Handing a new one out to Ezra, she took the magic-depleted strand and started
Holdingout a new one to Ezra, she swapped it for the magic-depleted strand. Ezra began her process again, and Sol closed his eyes to access his harmony magic.
Meena dropped the empty beads in a specific spot so she could organize them as they went.
The wind rushed through the room around them, playing an ever constant melody with the hanging glass beads.
Ezra did her part as quickly as possible, keeping Meena on her toes—literally, as she twisted around the small space—passing the strands back and forth.
At first, Meena felt cold as the wind rushed around her, but her body soon warmed from the constant movement.
After a short while, it became clear that the floor would be difficult to navigate if she kept dropping the empty beads. She started re-hanging the empty strands back on their wall hooks. She kept a broad space between the two sets of beads so she would not lose track.
Despite the never ending strands of beads, they made quick progress through the room.
They were perhaps halfway finished when Jules stumbled into the room, pressing with all his might against the outgoing wind.
“A storm rolled in,” he said. He was dripping wet from head to foot. “It’s getting pretty bad.”
Sol looked at Meena.
Her watery eyes blinked, so she smiled and blinked a second time.
Sol smiled.
It was a tired, small smile, but she could tell he was laughing at her.
“We can’t leave it half finished,” Sol told Jules. “You can wait in here if you want. It’s unlikely anyone will be able to scale the cliff if it’s as bad as it looks.”
Jules nodded and stepped across the room to stay out of their way. Within moments, he was standing next to Meena, helping her pass and organize the strands of beads.
They increased their speed.
Meena worked without thinking until something wet and cold soaked through her slippers. She looked down to see water pouring into the room from the outer tunnel.
“Oh no,” Jules said, as he noticed the same thing. “It’s getting bad out there. That’s a lot of rain to have traveled this far inside.”
Meena looked up at the final wall. They only had a quarter of the beads left to drain. They needed to finish quickly.
“Do you think we are causing the storm?” Ezra yelled above the wind and water.
Meena froze. That made sense.
“You’re right,” Sol said. “The chaos needs to be dispersed somewhere.”
“If we keep going, it will only get worse,” Meena said. She looked around the room at the flooding floor and remaining beads. “We might be able to carry the rest,” she suggested.
Neven burst through the door on the other end of the room. “They’re coming,” he said, breathless.
Meena ran to the wall of remaining beads and began filling her arms with as many as possible. “Jules, help me. Neven, here too.”
Sol and Ezra had already turned toward the door, hands ready in a defensive position.
Councilor Younn burst through the door with a squadron of soldiers behind him.
“Go!” Meena pushed Neven and Jules out the opposite door. They had managed to gather most of the remaining beads. Meena could get the final handfuls herself.
“Stop them!” Younn yelled, his face enraged. He held up his hands to protect himself from the harsh wind.
