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"You were afraid of the shells?"

"I was afraid of what I was asking them to do," she says

"Are there any other rules?"

"The sirens of the past told s that have been s that are s that have almost always been"

"And we can control people," I say

"Their bodies," Maire says "But we cannot control their souls"

"Is there anything else?"

"You have to be near the object when you command it," Maire says, her tone practical, instructive "At least that is how it is for me And eventually your command ear off You and I won’t be able to coh the shell forever"

She stands up "I need to get back"

"Wait," I say I’ve realized that this infor in abstract--it’s useful foryou can cos," I say "Not just people Not just shells"

"That’s right," Maire says

"And the trick is to not be afraid," I say

"It’s not a trick," Maire says "It’s the way it is And you have to listen" She pulls her black robes tightly around herself "It’s tio"

She doesn’t look back I don’t follow after her

When I glance down at the pool, I see that all the coins have co there All I have to do is pluck the, if I want them But coins sink They don’t float Unless--

My auntvery dangerous, I realize, by teaching ht only under Council supervision But what Maire’s done isn’t public I’m the only one who knows She’s put herself in o to the priests, I could tell Nevio the Minister, I could warn the Council about what she can do and what she’s said to s very difficult for ave that power to me

Does that mean Maire truststhat could help ondola stop, I think about le the coin I’ve taken from the pool It’s heavy in roup of people, I think I hear a voice, a person crying out, and I turn too fast I slip unexpectedly and fall hard to the ground, hitting h my bones

A woman near me exclaims and reaches down to take my arm and help me up

"Thank you," I say, after a brief pause, to make sure the pain won’t come out in my voice I’m still stunned by the suddenness of the fall I should have been ht?" someone else asks

"Yes," I say "I don’t knohy I slipped--"

And then we see it

A sround In unison we all look up to try to find a source

"Is it a leak?" soh