Melting Stones Read Online Free

magic are. I—I guess Dedicate Initiate Myrrhtide will let me know what you need, apart from what you brought?"
    "No," growled Myrrhtide as he checked the third saddled horse. "She's the great mage, after all. She's in charge."
    "A great mage?" Oswin, who was starting to mount his own horse, missed the stirrup and stumbled. He stared at Rosethorn. "They sent a
great mage
to us?" Jayat gaped at Rosethorn, too.
    "I am a
green
mage. That's the important thing, and all you have to worry about, Oswin. You too, Jayat." Rosethorn doesn't like it when people fuss over her being a great mage. She cures diseases and destroys castles with plants, but if you ask her what she does, she'll tell you she gardens and makes medicines and jellies. The green habit with the black stripe on the cuffs and hem that says she's an initiate? She hardly wears it. She keeps her mage's medallion, the one marked so people know she has power at the great mage schools, under her habit most of the time. Myrrhtide
always
wears the blue initiate robe for Water temple. If he could make his mage medallion glow on his chest, he would. To Myrrhtide, Rosethorn is a cat who insists on acting like a dog.
    Rosethorn gathered her reins in her hand. "I
would
like to reach our destination and have that night's rest before we look into your problem. May we get moving?"

3
The Mountain Is a Restless Sleeper
    The road to Moharrin followed a nice river called the Makray. As roads went, it was all right. There were farms on the side that wasn't a river. The farms had lots of cows, sheep, olive trees, orange trees, and grape vines, just as the sailors had said. It was very pretty, if you like that sort of thing. I was more interested in the stones all around us.
    There was plenty of basalt, but that wasn't special. There was lots of basalt on the ocean floor. As soon as I touched it, I sent my magic on for something new. The stone walls that hemmed the farms and orchards sparkled in my magic. The rocks were granite, specked with quartz and feldspar. I was so glad to see crystal that I let it soak a bit of my power in. The granite shimmered like heaps of jewels in the sun when I finished.
    "Evumeimei." I think Luvo had been trying to get my attention for a while, because he was making his voice boom in my bones. He knows I don't like that. "This young man wishes to speak to you."
    Jayat was riding on my left. His eyeballs were bulging in his head. "Your rock made a mouth and it
talked
? He said it as if he'd never heard of such a thing.
    Well, maybe he hadn't.
I
hadn't heard of any others like Luvo.
    "He's not my rock. His name is Luvo. He's the heart of a mountain. Only I suppose the mountain can go on living, because it's still standing, back there in Yanjing." I looked down at Luvo in his sling on my chest. "Isn't it?"
    "My mountain is quite well, thank you, Evumeimei." Luvo turned his head-lump to Jayat. "You may call me Luvo."
    Jayat swallowed hard. Being addressed by a rock does take getting used to.
    "I'm Jayatin Holly. Mostly people call me Jayat." He bowed to Luvo. I knew it was to Luvo because I'm not the sort of person people bow to. If they think I am, I discourage it quickly.
    "I will call you Jayatin, then. That is more fitting," Luvo said.
    "Luvo doesn't usually like short names." I explain things so Luvo won't try to. Sometimes his explanations are on the long side. "He always calls me Evumeimei, which is the full form of my first name."
    "So, Evvy, which dedicate are you apprenticed to?" Jayat asked. "Rosethorn, or Myrrhtide?"
    I shook my head. "I'm a student
stone
mage. Rosethorn brought me because they don't feel kindly about me at Winding Circle just now. She and I are used to long trips together. What kind of magic do
you
have?"
    "Just the kind that's done with charms and spells. It's good enough for Starns, but that's all. You won't see the likes of me at Winding Circle. I could no more hear the voices in nature than I can fly. I don't know how you natural