But this was not what held his attention.
His eyes kept skating back to Ellina. The gentle arch of her neck, the shadows at her hips. Muscled arms, long legs, acres of creamy skin. Those scars. From his vantage point on a slight hill, she looked like the elf he’d first met, the one who knew herself. It was this thought that made Venick realize that in the water, Ellina didknow herself.
His blood stirred. His breath felt oddly shallow.
He tore his eyes away.
???
The swimming lessons continued. During the day, the army pivoted away from the beach to travel on surer ground, but each evening they returned to the shore to make camp, and Ellina and Lin Lill would head to the water. Heartshire Bay wasn’t a hot spring like the Taro, but neither had it frozen over like most of the smaller streams and rivers; the bay was large enough that it still held some of summer’s warmth.
Elves began gathering along the shoreline to watch Lin Lill’s progress. After a few days, Artis asked if he, too, might join their training, which prompted Branton to join, which soon inspired more elves to take part. Ellina—unable to teach so many at once—enlisted the help of the humans. She organized groups by ability, pairing stronger swimmers with weaker ones. Though she could not call out instructions, she was becoming more efficient at making her meaning clear, and others were becoming more skilled at reading her intentions. It was like watching a great machine whir slowly to life, gaining speed as it went.
When she wasn’t conducting swimming lessons, Ellina kept close company with Erol and Lin Lill. Venick watched from afar as the healer teased her, Lin Lill tossing out casual insults. Ellina grinned, making a complicated series of elven hand movements that had surely never been used together before, but that were nonetheless a clear rebuttal. After sunset, the three of them would build a fire in the sand and sit around drinking one of Erol’s brews. Not medicine. Venick knew that it wasn’t by the way Ellina’s cheeks pinkened with every sip, her smile going hazy and free.
???
One evening when they were about thirty leagues from Hurendue, Venick found Erol up near the beach’s tree line, stirring a pot of stew over his fire. Beside the fire was a gourd of the same liquor Erol had once bequeathed Venick and three tin cups. Three bowls.
“The elves say it’s good luck to gather in groups of three under new snowfall,” Erol commented.
“Elves don’t believe in luck,” Venick said. “And it isn’t snowing.”
“They did, once. And it will.”
Venick peered doubtfully at the sparse clouds. “So you’re throwing a dinner party?”
“I wouldn’t call it aparty.”
“You’ve set a table.”
“I wouldn’t call it a table, either, so much as an overturned crate. But yes, I have invited a few friends.”
“Ellina?”
Erol paused his stirring. “Ellina will be here, yes. And Lin Lill.” The man looked up from the stew. He seemed older in the dark, his wrinkles deep under the fire’s light. “Would you like to join us?”
“I’ll ruin your group of three.”
“I’m sure Ellina wouldn’t mind.”
Venick gave no reply.
Erol poured some of the liquor into a cup and handed it to Venick. “Lin Lill has raised the issue of what happens if Farah’s forces haven’t split, and we end up meeting her entire army in Hurendue. That would be disastrous for us, seeing as we’ve splitourforces. But it doesn’t have to come to that. We could send scouts ahead to observe Farah’s numbers.”
“We don’t have the supplies to extend this campaign. We’ll send the scouts, but by the time they return with their report, it’ll be too late to turn back. We need to keep moving.”
“That’s what Ellina thinks. She doesn’t want to delay. She’s confident that her sister willsplit her forces.”
“If Ellina thinks so, I’d trust her judgment.”
“I agree.”
Venick took a sip of the liquor.
“Have you seen the progress she’s made with the elves?” Erol asked. “I’ve never seen anything like it. She’ll have this entire army swimming by the end of the month.”
Venick didn’t doubt that. If anyone was going to break down a barrier as ancient as this, it would be Ellina. Yet any pride Venick might have felt was overshadowed by that same, looming mist of anxiety.
