rounder at this hint of sacrilege. “But just think! She might have…”
“Do you really think she brought a miscarriage spell to Kiya’s own house? And meant to apply it here? In front of all these people? Don’t be a fool, Rinda. There is no such thing as a miscarriage spell.”
The girl’s dull face was hurt, and a tear started at the corner of one blue eye. “I’m not a fool, Iskra. And this,” the tear had gotten away now, and was fleeing down a pudgy
