Melting Stones - By Tamora Pierce Page 0,83

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

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