The magic left abruptly, dropping him limply to the ground at Brumenhildr’s feet.
Hergiantfeet.
Riven looked up...and up...and up...trying to meet her eyes.She washuge.Riven then opened his mouth to ask why she had become a giant, but all that came out was a loudcroak.
Chapter 5
Steps away from thepond, Bella watched, bemused, as a frog hopped straight toward her, ribbiting away.
She smiled down at it and veered out of its path toward the awaiting pond.“What an odd little creature you are.”She paused and recalled Bouleau.“Do you also speak?”
It croaked a few times in reply.
“Guess that answers my question.”She continued toward the water, her tongue dry and thick in her mouth, but the frog continued chasing her.
“Persistent little thing, aren’t you?”
Another round of croaks carried to her ears.This time, its tongue flicked out and stuck to her arm.
The shock of it sent a squeal from her lips.“Are you biting me?Naughty frog!”It had reeled itself closer to her skin by retracting its tongue, so Bella was able to grab it and wiggle it free.Once she held it in her hand, she watched it flail its front legs at her in a most amusing fashion.She studied it, for it did act most curiously.“I wager you are hungry, for no frog of sense would launch itself at a human.Here, go back to your pond.”And as she gently tossed it into the still water, what could only be described aspanickedcroaks flung from its mouth.
“—of this disgusting filth!”
She gasped.“Youcanspeak.”Was there no end to today’s madness?At the wordfilth,Bella scanned the surface.A thick sheen of algae covered it, and it smelled foul, but perhaps it was Sulphur?She had read that Sulphur water smelled awful, and thisdidqualify....
The frog attempted to swim back to shore, alternating front leg after front leg, until he gave up and kicked with his back ones.He scrambled up the shore and stood on his hind legs, swiping pond scum off his front arms in a very human-like fashion.
He sent an impatient glance up to her and said, “Wum, wum.”Then he gave a human-like huff and placed one hind foot in the water.“Yes.I can speak.”
Bella studied him for a second.“Well, good day to you.”And she moved away to sip.
“No!The water is poisoned.”
Bella had already dropped to her knees at the pond’s edge, but she rolled to her feet and took a step back from the shore.“Poisoned?You mean, enchanted?Is that why you can only speak when you touch it?”
“No.Poisoned.I must remain here until I save as many lives as have been lost by drinking it.”
