by E M Kaplan
With one firm hand, Marget pushed Jaine away an arm’s length, and with a broad sweep of her hand, dried her own hair and clothes from the top of her head to the hem of her skirt. She stood before them, not a drop of water remaining on her clothes or person. “Yes,” she told Jaine, “I am amazing.” The two of them made their way down the hill, leaving Charl, still dripping, to follow after them.
“What about me?” his voice trailed after them.
Mel made her way to the sisters, Zunee and Rav, now the only ones standing atop the sandy hill. Still looking over the newly made lake, they appeared to be silent until she got closer. Then, she found they were speaking to each other in quiet tones, though they were looking at the water. When she realized the intimacy of their talk, she hesitated, intending to turn back away.
But Rav smiled at her—a genuine, full-toothed smile, gorgeous in the morning sun. The two women, so similar in build and in features, stood before her now. Rav slid her hand into Zunee’s.
“Mel,” Rav said. “This is my sister.”
Epilogue
In the following days, Mel did nothing. While the others raised tents for those who did not have shelter, she sat at the water’s edge and healed. The wounds on her face never entirely closed up—she would have some of the pink ribbons, reminders of her travails until her dying day.
She suspected she still had a grain or two of trog-tainted soil in her body—something did not quite feel right within her—but she did nothing about it. Maybe she lived in hope of preserving her connection to Treyna and the earth elemental. In the camp, she watched the woman push Harro’s chair around, the ground still rising up to meet its now worn wheels.
Mel’s mind ran in a different direction here—perhaps the wheels could be replaced with a substance other than wood, not only so they would last longer, but so the chair would be easier for Harro to navigate on his own. Or perhaps, she’d be able to devise braces that would allow him to once again stand at his full height…
Treyna, however, was still pushing away her gestures of friendship. Mel had never had to struggle so hard to accommodate another person’s moods and temperament. Yet, Mel was stubborn too, and she would not give up.
Yes, it was fascinating—and thrilling—to have been a part of the elemental. So, she figured the aches and pains, the weakness she suffered from keeping the tainted grains within her was worth the sacrifice.
It was worth it to see if Treyna would accept her as a friend. As a sister of sorts. So, she would keep it.
And maybe she knew somewhere, deep inside her, their fight wasn’t over. The trogs would return, and when they did, she would be ready.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
EM Kaplan lives in Illinois with her husband, two kids, and her dog Max. You can visit her blog at www.JustTheEmWords.com. Or find her on Twitter (@meilaan) or Facebook (emkaplan.author).
OTHER BOOKS BY EM KAPLAN
Fantasy
Unmasked, Rise of the Masks (#1)
Unbroken, Rise of the Masks (#2)
Mystery
The Bride Wore Dead (Josie Tucker #1)
Dim Sum, Dead Some (Josie Tucker #2)
Josie Tucker #3 coming soon!