Melting Stones - By Tamora Pierce Page 0,3

of years old. I couldn't imagine anything older than he was.

I have spoken with the mountains from those times, he continued. They were only pebbles by then, but they were very wise. I learned much by waiting patiently to hear their wisdom.

Is that "patiently" thing a hint to me? I wanted to know.

I would never hint to you about patience, Evumeimei.

The lower we fell in the deep canyon, the warmer the water got. Shouldn't it be freezing by now? I inquired. What makes it warm ?

Luvo said, Look, and you will see.

We Meet Our Guides

B elow us lay a deep, deep crack in the canyon floor. Strange, death-colored plants grew there, food for the pale fishes that nibbled on them. Around one hump in the crack, bubbles streamed from an opening, boiling up through the water. It looked like a miniature volcano. I touched it with my magic, naming the minerals heaped around it: sulfur, magnesium, and other volcano leavings. The crack itself was limestone.

The vent belched. It threw out a boiling cloud of bubbles that passed through Luvo and me. Where does it come from? I wanted to know. Where does whatever air that is in the bubbles come from? What made this crack, and why did it burp just now?

It "burps" as you comically put it, because the heart of the earth is forever in motion, Evumeimei, said Luvo. This seam reaches down to the molten heart, which is gas and liquid stone. These things come to the earths surface through such vents, be they under water or under the land. That is where the ocean rolls to the earth's pulse.

So where does this seam go? Under the Battle Islands?

Many do, he replied. have heard it said that earthquakes often take place in this part of the world. It is because many seams are here. I had thought tha t if I showed you these things you might have fewer questions. Instead, you have more. Are you never unquestioning?

I could tell Luvo was teasing me. I'm quiet when I sleep. Besides, you said you wanted to stop me whining. You didn't say you wanted me not to ask questions. I'm not whining, am I?

We began to rise along the canyon wall. The creatures that had been blown out of the way when the vent belched were returning to it. Do they worship their ocean volcano, Luvo?

I believe it is only you human meat creatures who worship things, Evumeimei. These animals eat the small creatures that live on its sides, the little gray ones that crawl there. They draw strength from the warmth of the volcano, as well. Volcanoes are good to those who live on them. The soil on the ones above water is richer for plants. Humans farm there, and animals come to graze, just as these sea creatures do.

Above us I saw the ripple of sunlight on the water's surface. Have you ever been to a volcano, Luvo?

I was born in one. That was sufficient. Exposure to a second volcano would be the death of me, Evumeimei, just as it would be the death of you.

He let me go. I felt myself turning and twisting on his crystal paths again. Then heaviness clamped around me: a suit of hot, thick meat. That was my body. For a moment I didn't enjoy it very much. Luvo calls humans "meat creatures." For the first time I felt like one.

Someone breathed fish and garlic in my face. Hands shook me. A voice made ugly noises that banged in my ears. In the sea every noise was softened by the swish of water. These noises grated. I flinched. The hands grabbed me harder. I opened my eyes.

Terror flooded me. I forgot where I was. I thought I was a captive. A man's face was too close to mine. I couldn't breathe. Was I back in Gyongxe? That was it—I was the prisoner of the emperor's soldiers. They beat me last time! They'd beat me again to make me tell on my friends!

I screamed and slammed my head forward, hard, into the soldier's nose. Then I lashed sideways and bit deep into his arm. Except his arm wasn't the silk-covered leather of an imperial warrior. I was biting into flesh covered by blue linen.

"Make her let go of me!" Dedicate Fusspot tried to shake me off. His voice was muffled.

"Evumeimei, you are far from Gyongxe," Luvo said.

"Myrrhtide, I warned you not to lay hands on her." Rosethorn sounded like she was