“Isn’t it?” Ellene said proudly. “I don’t come here enough…”
“Why don’t others?” Jayme asked, dismounting. “Surely, there would be more buildings, towns, along the water?”
“Sometimes there are… some of the traveling clans will set up camps here. But this is a sacred place. It was made by Dia herself and said to give us all life-sustaining, fresh water. It’s more of a place of pilgrimage than of residence or industry.”
“Is it all right that we’re here?” Andru asked, dismounting stiffly.
“If anyone is permitted, I would think it’s the future Chieftain, future Empress Solaris, and their sworn guard,” Ellene said with a note of pride. Then, hastily added, “And a future Senator, son of a Senator, Southern Court… man.”
“I think my title was somewhere in there.” Andru gave her a sly grin.
“Even still… we don’t exactly have time to linger.” Jayme reminded them. “I’m surprised they didn’t send a search party immediately after us.”
“For all we know, they did, and we’re just ahead of them,” Vi admitted. “I was hoping I’d get enough of a head start to throw them off our trail…”
“But mother has trackers too good for that,” Ellene finished Vi’s thought. She gave her friend a nod.
“Which is why we need to get you your vision and return.” Jayme folded her arms over her chest.
“Do you need something special?” Ellene asked, turning to Vi. “Is here good enough?”
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “One way to find out.”
Vi took a few steps back from the water. They’d been surveying the lake on one of the large boulders protruding from the earth. It was a good vantage to see from. But not the best place for a vision—just in case she collapsed in shock, or fear, or exhaustion after. The last thing Vi wanted was to go into the water head first and unconscious.
Holding out her hand, Vi summoned her flame, stared at it, waited…
And waited.
“What do you see?” Ellene asked with a whisper. Her face was alight with awe, as though she was witnessing something mysterious and sacred. Vi hated to be the one to burst her bubble.
“Nothing.” She closed her fist, looking across the lake.
“Could we be in the wrong place?” Ellene looked back the way they’d came.
“Perhaps it wasn’t Lake Io?” Jayme mused.
Vi shook her head. “No, it’s here… But Ellene may be right. This spot, right here, may not be the right place.”
“How so?” Andru asked.
“All the other places I’ve received my visions were remnants from the start of Shaldan. There were the underground ruins, the ruins at the edge of the city…”Ruins. That’s what it was, Vi realized. Taavin had said something about a temple of the sacred family.
“So you’re saying we need to find ruins?” Jayme followed Vi’s logic. “Or some other remnant of old Shaldan?”
“There must be some near the lake, somewhere.” Vi looked to Ellene. “Do you know of any? Specifically related to Dia and her family?”
Ellene shook her head.
“That’s a lot of ground to cover.” Jayme looked out over the water.
“Perhaps there’s a faster way,” Ellene mused, wiggling her toes.
“What’re you thinking?” Andru glanced between Ellene and her feet.
“I could feel out the earth. If there are ruins underground, or an odd shape of stone, it should feel different to me than normal earth.”
“If this is really supplying the water for all of Shaldan, there must be countless passages underground…” Vi murmured, trying not to dash their hopes.
