Melting Stones

The Sea

O verhead I felt her weight grow as we flowed under the waves, a mile, then two miles from shore. I had thought the island was bad. At least when we were under it, everything on top of us was filled with stones. This was something like the voyage to Starns. I was burdened with miles of stoneless water.

Don't be silly, I told myself. You're wrapped in stone. You're miles under stone. Well—only three miles down, now. But still, that's plenty of stone. A little while ago you were burdened with stone.

But now the power of the sea lay on me. Normally, the magic in water touched me not at all. Stone and water were too different in the usual way of things. Maybe I was changed, after melting and spending so long in my magical body. Perhaps it was because I was in stone that had carried the sea for time out of mind.

Possibly it was because this sea knew I was there.

What are you, hiding far below with those other hot worms? Not rock, but rock in your veins, the sea hissed, its voice slithering down into the fault. I looked at Flare and Carnelian. They didn't seem to hear that creepy, cold voice. Rock in the power that runs through you. The voice dripped down through the tiny cracks that ran to the salty water. I'll draw you up, small silvery rock worm. I'll draw you into my aqua embrace and float you between tides. You will never touch so much as a flake of quartz in your life. Won't that be amusing? Come up, come up. I will have you in time. No rock thing fights me forever.

When do we get there? That was Flare, and he whined. I hate whiners. We've been traveling forever, he went on.

It's not forever, I snapped. Be quiet and keep moving. I shouldn't have silenced him. The minute he went quiet, the sea was at me again. I clung to the wall of the fault, drinking up its magic as I slid along. I wanted it to make me feel stronger.

Do you know how many rocks I have worn down, little silvery worm? the sea asked. I have rolled over specks of stone that lie on my belly. I rub them until they are tinier still, wearing them down to dust. I thrust them against the boulders underneath, scouring the boulders until they are smaller and smaller and smaller. Piece by piece, limestone, obsidian, marble, it must all surrender to me. You are just another stone for the grinding. In time, your hot companions will be more stones for my grinding.

I was slowing down. So much malice… The sea had so much hate for anything that was not part of it.

Hot pain seared my arm. Carnelian had grabbed me!

Ow! I yanked free. Are you trying to cook me or something? Don't do that!

You were hardly moving! Carnelian accused. How much longer, Evvy? Maybe you're lost. If there was a way out here, why didn't the other spirits find it before? They said they came this way to search for us.

There's a way out—we have to turn soon. Stop complaining! I told her. If you want something you have to work for it! I didn't say the trip was a quick one, don't try to tell me I did!

Flare got behind me, shielding me from the view of the volcano spirits. Stop shouting, Evvy. I think you lied to us, like you lied about your "toy."

I'm no liar. How much longer did I have to bear this? I should have seen anything made of fire would have no patience, even if it was also stone! Grow up. There are no easy answers in the outer world. We have a ways to go.

Maybe we should try to get out here. There's a crack. Flare rammed himself up into a hairline fault. It ended a hundred yards up in a slab of granite. The fault widened a little, then stuck. He rammed again.

Carnelian waited until Flare backed up. Then she jammed herself into the fault with him. The volcano spirits rushed forward. They thought we'd reached our destination.

You want to do that? I yelled. Fine! But the place I talked about is miles on! They weren't listening. I was furious. We were only two miles offshore. It wasn't far enough to spare the island.

Come on, I pleaded. That isn't the way. It isn't far now. When they popped out of the fault, I grabbed their hands, ignoring the pain. Tell the others you were just trying your strength or something—ow! I had to let go, but at least I'd gotten their attention. Flare hesitated, then motioned for the volcano spirits to stop.

I looked at my hands. Their form had melted a little. I pressed them against the sides of the big fault, taking in more of its strength. It was shaking harder than ever. I looked back. The volcano spirits were slamming around, hitting first one side, then the other. I had to get them moving again, before they started an earthquake.

They're bored, said Flare. They want to get to this place. So do we, right, Carnelian ?

No—I didn't have to get them moving. I wasn't their leader.

I shuddered and drank as much power as I could bear. Have you told them how amazing this new place is? I asked. You'll have black clouds all around as you come out, and black smoke. You won't have to break the earth open at all! Since you won't tire yourselves breaking through stone to get free, you'll be able to fly high!

Carnelian and Flare went back to tell the others. They stopped attacking the sides of the fault. When I saw Carnelian and Flare returning to me, I flew on ahead, showing them the way.

Their concentration was broken, though. The volcano spirits roared behind us, growling and grumbling. They were whining, too! I didn't have to speak lava to recognize the sound of complaints. The fault developed branches, and each new branch distracted everyone who wasn't me. Wheedling and pleading, I brought them along another mile. It was work, all the time with the sea laughing at me.

They say, if we're going to swim, they want to do it melting together. Carnelian was spending too much time in a girl shape: She actually pouted, her lower lip stuck out and everything. They say when we go around melted together, at least they can taste Flare and me, and feel bold like Flare and me. They can be excited like Flare and me in the melting together. In the fault they just run along. There's nothing new.

