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I sent a tendril of h the crack There was poisoned air on the stones above us In two hundred feet or so I broke through into the open, above the ground Suddenly I wondered: What happened to the trees there? Heat from my t friends and air from the chamber would have come from that crack in the soil I felt no stones washed by water, so there was no strearass, and the bushes?

Let’s go here! Flare dragged ht up with us and leaped on Flare They swirled around like kittens play-fighting for a od I knew, fro to Emelan, for the protections I had put on myself Without theht have made even nored ht lead to a way out

Three cracks later, I was so very tired If o to my body and face Rosethorn and Luvo I wanted a chance to think about these two lava creatures Floating high above a pool of lava, I tried to i Oswin if he could take in t kids Oh, I’d say, they’re a little hot–tempered, or a little hot at hand, or a little hot under the collar…

Let’s try the top way, Carnelian announced The way the Oldest said soo a little farther every time

But it’s hard Flare whined like any huet a little farther along and it hurts!

But noe have Funny Spirit with us, and she can help, Carnelian said

My na him Flare, and you Carnelian If you have real names, you could tell them to me now I suppose I wasn’t very polite, but I did feel bruised and weary

Names? We never had them in the pool Everyone knows everyone else…Flare for you, and Carnelian for me Names… Carnelian sounded awed

What’s Carnelian? Flare I understand, he said I flare all the time But Carnelian sounds funny

It’s the name of that darker color she likes, I explained Since they didn’t seeh opinion of stones, I wouldn’t say what a carnelian was Where I come from, everyone doesn’t know everyone else, so we have naentle feel to it, said Carnelian Not hard, like the brighter colors And you are Evvy What kind of na to explain, I told them

Who cares about explanations? She’s Evvy You’re Carnelian I’m Flare Creatures fro to leave the pool and become famous, even if we die

Then let’s try the hardest way…Flare If there are three of us pushing, ested

I’m not sure I want us to break out… I spoke too late The problem with these creatures seeth I suppose that rabbed ht up with h peak just off the center The walls closed in slowly as we flew, higher and higher We were in a cone-shaped area, with Flare and Carnelian bound straight for the cone’s narrow tip

The three of us rammed into it I screamed, crushed I knew they felt the sa all three of us into that tip I saw the tiniest of cracks ahead of rain the crack spread With each grain that broke free, I was forced tighter into that opening My pro tections against the up If I lost that, I would lose ical body would evaporate

I panicked I fought Carnelian and Flare, wrestling until I popped between thee chamber There I flailed about until I saw the path back to h earth, water, and stones I scras, and cooler air When I shot onto the basalt wherehurt Everything There were pins in , rusty needles stabbed my joints I tried to draw the coolness of the basalt into ic was as dead as ash Playing with Flare and Carnelian had used it up

I tried to lift ht of it My neck was one big ache I opened my eyes Those worked, thanks to the damp cloth on my face I tried to lift my arm, to move the cloth A new cramp the size of Mount Grace made it seize up

Jayat took the cloth away and put a lantern on the rock beside me I was surprised--it was dark Briskly he kneaded the cra dead person before" He acted like that was a perfectly nor to say "She said to co to ship you to Winding Circle She was very convincing Should I believe her?"

I tried to nod, and cringed asknottedMaster Luvo like this He’s been curled up in a ball for hours right next to you He’d tell ’ Then he wouldn’t say another word for the longest time The others came past here about mid-afternoon She ca Master Luvo talked to her and said you ell Dedicate Initiate Myrrhtide was in fine fettle, now that you’re in disgrace Osanted to leave you some food, but Dedicate Initiate Rosethorn said to let you starve When she went away, though, it turned out she left you these" He held up a cloth with sos in it