Raindrop's Arc

Chapter 8 of 15

The drum still beat under Raindrop's feet, but the jar at center stage began to shake harder. Heat rose from its glass. The lid lifted a hair, then another. If it blew now, every drop inside would scatter before the dance found its shape. Raindrop tied the silk rope fast and swung off the lid. He drove four tall posts of packed cloud around the jar, lashing them together into a narrow spire that pinned the lid down from above. The rope sang tight. The spire held. Along the stage edge, a crystal, a firefly, and an owl set down small glowing stones in a steady ring. The soft light cut through the fog and showed every plank. Raindrop crept the rope's length, checking each knot, breathing slow. The lid eased back into place. The jar's pulse matched the drum again. The stage was lit, the vessel sealed, the dance still waiting — and now he had a frame strong enough to call the storm in.