Evan woke before sunrise The light in the hut was gray and quiet Lira was already up packing a leather bag with dried roots and glass vials She looked at him and said We leave now The Academy is two days on foot if the water stays calm He rubbed his eyes Two days That sounds like a long walk She answered It is better than three days if the river rises He did not know if she was joking

He stood and stretched His body felt heavy but not broken In the fire service he was used to soreness after a hard call His body remembered stairs smoke gear weight This was different This felt like he had been pulled apart and put back together in a way that was almost right but not perfect He said quietly Lira That kid I carried out of the fire Do you think he made it She paused and did not answer right away Then she said The gate does not take cowards Evan of the flame You were holding him when you crossed So yes I think he lived He let out a long slow breath and nodded That was enough for now

Lira handed him a strip of dried meat and a soft round piece of flat bread Eat You need strength Control takes energy He chewed while standing by the door Outside low fog hung over the ground The lake behind the hut was still The surface smooth like glass with blue lines of light moving underneath He could feel it again Not with his eyes Not with touch It was like the lake was aware of him Watching him

They started walking along a narrow path that ran beside the edge of the water The trees here were tall and pale not like the ones he knew back home No pine no cedar The bark looked almost smooth and faintly wet Lira walked light and fast The blue cloak moved behind her like water in a current Evan followed keeping his steps steady His firefighter boots were gone The boots he wore now were softer and quiet He did not remember putting them on

After some time he said So this Academy What is it Training camp Magic school She said It is where those with water in their veins learn to shape it It is also where those without power learn how to control people like us He frowned Sounds friendly She did not smile They will test you You must not let them see weakness If they think you are only a weapon they will claim you If they think you are nothing they will throw you out and the world will kill you instead He let out a small bitter laugh So normal politics Good to know

They walked until the trees opened and the land dropped down into a marsh Low plants grew in pools of shallow water and a slow moving river cut the ground in long shining lines The air felt thicker here Humid Warm He wiped his forehead and said This feels like August on a bad call Lira looked at him August She asked He said Summer Back home She nodded Summer Yes Warm and slow and loud with insects This is river country

They moved along a ridge of firmer ground Most of the way was ankle deep in water Lira stepped without looking down like she knew where every safe place was Evan watched his footing and followed until he slipped One boot dropped off the edge and sank fast into the mud He cursed and tried to pull back His leg would not move The mud held him like a fist

Lira turned Move slow not fast If you fight it will pull harder He gritted his teeth and tried to ease his leg out but the mud only swallowed him deeper up to the knee He put his hands down to brace himself but the ground there shifted too and he felt the water below surface start to pull He felt a spike of panic in his chest The same tight fear he had felt in burning hallways when the ceiling started to drop

He said Lira little help here please She did not rush to him She stood a few feet away calm watching him with the same careful eyes she had used at the lake This is good she said The river wants you Listen to it Evan stared at her This is not a great time for a lesson Lira He tried again to yank his leg free The mud tightened more His balance tipped forward and cold water spilled over his boot and into his pants

He swore again louder This is how people die in flood rescues I have seen this Lira stepped closer and crouched Her voice dropped Take a breath Feel for the pull It is not trying to drown you It is trying to claim you You must tell it who you are Tell it your line He shook his head You want me to talk to the mud She said No Talk to the water

He closed his eyes only because there was nothing else left to try The water pressed around his trapped leg Cold heavy alive He felt anger first He did not like being trapped But under that anger there was something else The same slow pulse he had felt at the lake He let his breath fall into that rhythm

He spoke quietly Not with his mouth But in his head He did not even know how he was doing it He sent one thought out like a hand reaching I am not your enemy I am not your prey Let go

For a second nothing happened Then he felt it The pressure around his leg shifted It was like hands opening The mud softened The water around his calf moved in a slow circle and then released him His boot came free with a wet sound He stumbled back onto solid ground breathing hard

Lira watched him with open surprise and something like respect That was fast she said Most first calls take hours and blood You did it in moments Evan leaned on his knees catching his breath He looked at his hands His palms were wet and shaking He whispered I just told it what I needed Lira shook her head Not what you needed What you were You were calm in the fire That is what the river felt It trusted you

He let that sit in his mind Calm in the fire It felt true He had trained his whole adult life to be that Not brave Not heroic Just steady in places where people scream Maybe that part of him did not break when he crossed worlds

They continued forward The marsh opened to a wide channel of moving water The river here was deeper darker The surface rolled in long curves carrying bits of plant and light The path ended at the bank Lira stopped We cross here Evan looked around for a bridge I do not see boats Lira pointed at the river We do not need boats You will call a path

He stared at her I will what She tilted her head like it was obvious The water listens to you We need it to hold us She stepped back a little and said I cannot do this part Not like you can