Flare leaned against the side of the fault. It melted away from his shape, the stone quivering like a jelly. I felt something give back there. Back where we were, before you dragged us here. There was a lot of the cold stuff in the way, a lot to melt and draw off our strength, but if we got the others to do the shoving—

So you can jump into the air and die? I would have gladly smacked their heads together, if I hadn't cared about my hands. If you don't fail? You don't even know how much stone is on top of you! I do! No one has broken through it in thousands of my years. That's so long the only way we even know it happened once is because there is a record in the stones themselves. How many times do I have to tell you, there is a crack that comes all the way down here. You'll be able to leave without exhausting yourself in breaking through. The only problem is, a little travel and you start bleating like sheep!

They stared at me.

What's bleating? Carnelian asked.

What's sheep? That was Flare.

We stared at each other, just hovering.

Pathetic. We were half a mile below the bottom of the sea. Her voice was even louder in my mind this time. The silvery worm tries to bribe melted rocks. Give up, worm. Give yourself over to me. I will have you in time. I will have them in time. You will be exhausted, they will be dead. I will grind and scour you all to nothing. I never, ever tire.

The edges of my magical body were blurring. I was losing my grip on myself, on my concentration.

The volcano spirits came roaring up.

Enough. We're going to try here. Flare slammed into the side of the fault, where a deep crack reached up. That wasn't even a fault, just a hollow. Carnelian and a huge ball of the others flew after him, striking the hollow with a roar. More cracks appeared there. Other volcano spirits rippled forward.

I came to my senses. No! Not here, this isn't it!

They ignored me. Flare and Carnelian fell back among the volcano spirits. In one huge surge they struck the roof of the fault again.

WHAM! All around me the seafloor shook. There was a slow, grinding, growling crunch. The walls of the fault slid, one to my left, the other to my right. Overhead the sea gasped, feeling its belly lift.

At least you aren't nattering at me anymore, I told her.

WHAM!

The volcano spirits punched the fault again. Once more the walls slid, two inches to my left, an inch to my right.

Earthquake. A few inches in a fault was an earthquake.

I had to get back to my humans. The ground under their feet would be buckling. What if there was a gadolga—a tidal wave—headed for Sustree? I had to reach them.

We were three miles offshore. It would have to be enough. There was nothing else I could do. I was tired, scared, and I couldn't make the volcano kids listen. I'd done my best. And at least I wouldn't have to sit around and watch them shoot out of the ground and die.

I thought it would be easy to get back to my real body. It was, what? Four miles as the goose flew? One mile from the shore.

But I was so tired.

You are half the size you were when you crossed my borders, silvery worm, the sea taunted. Why bother going back? You wished to melt. Stay and be ground to a speck instead.

Don't you ever tire of the sound of your own voice? I whispered. It wasn't very good, but it was the best I could manage. I felt as small as a pebble when I found land that wasn't under salt water. Instantly I leaped to the earth's surface. It was wonderful to shed the weight of water and earth together.

Once there, Luvo's magic was a huge beacon in my eyes. I flew to him, drawing on his strength. He wrapped me around like a good father, taking me into his depths. If my magical body could have cried, I would have wept. I felt so safe in his heart. I was surrounded by his power. He was layered like a tree with centuries of stone life. Here was fire, water, sun, patience, resolve, wrath, wisdom, anything I could ever want.

I knew then that I wanted to be Luvo someday. I don't know how, but I can strive to be more like him.

The patience will need a lot of work.

Evumeimei, there is a thing, Luvo said in my mind. I fear you will not like it.

Something about his tone worried me. I didn't want to leave the good place he had made, but I did. I popped into the body I had left and fought to open my eyes. From the sun's position, I'd been gone three hours. I was in Sustree, tied to my horse with ropes. Obviously Rosethorn had found me.

From the look of things, we had just arrived. The docks were a mess. People were trying to get onto the ships. Men and women with weapons were making the refugees leave things: wagons and animals, mostly. Children screamed for their pets. Adults argued and shouted at the guards, who told them there wasn't enough room. The animals just looked confused. Rosethorn, Myrrhtide, Azaze, Oswin, and the other village leaders were trying to get people aboard the vessels. Tahar was aboard one small ship. I could see her seated by the rail, grim-faced. Jayat was still on the dock, helping Azaze.

Nory was right beside me. She hung on to my knee so tight it hurt. She'd already pulled me half out of the saddle.

"Stop that!" I smacked at her, or tried to. My arm was too numb to work. "What's the matter? Why aren't you helping?"

She glared at me. She had pulled me down so far our eyes were on the same level. One more tug and I'd be hanging off the saddle. "Awake, are you? I'm here because I wanted to be around when you opened your eyes."

"Why?" I asked.

"So I could do this."

Even if I could have moved, I wouldn't have been fast enough to escape the hard slap she landed on my cheek. Then she slapped me again. She was crying. "While you were playing mage, Meryem decided you would like her again if she gave you a pretty rock she left at home. She went back. I'm not allowed to find her. I'm needed to look after the others. So she's dead in all these shakes, or she's hurt, or she's going to starve. All because you're a pig who's mean to little girls!"

Then she punched me in the eye and walked off.

Meryem. Meryem had gone back to Oswin's house. And the volcano was going to come through the ocean floor only three miles out. That wasn't good enough if a small girl was left on the island. She would be out there while ash and rock bombs fell and set the forests afire.