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Out of the Ashes

Luvo and the island spirits carried me back to Starns I couldn’t have reached it on ht with Carnelian and Flare The islands even gave ed them

I will tell Rosethorn you are alive, Evumeimei We will co us, Luvo proe it

I did know that

The strength the islands gave h so I could crawl into a barn uphill from the place where I had left my body I needed to be under cover Ash still fell from the cracks that had opened on Mount Grace I had no way to know if there would be any gadolgas fro out to sea I barely noticed the earthquake that shook the hill just as I began to cli was dull and distant I wasn’t too far fro a cinder

As soon as I could do more than bleat like a sheep, I searched for food Sooner or later I had to see if Meryem, Jayat, and Nory were alive If I had only been unconscious for a day, they ht be partway to Moharrin, if they lived That day when I woke up in the barn, though, I could do little h the clouds of ash was fading In my present shape, I wouldn’t make it as far as the river without food or a horse

I had to find food before the light was gone My feet--then my knees and my hands--crunched as I headed for a nearby farm

In their rush to escape, the farmers had left plenty behind I ate my food cold for two days The house’s fires were out I couldn’t bear so much as the heat from a candle flame, anyway Even the touch of my own breath onnearly scorched by volcano spirits would wear off soon Noroats cary I fed theave to the other animals that returned I learned to walk like a sailor when little earthquakes shook us all Those wereout to sea

On the second day, I lurched around, sweeping ash off of grass, hay, troughs I brought up water from the well until it was clean I opened the doors of the house and brought the washtubs and barrels inside, to protect the that would hold water for the anirain out of sacks in the barns and sheds Until rain came to rinse the ash away, they’d be able to survive I hoped

The ash stopped falling by the third day Frouessed a lot of volcano spirits had abandoned the cha to try their luck under the sea No one remained to try to escape the mountain The skies were hazy, but it was clear, except in the southeast, where a black cloud hung That would be the new volcano Flare and Carnelian had led enough of their kind out that they had built ainto the open air

I couldn’t wait any longer I needed to find my friends, if they were alive They had to be alive After everything-- volcanoes…Merye and walking around I didn’t kno I could bear it if, after everything, I found their bodies on the way to Moharrin

I wasn’t sure how easy it would be to reach them The earthquakes would have knocked the road to pieces Lucky for me, two of the animals who had co on bad terrain I sweet-talked the saddles and packs I had stuffed with food andIt’s better to negotiate

So what if I hobbled like an old woo Otherwise, like the ferret in the old stories, curiosity would kill me Or worry Or fear

Off ent, slowly Each step sent up a puff of ash Tree lirass and hid the stones I had to wrap a scarf overit I even ripped up two shirts and gave theeyelashes Every little breeze blew grit right into my face My eyes watered all the ti That was good My ic was still limp, so I didn’t know When the , I’d slide froround settled again I gave theuage I knew They liked the compliments even ood speaking of that journey It lasted two and a half days The road was just sad In three places rockslides had wiped it away Lucky for me that I had ed, knocked into a new course by the bouncing earth We picked our way along the old riverbed The whole tiods of the Living Circle I wanted to see no tumbles of clothes, no bodies half buried by rock or ash I wanted no sign that the people I searched for had died ods listened and they were safe, or they were under so much rock that I never saw the ash froh every spare bit of cloth We couldn’t drink the Makray’s water It was acid frorumbled as I measured out water from my canteens, but they could smell the river They wouldn’t touch that water If I ca, it would be as a mule