He swallowed hard and stepped to the edge The river was not calm It moved with weight and purpose He thought of being pulled under in flood zones He remembered recovery dives at two in the morning cold water black as tar He remembered body pulls He did not want to remember any of that now

He closed his eyes again He slowed his breathing He reached He felt the river this time like a moving animal A huge thing Strong He was not going to order it He already knew that was wrong He tried something else He tried respect

Please he thought We need to pass Hold steady for us Only for a moment

The water answered He did not hear words He felt agreement The center of the river shifted The current bent The moving surface pulled back and thinned A shallow stretch rose like a long sandbar made of liquid glass The river held its own body in place and waited

Evan opened his eyes and stared in shock The river had opened a path A clear band just wide enough to walk across The water on both sides curled high like walls shaking but not falling Lira smiled with real light in her face Now I see why the lake called you She stepped onto the waiting path first and moved with no fear Evan followed each step careful His boots made small rings where the water held him but did not swallow him

Halfway across the river began to tremble The walls on both sides shook and hissed Lira turned Keep focus Evan It can still close on us Do not let it doubt you Sweat rolled down his neck He held the thought in his chest Stay for me Just a little longer Hold for me brother The river steadied and they reached the other side

When they stepped onto dry ground the path behind them collapsed with a deep crash The river snapped back into itself and surged forward like nothing had happened Evan dropped to one knee not from pain but from shock He said in a rough voice That was not real That should not be real Lira knelt beside him It is very real And you will be feared for it

Feared He looked at her I am not here to scare anyone I only want to get home Lira shook her head No Evan Brooks You are not only here to get home You are here because this world is breaking and it thinks you can hold it together I felt it when you crossed The balance is off The fire rises The tide weakens The queen will send for help soon and men who love flame will answer with war Your arrival is not quiet

He stared at her The queen You said queen before Who is she Lira looked toward the far line of blue light on the horizon Queen Nerissa of Aqualis She rules the tide cities and the academy answers to her Her eyes narrowed And if she learns what you can do she will want you very close to her side

Evan let that sit heavy in his stomach He did not like being used He had seen politicians talk about heroes while cutting gear budgets back home He had seen cameras show up after the fire was out He had felt that fake praise and he hated it

He stood again and said You said two days to the academy Lira nodded Yes If we move fast we can reach the safe line by night The safe line He asked Safe from what Lira listened to the trees for a moment and then said Bandits Mostly Sometimes shadows Evan raised an eyebrow Shadows She answered The kind not made by light

They walked again The land rose into drier ground and scattered stone The air cooled The sky above them turned a softer color Almost violet like evening on the water He felt tired But under the tired there was something else A slow drumbeat energy moving with the rhythm of his steps He could still feel the river Like it had not left him Like part of it still moved under his skin

He said Lira Back there when I almost went under You said the river wanted to claim me What does that mean She looked at him It means you are not just using water Evan It means soon water will use you Her tone was calm like she was not trying to scare him but the words still made his chest tighten

Night came fast The first stars here were not white like at home They were pale blue Lira built a small shelter under low rock Her hands moved fast and sure She set the same blue fire from the hut A small silent flame that gave off light but almost no heat Evan sat across from it and watched the way it flickered slow and controlled

He broke the silence You said some people will try to use me Who are they Lira looked into the blue fire and her face turned soft silver in its light The academy The queen The tide guard And also those who hate the tide She lifted her eyes to him Fire clans They think water is weak They think water bows They will want you dead before you learn to stand

He leaned back against the rock and let out a long breath Good Great Perfect That is exactly what I needed Assassins and politics and magic rivers He rubbed his face with both hands This day is insane Lira tilted her head This day is normal You just started living in it

For a while they sat quiet The night was not empty There were low sounds in the dark slow calls from creatures he could not see Far off he heard movement in the brush The world here felt awake in a way he was not used to Even the air felt aware

Lira spoke again This balance you carry It is rare A man of fire with a heart that speaks to water It is not something this world understands Most flameborn burn out in anger when they cross They fight the tide and the tide breaks them You did not fight You listened That is why you are dangerous

Evan shook his head I am not dangerous Lira You saw me back there I was scared out of my mind She smiled a little Good Fear keeps you honest Men who cannot feel fear ruin worlds He let out a soft dry laugh You have a lot of opinions healer She answered I have had to stay alive

His eyes grew heavy The blue fire made his vision blur He let himself slide down until he was almost lying on the ground He said before sleep took him Lira Be real with me Can I get back home Ever Her answer came quiet and careful Yes There is a way between worlds But it does not open for free

His eyes drifted shut What does it cost Her voice was low Honor Duty Blood Sometimes all three Then he slept

Long after he closed his eyes the air near his hands began to gather Moisture lifted from the dirt A thin layer of water formed and hovered there in the shape of his open palm It pulsed with each slow beat of his heart and did not fall