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I shivered Flare and Carnelian had such dreadful strength Then there were the other spirits behind theht not search for a way out, but they would follow Carnelian and Flare I was sure of it "They would kill everyone, Rosethorn That underground chaer than the lake I don’t kno deep it is The power of theh it hurtat a volcano? I wouldn’t have gone down there!" I kept my voice as quiet as Rosethorn’s
"I did not know" Luvo hung his head knob, not looking at us
"But you were born in one!" I poked hier
"And I told you, who remembers his birth?" he asked "I have not encountered a volcano in our travels I did not know the early signs of an eruption Rosethorn, are you certain that these signs pertain to such an occurrence?"
I put s a mountain should know--I felt as if my world had been upended
"To pass the initiate’s exa Circle disciplines, even when they don’t match our powers Evvy’s story fits the facts So does the spot die-off of plants, the acid water, and the vibrations and earth shocks I had my suspicions--so did Myrrhtide--but this confirms it" As Rosethorn whispered, she laid a cool wrist on my forehead Then she checked ood You’re clammy, and your pulse is thin and rapid" She looked at Jayat "She has the symptoms of shock Has she eaten?"
"She couldn’t, Dedicate Initiate" Jayat came over No one else see "She threw up a lot, but she didn’t eat anything first"
"I see Thank you, Jayat" Rosethorn looked at me "For those studies I s In The Book of Earth Magic, a handful of es wrote of spirits of molten stone found deep in the earth They described what happened when they found a route to the surface It was much like what you told us" She stood and shook out her robes "I’ Then you’ll tell us all about your explorations and discoveries with the stones here We need to see how much time we have before this island blows up under us" She went upstairs
"What can she possibly do?" Luvo stepped clumsily into my lap "I do not understand why she rushes off in this manner The new mountain will come We will be consumed in molten lava That is the cycle of birth and death in stone There is nothing to be done"
His behavior today nowhands and kept my voice down For some reason, Rosethorn didn’t want everyone in the roooing to die, didn’t you? That’s why you curled up in a ball and didn’t talk to Jayat You just figured, uh-oh! Here co to be done Luvo, you bleater, you’re not soet on a ship and sail away froripped hio to jelly I sat again "All right, it et to the ship"
Before I knehat he was up to, Oswin caht before, he wasn’t ready for Luvo His knees bent under us He grunted with the strain His face turned a nice, dark ruby As he staggered to carry us to the table where Azaze and Fusspot sat, I tried to distract hiave me a coat ht now You forgot about Luvo’s weight, didn’t you? You’re very strong for an old man"
"I’m forty-five! That’s not old!" Oswin slid us onto the bench at the elders’ table
"It certainly is not" Luvo almost sounded huffy as I put hiot up and looked at the people who had been witness to all this "The rest of you, off to your hoather immediately Master Miller, Mistress Weaver, Master Carpenter, will you remain? I’ll send an hostler for the smith, the chief herder, and the chief miner Jayat Fetch your ulped "Yes, Headwoman Azaze" He ran out of the inn
Azaze went outside for a moment When she came back, she sat down across the table from me, and looked me in the eyes I don’t think I flinched It was hard This tall, stern-looking old lady would do better as a queen than as the headwoled to a mountain that was about to blow up
"What do you think you san there, girl? Or did you just invent a tale to keep yourself out of trouble?" Azaze demanded
If she spoke to everyone like that, I’d bet her children died of fear when they were sot a face full of bad air, and it e stuff," I told her "When I lie, I’o wrong They get fancy Then they forget the details It’s best to have a si"
Azaze’s thin mouth twitched I think she maybe smiled "Your career to this point has , I take it"