Free Shaman by Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff

wanted, you offered—the knowledge that something we thought useless is not, that it can become the most colorful of things. We will learn how to make our own colorful and useful things. This way, it will be our tek-now-low-gi.”
    She made the “I am fat and content” face and gesture, folding her long hands over her stomach. She squinted her eyes at him. “We were also not impressed with Tsar-Bar’s manner. His gestures—so small, so uncertain. It isn’t nice to judge someone by their gestures, but...” She shrugged eloquently. “I’m only Pa-Kai, after all. He lies, you know,” she added in a confidential undertone. “He is not a Shaman. He is a sham. And so is his puppy Chieftain. The Eldest met with them privately to admonish them not to wear adult colors until they are full-grown. Such childishness!” She made a dismissive gesture.
    â€œYou knew he was lying,” Rhys marveled. “How?”
    â€œThe spirits told me. They made him give himself away with glances and disrespectful talk to his so-called Chieftain during the Trade Speaking. I distinctly saw him tell his Chieftain to shut up!” She made the throat-cutting gesture, then shrugged in that uniquely Pa-Kai way that made Rhys wonder what their bones were made of.
    â€œThe spirits told you,” he repeated.
    Pa-Lili waggled her head. “There is one other reason,” she admitted. “We liked you better.” She put her face close to his and lowered her voice. “Do you know what Tsar-Bar reminded us of? There is a small animal in the northern forests that likes to suck Pa-Kai blood. That is what he reminded us of.” She shivered and made several gestures of distaste.
    Rhys laughed and walked with her to the Tanaka shuttle’s passenger ramp.
    â€œIt has been good to know you, Reeslooelen,” she told him, her violet eyes misting. “You will come back?”
    Rhys looked around and saw a fair land inhabited by fair people. A veritable Paradise. “You couldn’t keep me away. I have a vacation coming up. I think I’d like to spend it here.”
    Pa-Lili nodded. “I would be pleased. And you will bring me books of Human Magic?”
    Rhys smiled. “I’ll translate them myself. But I don’t expect you’ll learn anything from them you don’t already know.”
    â€œOh,” said Pa-Lili, making a wise face, “one learns new tricks from unexpected teachers.”
    â€œOne does, indeed.”
    â€œYou know,” she said, eyeing him judiciously, “you are a very good Shaman. Your routines are a little dull, but your Magic is very sound, very colorful. When you come back, I will teach you how to present your case more eloquently. Your gestures are pretty good, but your capers and twirls could use some work.”
    Rhys bowed, nearly sweeping the ground with his head-dress. “I would be honored to receive your (excellent) instruction.” He straightened, then, and gave Pa-Lili’s bony frame a solid hug. She responded so enthusiastically, she left him winded.
    Later, in his cabin, as the shuttle sped toward Jamal, he chuckled over Pa-Lili’s parting shot. He’d definitely have to work on those capers. He tried one, nearly upended in the diminished gravity and laughed, feeling quite as light within as without.
    He took off his cape and head-dress and folded them away in a below-bunk receptacle, then stood, feeling the spirit bag thump lightly against his breast bone. He grinned, hefting its insubstantial weight in one hand. Pa-Lili was right, you did learn new tricks from unexpected teachers.
    He pulled the little pocket of fabric open and emptied its contents into the palm of his hand. A shred of bright but brown-stained material and a tooth gleamed under the cabin’s sham-sun lighting. Both went into a tiny, wooden fetish box which, in turn, Rhys tucked into an inside pocket of his sporran.
    The