10.
"I surely would, Morn, Tell me what days you would come, and I will be awaiting you."
The two friends turned and walked down the hall, discussing what times would be convenient for them both. As they went, one of the other boys turned to his companions.
"I always thought that half-breed was so brilliant he was foolish," he said to the others, "but now I know he is! He is helping the one person who even comes near his grades in some subjects. He is wise but foolish."
Day after day Morn came to North's house and spent long hours helping him with his studies until the heavy math became easier for the young Haven. Still, the language troubled him. Finally, one day North threw aside his pencil and rose from his seat.
"I read the lessons again and again, I study again and again, but when I need the lessons there's nothing there. We'll just have to keep trying, but I feel like I'm wasting your time." North sighed.
"My mother's people have a saying. 'Time spent helping a friend is never wasted, only blessed.' Sit down. There is something I want to try. Just sit down, relax, and look into my eyes."
North didn't know what his friend was up to but sat down and began to stare at his friend's eyes. Morn began to talk to him slowly and softly, making his unusual voice even stranger. After a few minutes he began to say something about being sleepy, and to rest. North found his eyes drooping, then suddenly, found them open again and staring at Morn. He was wide awake and felt fine, but after looking at the clock over Morn's shoulder, he saw that almost fifteen minutes had passed.
"What happened? What did you do?" he cried in astonishment.
"It's something my mother taught me," Morn explained with a shrug. "Her people use it to relax and rest and sometimes to solve difficult problems. They call it 'Psycon.' While you were asleep," he continued, "I asked you why you couldn't understand your language lessons and found that whoever taught you your basics didn't do a very good job. While you were in the Psycon state I repeated the basics to you and instructed you to remember them. You should have an easier time now."
Then the boys again sat to work and Northern Star suddenly found he was having increasing ability in the subjects. Even better, he understood what the lessons were saying, and could learn them!
After several days of study, North's confidence grew, and his ability did also, until one day he looked up at his friend with wonder.
"If your Mother's people have known of this Psycon for so long why haven't our people been taught this knowledge? Surely The Lord God can see the benefits of it!"
"I do not know," replied Morn, "from what my mother has said, your people knew of this process long before you ever conquered her world, but it has been kept a secret of The High Ones. Only certain doctors