THE PERFECT TEN (Boxed Set)

on him. Guess that was not the right leader thing to say.
    Rayen appeared at his side, ignoring his glare at blatantly disregarding his order for her to stay put. She smiled at the girls. “Those are beautiful.”
    As if someone had released the air in a taut balloon, the girls all let out a breath at the same time and became active again.
    Phoebe, the one in charge, lifted a pango orb made of the brightly-colored feathers from little pik-pik birds and answered, “Oh, thank you.”  She peeked up at Callan. “We have only to hang these along the vines and cover the floor with tullee petals.” 
    When his gaze landed on the pile of hōzuki lantern flowers with their orange coloring and transparent skins, he followed Rayen’s example and smiled. “Those are pretty.”
    All three girls turned adoring eyes up at him as if some mythical god had spoken to them.
    Rayen angled her head at him in a way that made him want to say, “What?”  The universal word every male spouted when faced with silent female accusation. 
    Rayen asked the girls, “What do you call those?”
    Swapping shy looks between them, Pheobe once again played spokesperson. “Our version of a Physalis alkekengi wreath, which is meant for many years of happiness and health. The real ones are made of blown glass...at home.” 
    No one could have missed the misery in Pheobe’s mention of home.
    Once again, Callan had no idea what to say that would lessen the hurt in Pheobe’s voice. Mathias could always find the right words at a time like this, but he was not here. And he shouldn’t have stuck me with this.
    Wait until the next training. Mathias would pay for putting Callan in this position.
    Rayen scrunched her eyebrows together in thought, glanced from Callan’s face to the girls, trying to figure out something. When she spoke to the three girls, her voice carried a sincerity that reached out and touched anyone close. “But these decorations are more delicate than anyone could craft from glass. When you go home, you may become famous for creating these and be sought after to teach others this art.”
    “Art? You really think so?” Phoebe asked, glancing up through silver bangs at Rayen.
    “Of course. Change is good.”  Callan caught on quickly and added, “Every generation should leave its own mark.” 
    All three girls’ faces lit with enthusiasm, then Rayen said, “Artists capture moments in history for others to enjoy over a lifetime.”
    The girls started chattering amongst themselves about different ways to customize the Physalis alkekengi. Phoebe paused and looked up with brighter eyes at Rayen first then Callan. “Thank you.”
    The other two chimed in their appreciation right behind her then went back to discussing their new possibilities. Callan experienced something he hadn’t felt in a long while. Making someone happy warmed his heart. A moment ago those three had only been doing their duty, but now they had a calling as artists, even though none of them came from the Creativity House.
    What would Rayen do next?
    He had to get to the bottom of just who she was before this got any more complicated. He stepped away, ordering her, “Follow me and do not stray.”
    “I wasn’t the one who took this detour,” she reminded him.
    He clamped his jaws shut, unwilling to say another word that would give her an opening to cloud his judgment further.
    A wise plan that would have worked if Rayen had complied by not asking, “What’re you celebrating?”
    Ignoring her might send the message that she made him uncomfortable. A warrior never appeared weak or unsure. “Mathias will reach the age of maturity prior to moonset. In my world, reaching one’s eighteenth BIRG Day marks the end of childhood.”
    “What is a BIRG Day?”“It’s the annual celebration of one’s birth. We have a BIRG Day each year and a BIRG Con once every five years where those who have reached eighteen since the last BIRG Con are honored before representatives from all the Houses.”
    “So the BIRG Con is a big deal?”
    He shrugged. “One may have a BIRG Day every year, but a BIRG Con only once in a lifetime.”
    “Must be hard for you and Mathias to keep everyone’s spirits up with no idea when you’re going home.”
    Her unexpected compassion chipped at his hard shell and struck close to his heart. She saw past the decorations and celebrating to the plight of the MystiKs in the Sphere. She’d understood more than he’d given her credit