Page 49 of Fangs, Frost, and Folios
Tenzin was singing something low and droning, a hypnotic chant as she sat behind Sadia, who sat on the leopard skin before the fire, her hair damp from the rainwater. Steam rose from her hair as Tenzin motioned Ben and Dema over.
“You all have your gifts?” Tenzin asked.
The storm goddess ?epat was associated with many things, but her supplicants historically honored her with gifts of gold and silver, so Tenzin had asked Dema, Ben, and Zain for gifts of those two precious metals for Sadia on her initiation.
Caspar and Isadora asked Sadia if she could wait for a Christmas present and she told them that was fine.
Kaya raised her hand. “Wait, can I go first? I got her something too.”
Sadia’s face lit up. “You did?”
Kaya nodded enthusiastically as she reached into her pocket.
Sadia gleefully opened a small silk bag. “I love it!”
“It’s a real silver bracelet,” Kaya said. “My mom helped me pick it out yesterday. Look.” She pointed. “It has two hands on it. For us.”
“I love it.” Sadia held it to her heart, then immediately put it around her wrist. “Thank you, Kaya.”
Dema stepped up next. “I had planned to wait to give this to you, but I think Tenzin is right. Now is the perfect time.” She held out a small box and looked on as Sadia opened it. “The cross is the traditional symbol of the Syriac Orthodox Church where you were baptized as an infant.”
Sadia looked up with glistening eyes. “In the picture of my parents that I have, my mother is wearing one just like this.”
Dema smiled. “I know. I had one made that was just like hers.”
Sadia swallowed hard and stood to give Dema a hug. “Can you put it on me?”
“Of course.” She carefully draped the necklace around Sadia’s neck and closed the clasp. “It might be a little bit long now, but remember, you’re still growing.”
Sadia’s face lit up as she touched the cross. “It’s perfect. Thank you.” She returned to her seated position on the leopard-skin rug. She grinned at Tenzin. “This is so cool.”
Tenzin gestured to Sadia. “This was your idea. I only helped.”
Zain stepped forward and knelt beside Sadia. “I know I’m not technically family,” he said solemnly, “so I want to thank you for inviting me to this. I am honored.”
Sadia’s eyes went wide. “Of course you’re family.”
The man’s brown eyes creased in the corners. “Then this is the perfect time to give youthis.” He handed her a small box.
Sadia tore into the beautifully wrapped square box.
“You know my family’s from the South,” Zain continued. “And all my sisters and cousins got these when they made their debut. My grandma and grandpa are old-fashioned like that.”
Sadia opened the box, and Ben saw a silver charm bracelet inside. “It’s so pretty.”
“It has your initials on there,” Zain said. “It’s old-school, I know, but as you get older, you can add things to make it more personal for you.”
Sadia looked into Zain’s eyes. “This is really great. Thank you. And tell your mom and dad I said thank you too.”
“I definitely will.” He kissed the top of her head and stood up, nodding at Ben. “You’re up, big bro.”
Ben sat down beside his baby sister and took a moment to look at her.
The curves of her baby cheeks were fading away, and her face was stretching out. Her legs were coltish like a growing foal. Her cheekbones were more angular, and in the shadows cast by the fire, he could see the planes of the face she would wear as a woman.
He touched her chin and angled it toward him. “You’re growing up.”
Her cheeks reddened a little. “Yeah.”
