Page 67 of Tangled Power
Aterra was a perfect example, Rose thought. He was a god. What did he need more power for? He didn’t need it—he wanted it.
She turned to Luc, whose face had gone contemplative. “I don’t know how to convince you that’s not what I want.” He raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.
Carter, who’d been observing the conversation, stepped in. “I think we should try to merge all four of our elements. Let’s let Rose lead.”
While not a shock to Rose, given Luc and Juliette’s conversation, she was a little surprised Carter was the one to suggest it. She didn’t object. As the newcomer and one heavily wronged by Aterra, she seemed least likely to subvert their attempt to overpower him.
Juliette nodded, though she didn’t say anything. Her gaze returned to the road as the compass directed them north.
“If that’s what we want to try, it would be helpful if I could spend some time on today’s ride trying to find the connection to your magic, Carter,” Rose said. “That way, we can practice all together at camp.”
Carter nodded as he looked at the others. “Is everyone able to use their element for a little bit while we ride?”
Rose smelled each of their elements flare to life. She closed her eyes immediately to start the search. Her internal lake of power was full, and she barely glanced to see Luc’s dark tunnel still open on the lakebed. She didn’t need to visually confirm it—she could feel it there, ready to answer her call. It may be her imagination, but his power seemed more stable since they’d established this connection.
Leaving the lake, she followed the wind to Juliette’s door. It was getting easier every time she found it. She was sure she could knock, and it would open, but this wasn’t what she was here to find. What was she here to find? She thought about Carter and his magic. The duality of shift and flame, the connection of the cycle of existence. What would represent the complexity of his magic? How would she connect to it?
As if brought forth by her thought, a large tree appeared on the western shore of her lake. It stood taller than those around it. She recognized it as a match of the tree under which the Vesten coin had been buried. Long, thin, draping branches covered with leaves parted to allow her entrance into a secluded spot. As she walked to the trunk, the weeping branches started swaying. Stopping her forward progress, she waited to see what it would do. The tree burst into flames around her. It burned hot and fast, incinerating the willow. The fire didn’t burn her, but as it extinguished, only the ashes of the tree remained.
So much for this being the connection point to Carter. She turned to continue searching when, all too quickly, a new sprout poked through the ashes. Was a new tree growing before her eyes? It grew large and broad, just as it had been, but this time, with a tunnel through the trunk. She could see from one side of the tree to the other. She peered into the opening, wondering if she should try to walk through. As she examined it, she saw a shadow-like fabric billowing in the non-existent wind.
Sending her own breeze through the tunnel, the rippling fabric was tousled even further, but it didn’t blow away, even though it had no anchor. Rose reached her hand through the opening, still a little unsure about walking through it herself. Her hand seemed enough; as she pulled it back, a small animal came through. A black cat—so similar to a form she was used to seeing Arie in.
As soon as the feline crossed through the tunnel, Carter’s power flooded in.
Rose’s eyes shot open, her smile wide as she locked gazes with the Vesten Point. “I found it.”
It wasone thing to talk strategy and another to put it into practice. Rose knew they needed to do the latter when they made camp. Theory would get them nowhere when they found Aterra—they needed to be ready. It was another two-day ride to Lake of the Gods. They were running out of time to prepare.
Once they arrived, another host of problems would greet them. Like how to access the lake or where it would lead. She also needed Arie to test their other theory with Carter so they could be more certain of their conclusions. If power-sharing worked between Compass Point and patron god, outside of balancing Zrak’s sacrifice, she felt confident they understood Aterra’s plan. If not, they might be back to square one.
“Want to give this a try?” Rose asked once they set up camp.
“I’m game,” Carter said, walking away from his bed roll.
Luc and Juliette stared evenly at each other for a moment. “I will try with Rose in control. I’ll stop if anyone else attempts to guide our shared magic,” Juliette said.
Luc nodded his agreement.
Arie came to land on Rose’s shoulder.“Tough crowd.”
Rose rolled her eyes at him and mumbled, “Not helpful,” under her breath.
“So, now that you can find each of our powers, do you know what you’ll do with them?” Juliette asked.
“I think a unified stream sounds easiest to visualize. I’m not sure I’d be able to wield each one individually,” Rose said.
Juliette didn’t seem to object.
“Okay. I will try to aim our powers at the cluster of trees over there.” She pointed. “If all goes according to plan, we should be able to knock them down.” Her voice elevated at the end like a question, unsure of her overall goal. She just knew their powers needed to work together. No one objected, so Rose closed her eyes and slipped down to her internal lake to open their connections.
She didn’t have to dive into the water this time to alert Luc’s magic that she needed it. She only nodded in its general direction, and the connection opened. Carter’s tree, now that it had cycled through its life and death, stood with the weeping branches parted so the tunnel through its trunk was visible. She reached in through the hole, passing the billowing shadow fabric to make the connection, welcoming the animal that came through. It was still feline, but much larger. Rose wasn’t familiar with the species, but she felt the power flowing between them. She shrugged and moved on.
Her wind led her to Juliette’s door. Rose knocked. The door didn’t seem ready to open. She knocked again with no response.
Opening her eyes, she tracked the sharp hissing sound as flames met water. She smelled the familiar chocolate and sandalwood of Carter’s power as his fire and her water intertwined before them. She glanced behind her to see what Juliette and Luc were doing. The connection with Luc’s magicwas there, but it seemed to be waiting for something before it sent its element into her and Carter’s joined stream.
It was a standoff. Neither moved. Rose wasn’t sure which would be better—for Luc to go first or Juliette. She bet Luc wasn’t sure either and was trying to let Juliette decide. Instead, Juliette averted her eyes, ignoring him. Luc shook his head as he released his power. His element poured into her lake, and the ground broke around them, sending rocks and debris flying into Carter and Rose’s merged stream of power.
