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Lost at Sea

Hey, kid--stop hanging off that rail!" A sailor, one of the wo at me "We’ve only told you a dozen times! If you fall overboard, we’ll not turn back!"

"Can ya swim all the way to the Battle Islands?" another sailor called "If ya can’t, ya’d best keep alla yerself on th’ ship!"

"If I fall in, will I sink all the way to the bottom?" I yelled back I didn’t pullstones again I would be a my own kind, with no fathoms of nasty water between hed

"The salt water holds ya up, wench! You’ll float whilst the fishies pick at ya!"

"But my bones will sink That’s what matters," I replied And I muttered, so I wouldn’t be scolded for rudeness, "I can take care of ainst the ship’s hull Then I stretched out my hands The choppy water was still dozens of feet beyond ers into the sea It plunged through water and salt I strained and strained, but the sea has its own ic, a power that hates mine I couldn’t feel the earth anywhere belowby ship Hate it As soon as I can’t feel the stone of the ocean floor with my power, I’m lost It’s like the day my mother sold me She left n owner Aboard a ship, when I wasn’t trying to feel the approach of land, I huddled in a corner There I placed my own stones around me and held hteen inches tall He has the shape of a bear reen, and purple crystal that’s been rounded and sentle point, not a ic of a thousand stones He is the heart of acreature with power for blood So even though Luvo is a good friend, and company as I travel, he can’t make up for the feel of rock under me

I shouldn’t have been on that ship Dedicate Rosethorn--uardian--was the one who had been called to Starns, one of the Battle Islands They needed her to see why their trees were dying She was packing to go when I had a proble Circle te some of my friends I said I would hit them with ers on me It wasn’t as if I actually broke any of their bones They were disobeying teot what they deserved, and their parents could put their complaints someplace tender But I also heard her tell Dedicate Lark, uardian, that she would take me to Starns, so the wealthy parents would have ti to do!" I cried, when Lark and Rosethorn gave me the news officially "These island people want Rosethorn because their plants are dying That’s no bread and salt of mine And I hate ship travel"

"Then you e," Rosethorn told me "That’s the punishment the council wants for you, since you pounded those boys after you disar their trees, or stay inside this lovely, tiny ho froo and feeling lost

"Do you know, Evumeimei, that ocean rocks do not swim to the surface?"

Luvo always said that when he foundfor the sea’s floor The hearts ofthe sa the same answers, so I told him what I often did, "There’s always a first time"

I think the reason Luvo came out of his mountain to meet me, and the reason he’s stayed with h I don’t actually hear hih, I know he does

"The sailors have told Dedicate Rosethorn that we should see the island of dying trees tomorrow, if not today," Luvo said "You will be able to sense the ocean floor soon, I promise you"

"I know," I replied "You never lost touch with it I’m sorry I’reat e I bet you Rosethorn knows each and every plant below us, however ht now But I’ve only been at thisup to do--"

The hairs on my arms stirred, then stood up My belly rolled, like that first craic flexed Far under the sea I felt power move The Pebbled Sea had earth tremors and earthquakes, plenty of them, but this one was different It was thick and heavy, likehuan to slide off the rail I swung, twisted, and grabbed I clung tight to the rail with both hands and one leg My hold was strong--I was used to cli ic Right then it was still bouncing up and down,my bones ruht pop out ofto happen again?"

"It is a waking tre beside ain You should climb back on board, Evumeimei"