[ kaveh begins to pick at the fruit. the air is equal parts sweet and acrid for it. alhaitham considers the premise. ]

No. [ he says. the word is a statement unto itself. 'no' is a full sentence. it bears no elaboration. but alhaitham hears the curl of the question before it can be voiced. he continues, in that selfsame tone: ] Nothing in the summoning went wrong. Or, put more accurately, I cannot have summoned incorrectly.

[ alhaitham looks to his servant. ] Consider this example. Are you aware of modern plumbing principles?