I asked the High Animator if I could see the Halrana Lexicon. Of course, he refused. What chance have we to discover more about magic if even close allies cannot share?
— Diary of High Enchantress Maya Pallandor, Page 488, 411 Y.E.
ELLA woke to the depressing sound of the river. The impassable barrier between her and her goal. With each passing day the Lexicon grew further away. It would soon need to be renewed, something only the High Enchantress could do. And when it wasn’t, all enchantments would fade.
Ella sat up and rubbed at her eyes, frowning at the river in consternation.
They’d made camp on its banks while they decided what to do. It had been a pleasant evening, the warmth of the valley after the cold of their other camps an unexpected treat. Ella had found a flat rock and enchanted it into a heatplate. Layla trapped a small rabbit, and soon the smell of grilling meat wafted through the trees.
Ella felt vaguely guilty for using essence for such a mundane task. It was so expensive that when a heatplate was made the stone carvers chose a beautiful piece of marble and enhanced it with intricate designs. And here she was, picking any flat rock that served the purpose.
Still, she reminded herself. It was her essence, she’d been given it, and she was free to do what she wanted with it.
With a hot meal, and the best night’s sleep she’d had in a week behind her, Ella was free to examine their problem.
The river.
She looked over at Layla. The small woman slept with her head piled on her satchel — a tiny bag that carried little else besides a hunting knife, some twine, and the dark brown dress Ella had given her.
Ella smiled. So grumbling and defensive when she was awake, here and now she looked like nothing but a sweet and innocent child.
"What are you looking at?" Layla opened her eyes.
"Nothing," Ella grinned.
"Hmpf," said Layla, closing her eyes again.
Ella decided first to have a look at the broken rope and wood bridge. If it had been cut at the end, maybe someone could swim a line across and they could tie it back up. Not that swimming was an easy option, Ella thought, looking at the turbulent water.
She had no such luck. The bridge had been deliberately broken, rendered unusable, the rope frayed into thin strands. Reaching the bridge would be as difficult as reaching the far bank.
Sighing, she decided to walk along the riverbank.
It was pleasant to be alone in this beautiful valley. If her quest hadn’t been so urgent, she would have been enjoying herself. No books, no rules, no frowning townsfolk. Just her and nature.
A thought came to her mind of Miro, fighting in some great battle, hurt and afraid. Ella had heard about the battlefield surgeons, her greatest fear was Miro being tended by one. At least in Sarostar they used fresh water and sharp knives.
She felt the determination return to her. The Lexicon was the backbone of her house, without it they would be crippled. With the Lexicon of Halaran missing also, the allies had little chance of winning this war. Ella was certain Killian had been involved with that theft as well. Finding him was her chance to do something more useful for her people than drawing runes on sword after sword.
This was her chance to take the kind of risk Miro was taking.
"If you don’t want this, I’m going to have it," the voice came from beside Ella. She looked down to see Layla carrying Ella’s satchel as well as her own.
Ella laughed, "Thanks."
They followed the riverbank together in silence. Clouds of butterflies rose in the air, drifting on the currents of a gentle breeze. Birdsong lilted and chimed, coming from a small copse of swaying green trees.
"Maybe I should just try swimming," Ella murmured to herself.
"What did you say?"
"I said I’m going to try swimming," Ella said with determination.
"Swimming? You can swim through this?"
"I don’t know. That’s what I’m going to try. If I get across I’ll rest and then come back. If I can do it once I can do it again."
"I don’t know if this is a good idea."
"We won’t know if we don’t try, will we?"
"I suppose so. Are you going to swim in your dress?"
Ella looked down at herself. "I’d rather not," she smiled.
She put her satchel down on the soft grass and without ceremony lifted her dress above her head. She carefully folded the dress and placed it on the grass. She then removed her underclothes; she would dry faster without them. Layla was looking studiously in the opposite direction.
It felt strange to be naked in the open like this. She knew there was no one there to see her — no one except Layla that was — but she still felt a blush rise to her cheeks.
It was almost spring weather, but there was still enough chill on the air to raise goose bumps on her white skin. Her pale blonde hair fell over her small breasts, reaching almost to her midriff.
"Do your people always inspect themselves like this?" Layla said.