I promised Briar I would take care of Rosethorn.

I interrupted Oswin and Luvo. “Where do I take Flare and Carnelian? I can’t just drag them any old where. They’ll come straight back here.”

Oswin grinned. “All of those roads that lead away from Mount Grace, and you can’t think of something that’s a better place than this?”

“I don’t know any roads for volcanoes.” I didn’t feel like playing games! Then I bit my lip. The cracks. The cracks, that led to the faults deep in the ground. The seams in the earth. Where might they take me?

In my mind’s eye I saw black, cold depths at the foot of a stone cliff. Strange sea creatures danced in cold salt water. They swirled around an opening that spurted clouds of hot water.

“Luvo…” I whispered.

“I saw.” Of course he saw, I was holding him. “Is it far enough from human dwellings?”

“Is what far enough?” Now we had confused Oswin.

“I’m not sure,” I said. “It’s seven miles. We need Myrrhtide.”

Oswin, Luvo, and I worked our way down the riverbank. Myrrhtide was in the water again, his habit kilted up around his waist. He walked along the river bottom as easily as I walked on the road. He didn’t slip or slide like I did.

I stared in awe. Fishes darted around and between his feet, some of them big ones. Now and then one would leap in the air and hit broadside, splashing him. His pale lashes were marked with water drops. Water beads sparkled on his short red hair. He looked…happy.

Maybe our voyage would have been more fun if we had just towed Myrrhtide behind the ship on a rope.

“Excuse us—are you working on something?” Oswin could be very polite.

“No. Evvy, if your face freezes like that, you will frighten small animals. Is something the matter?” Myrrhtide asked gently.

Kanzan bless me, with fish nibbling at his toes, Myrrhtide was actually decent. “Back on the ship, when I banged you in the face, did you know where we were?” I inquired.

He bridled, as if I’d suggested he didn’t know how to do his sums. “We were directly over the Ditlo Trench, the deepest such trench in the Pebbled Sea. It measures ten thousand feet at its greatest depth. Not one of the biggest trenches—there is a deeper one at the heart of the Syth, and another off the Bight of Fire that is said to be nearly twice that. At the one in the Bight of Fire there are creatures, completely bleached of color, who give off their own light—never mind.” Myrrhtide bent to scratch a catfish on the chin. “I fail to see why an offshore formation like the trench would be of interest to anyone just now.”

“Evumeimei, you would have to do this alone,” Luvo said unhappily. “I can send you strength, perhaps. You know I dare not bring my essence too close to that of Flare and Carnelian.”

“There’s a spell that Tahar and Jayat know. Sometimes Tahar does something risky and needs Jayat to observe or to lend her strength, but not to get too entangled with her. Jayat uses it, too. That way she can tell him what to do when she’s too weak to work magic herself. It might not serve you, of course, Master Luvo. We could ask.” Oswin’s eyes were shining. I began to see why Jayat spoke of him like he did. This man lived to work out things, even when he couldn’t do them himself. Why hadn’t he been born a great mage?

On the other hand, the idea of Oswin with the power to try some of his ideas was a little scary.

“Jayat!” Oswin’s bellow nearly split my skull. “Come here, we need to ask you a question!”

“Will someone please tell me what that trench has to do with anything? We are running from a volcano, may I remind you?” Myrrhtide sloshed out of the river. He yelped as he stepped on something pointy on the riverbank. I set Luvo down and went to help him.

“Here. You can brace yourself on me and put your own sandals on, or brace yourself on me and I’ll put your sandals on. Either way, step on that rock right behind you. No sticks to hurt your feet then.” I pointed to the rock. “Or you can go back in the river. Your fishes miss you.” It was true. They swirled in the shallowest water they could manage, right where Myrrhtide had climbed out.

He frowned at me. “Why are you being helpful?” He stepped on the stone slab and unhooked his sandals from his belt.

I took his footwear. “Because I found out you’re not such a crosspatch. It’s funny, the way you learn how decent people are, when things get bad.” I knelt and undid the knot in his laces. When I had a sandal free, Myrrhtide braced a hand on my shoulder and lifted up a foot. I put it on and laced it for him.

“All right, young lady. What are you up to?” Myrrhtide asked suspiciously.

“Nothing bad,” I told him as I did up the other sandal. “Mila and Green Man willing, and maybe Heibei too, it could even be good.” Silk moths began twirling in my belly. Stop that, I told them. I haven’t even done anything yet.

I stood up and smiled at Myrrhtide. “There you are. All shod and ready to visit the emperor.”

He smiled, too, and tightened his grip on my shoulder. “Good. Very good. Now let’s see what you and your friends are cooking up. And try to take care of yourself. You are starting to grow on me.”

17

Stone Clothes

When Rosethorn saw us trailing the refugees and talking, she rode back to see what was going on. We told her what we planned.

“Absolutely not.” Her mouth settled into a hard line. “Tamper with the volcano spirits a second time? Particularly when they might be getting more powerful? I won’t hear of it.”