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He nodded. “Nothing to report, I’m afraid. The water felt the same as in the river beside town.”
“That makes sense,” Ida said, “since it’s the same river.”
“It’s not actually,” Costas corrected, making her frown.
“I suppose it’s not exactly the same one,” she acknowledged after a moment. “The main river bends westward, and it’s only a branch that breaks off and goes south toward the town.”
Costas shook his head. “I think you’re getting confused, which is understandable. The town’s river starts further south from here. It isn’t a big one, and it starts from an underground source, so to all appearances it just springs out of nowhere not far above the town. It would be natural to think it comes from a larger river up north.”
“I…” Ida paused, frowning, before giving a shrug. “Of course you would know the island better than me.”
I looked between them, surprised Ida would be wrong on something of that nature. She was the sort of steady person who could be relied on to have accurate information and considered opinions. And while it was true that Costas had lived his whole life on the island, it was Ida who was serving as our guide because he had lived his life almost entirely separate from the regular islanders.
But then this was a matter of geography, not of where the islanders preferred to forage for herbs. As an elements mage, in particular, surely Costas would be familiar with the nearby rivers.
“Hmmm…I’m starting to regret not going with you to check the town’s river,” Amara said. “I won’t be able to make a comparison with this one.”
She knelt swiftly and plunged a hand into the flowing water. Her brow creased as she stared downriver. When she stood, it was slowly, the water flowing off her hand until it was completely dry.
She turned to Costas. “You really didn’t feel anything at all unusual about this water?”
His brows shot up. “Did you?”
She hesitated. “Maybe?”
“Are you stronger than Costas?” Nik asked. “If you sense something he doesn’t, could that be why?”
“I think we have a similar level of ability, actually,” she said. “But there is one crucial difference.” She turned to me. “Could you check the water, Delphine?”
“Me?” I stared at her. “I can, of course, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to sense anything.”
“You think it’s your cross-influence that’s the difference, then?” Nik asked Amara in an intrigued tone.
“Cross-influence?” Costas asked. “What do you mean?”
“I have an elements seed,” Amara said, “but I was activated by a healer.”
“By a healer?” Costas stared at her in astonishment. “But that makes no sense. Don’t you come from the Tartoran capital? Surely there was an elements mage available to do the activation for you?”
“There was, of course,” she said, “but I preferred the healing master I chose—both for personality and affinity.”
Costas’s brow wrinkled, as if he couldn’t understand what she was saying, and I remembered what Grey had told me about the island.
“They don’t allow cross-influencing here,” I said. “I suppose they had to do everything possible to preserve and strengthen their power, given their community is small and isolated.”
“No cross-influencing at all?” Amara asked. “That’s a loss.”
“But what would be the benefit?” Costas asked. “We were taught it just weakens your ability.”
“In the sense of brute force, it can,” Amara agreed. “But there are many advantages to be received in exchange. I may not have proper healing power, but my power will always be tangled with traces of my influencer’s power. It expands my ability in ways that are impossible for a straight elements mage. And in this case, it’s given me an important capacity to sense life—however incomplete my sense might be compared to a true healer like Delphine.”
“You think there’s something alive in the river—something that shouldn’t be there?” I asked.
“Possibly?” She sighed. “I can’t be sure. I’m not familiar with what the disease feels like since I can’t connect with a human body. I’m hoping you might be able to recognize it, though, since you’re healing cross elements. I’m not sure a straight healer could sense life at such a minuscule level when it’s suspended in water instead of inside a living creature. But I’m hoping my elements influence will give you that ability.”
Kneeling, I leaned toward the water. As I neared it, I wobbled, nearly losing my balance and falling in. Someone caught me by the arm, steadying me, and I didn’t have to look back to know it was Nik.
I could feel his warm presence beside me, but I forced myself to focus on the task at hand, merely murmuring a quick thank you.
