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I drew the heat froain I didn’t wait to hear Azaze and Oswin apologize to Myrrhtide I went inside When I found the maids, I asked them to fix some hot food and tea for Myrrhtide and Rosethorn Then I clis I took out a clean robe and some underclothes, and spread them on his cot I fetched clean towels for him, too Then I went to my room

I heard a boy’s voice as I approached: Treak’s "So have you seen these volcano kids Osas talking about?"

"I have seen thes, any more than I can visit the chamber where they and their kindred live" Poor Luvo After visiting the lake he one to my rooave birth to me Their power is the same as mine If I draw too close to them, my existence will end I will melt"

I walked in Not only was Treak there with Luvo, so was Meryeranite out, the ones I kept for an e with those?" I deic Luvo, why did you let the with things which ht do them harm, Evumeimei," said Luvo "They cannot release the power from these, as you know quite well"

"We’re not deaf," said Treak, "we can answer for ourselves We’re hiding fro sled from blankets and branches I told her wait till Oswin coether sos"

"She says that’s lazy" Meryeranite cubes in their wooden box I was iht spot for each cube "She says that if more people did for themselves Osouldn’t work so hard"

"Well, Oswin’s the only one of us who can get the grown-ups to help" Treak was trying to juggle two of my crystal spheres

I snatched thes alone!"

"You’re as touchy as Nory," Treak said "Who cares about stupid old rocks anyway?"

I almost said, Who cares about stupid old huave Luvo a very obvious look

"Master Luvo’s different" Treak waved a hand at Luvo "He’s a god or a spirit or soular old rocks just sit there They don’t have a brain They can’t speak They can’t hear"

"You show your ignorance, youngon a wooden chair He settled a little, and the seat boith his weight I kept an eye on the seat If Luvo forgot and settled again, the chair er than yours It was their memory, called forth by Tahar and Jayat, that told us of the first volcano here Rosethorn can tell you of the prints of ancient animals and plants carried within stones They can tell you of the changes in the earth and of the sea You dwell here for a speck of time, but stones have the memory of thousands, ht and heat and water," I broke in "Look here" I took the cloth roll ofit up on the bed I drew out my favorite stone "See this? It’s an opal The colors work because the crystals are arranged at different angles in the stone Crystals bend light Crystals know ht than you could ever dream of" Meryem bent over the opal, her mouth open I hesitated, then let her hold it "So ti happens Soht you need to press stone together so its layers blend So they took to move from the bottom of the sea to the top of the ed "If you have to ask me that, then you can’t understand my answer Meryem, it’s just a rock"

"It’s a beautiful rock It’s the ave the opal back to reen and blue in it"

"It sounds pretty" I looked at Treak "Just because you don’t understand, don’t pick on Meryem" I took out the stone that looks like shards of blue ice crystals trapped in white ice I showed it to Meryeile It’s called kyanite"

"Le spar that stuck out of one end He looked at the slender length of kyanite, then ata red shirt The imperial soldiers wore red tunics For a moment Treak looked a little like one of them They had smashed their way intothere "No wonder the thing you’re best at is breaking furniture! Get out!" I yanked the stone froes think you’re so great! You think even your dung is ic!" Treak reached for the basin I think he meant to throw it at me

Meryem seized his arm "Stop it, Treak!" She looked at me "He doesn’t mean it, Evvy! I can fix your rock, honest! Oswin ether!"