She stepped down the muddy side and put her toes in the frigid water. As cold as it was, the chill never seeped into her bones. Perks of being the daughter of Poseidon, she assumed.
Xia inhaled and put her mind, body, and soul into the current of water, letting its rush consume her until there was no beginning or end between the two. She pulled small rivulets from the river and sent them in bigger streams toward the buckets. She filled all nine in a matter of moments. When she exhaled to release the water, a small sense of longing remained. It always did when she lost the aquatic connection.
Xia turned back to the waiting woman and saw what she could have sworn was excitement or anticipation in her eyes, but it was wiped quickly and replaced with a generic smile.
“You just saved us over two hours worth of work.”
“I’m glad I could be of use,” Xia returned.
“I don’t guess you can work some chaos to make it wash and rinse too, huh?”
“I’m afraid not,” Xia laughed. “We will have to get them cleaned the old-fashioned way.”
“It was worth a shot,” she teased. “I’ll wash, and you rinse. Maybe you can pull the extra water out of the clean linen so it will dry faster?”
“I can probably manage that.”
They sat in front of the first set of wash bins and got to work in silence. Xia listened as her companion huffed, the short bursts of strength making her heart rate increase. It seemed a taxing job, and Xia hadn’t seen many young or capable women on their walk through the town.
Xia let the monotony of the task soothe her mind as she put in the effort to rinse and pull water from the linen she hung to dry. The stranger beside her didn’t speak, both content to work in the ambient sound of nature.
After everything was soaked, washed, rinsed, and dried, they stood and slung the water from their hands. Somewhere along the way, Xia’s makeshift shirt had been soaked through and strands of her pale hair fell in strings. Xia looked up and found her companion in much the same shape.
“Here,” she said. “Let me help. Wet and cold aren’t a good mix.” Xia connected her mind to the droplets of water and pulled it from their hair and clothes, letting it fall to soak into the dirt.
“That issocool.”
Xia nodded and brushed debris from her clothes. Just as she was going to ask what chore was up next, an all too familiar tingle shivered up her spine.
“Woah,” the daemon said as she jumped back.
“Don’t worry,” Xia watched one curl around her arm like a cat. “They don’t bite unless you ask them to.” She repeated Brooks’ words from earlier without meaning to, and her cheeks flushed at the implication she’d just spoken aloud.
Is that you asking, Siren?Chaos’ voice whispered through the shadows and Xia swore she could feel the caress of a hand. A tendril of shadow stroked her hair while another gently tugged the skirt of her nightgown back toward the ramshackle house on the hill.
“I’ve got to leave now.”
“Why?”
The question stumped Xia and she wasn’t sure the reason. “I– I’m sorry?”
“Why do you have to go?”
Xia gestured to the shadows. “I came here with someone. He can manipulate shadows and these belong to him.”
“So… he’s calling for you?”
Xia’s brows bunched as those words struck a chord she couldn’t identify. “No, he’s not calling for me. He had to discuss our plans with someone we’re working with in private. He’s just letting me know they’re finished.”
“I see,” she said. “So he’s debatingyourplans with someone else. In private. Withoutyou. Don’t you think that’s a little, you know, controlling?” The emphasis on those words made Xia stop, confusion and doubt winding their way through her confidence.
No. She knew Brooks. Trusted him. Who was this stranger to question matters she knew nothing about?
“Thank you for helping me today, and allowing me to help you in return.” Xia backed her words with steel. “I’m not sure how long I’ll be here, but I would love to help in any manner possible while I am.”
The strange girl watched Xia for a moment with pursed lips and a wrinkled brow. “That’s very kind of you. I’m here if you need anything. Anything at all.” She spoke slowly, emphasizing each word as her expression deepened.
Xia made it a few steps before turning again to say, “I’m sorry. I’ve been so lost in my own thoughts that I forgot to ask you for your name.”
