Anna flailed about in the waters as the two on the bridge watched her desperate struggles. Bidao gripped the railing and watched in horror as their victim sank into the dark depths.

  “Pull her out, Shian!” Bidao shouted as she whipped her head around to her friend. Shian impassively stood there staring into the dark depths of the swift river. Bidao grabbed her friend’s arm and shook it. “I cannot pull her out without risking bashing her to death upon the lifted waters, so you must pull her out now! Shian! Now!”

  Shian shook herself from her dark thoughts and lifted one hand. A soft icy glow emanated from her hand and a frozen droplet formed in her palm. She swept her arm outward and the droplet shot into the water like a spear. The magic sparkled in the depths some hundred feet downstream from the bridge and the ice popped onto the surface. The droplet had formed itself into a platform large enough to hold a person.

  That person was Anna. She lay sprawled face-down out on the ice formation, her face as white as a sheet and her person soaked to the bone. The young goddess didn’t move except for the faintest of motions in her breast.

  Bidao clutched her chest and sighed. “Thank goodness.”

  “Sweep her away.”

  The cold voice jolted Bidao out of her exhausted jubilation. She looked up to find Shian staring at Anna with hard eyes.

  “What was that?” Bidao asked her friend.

  Shian nodded at Anna. “Sweep her ‘boat’ away. I want to ensure she never troubles us again.”

  Bidao pressed her hands against her chest as a horrible sinking feeling touched her conscience. She forced her eyes back on the frail young woman who drifted away from them.

  “Did you hear me?” Shian snapped.

  Bidao sighed and stretched out one of her hands. A faint green light emanated from her palm and a gust of wind flew out. The breeze dove off the bridge and skipped across the river to Anna’s little ice sheet. Her magic pushed against the icy platform, shoving it faster down the river. The woman and her boat soon disappeared from view.

  Shian turned away from her friend and toward the gate. “We shall never speak of this. Do you understand?” Bidao bit her lower lip and couldn’t help but cast a furtive glance at the river. Shian spun around and lifted her chin. Magic flowed out of her bright blue eyes. “Why do you not answer me?”

  “Do you. . .were we not too harsh on her?” Bidao squeaked.

  Shian’s lip curled up in a sneer. “She did not belong among us. The land realms are where she belongs or even better the mortal realm.” She waved her hand and the gate ahead of them activated. “Now let us forget that she ever existed.”

  Bidao scooted in front of her friend and blocked Shian’s path. “But what will we tell the guards?”

  Shian scowled at her. “I already told you we will inform them that the woman escaped us and passed into the immortal realms, no doubt to cause mischief.”

  “And if she returns?” Bidao persisted.

  Her companion rolled her eyes. “Who would everyone believe? The woman who has only been with us for a few months or we who have lived among them all our lives?”

  Bidao turned her face away and nodded. “Very well.”

  “Good. Now let us home to our soft beds and a clear conscience.”

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Shian lifted her chin and sauntered toward the gate. Bidao followed behind with less pride than her friend. A nagging voice at the back of her mind warned her that she wouldn’t soon forget this day.

  “Your new mistress looks a lot nicer than your old one,” Jin commented.

  The pair strolled down the walkway with the sun shining overhead. A few other couples wandered past, their whispered words like the cooing of doves.

  A big smile brightened Arian’s face as she nodded. “She is. I have never been happier here than I am now.”

  Jin stretched his arms behind his head and cast a sidelong glance at her. “So I suppose that means you won’t be coming home anytime soon?”

  Arian felt a twinge of regret in her heart for being the cause of his forlorn expression. “I’m sorry, but no. I wish to remain here for a while longer. However, she has shown interest in visiting our home with me. I may see you then.”

  “In case that doesn’t happen, I’d better give this to you now,” he mused as he dug into his pocket. He drew out a small stiff case and held it out to her. “For all the birthdays of yours I’ve been missing these last two years.”

  Arian’s face was a picture of confusion as she accepted the package. She opened the lid and revealed a small ring with a diamond-shaped amber jewel set in its little pocket. “This. . .this is for me?”

  He grinned and nodded. “Who else would I give a ring to?”

  Arian pinched the ring between two fingers and lifted it out to study the glistening orangish-red jewel. “It is so beautiful. How did you manage to afford it?”

  His grin took on a sheepish accent and he rubbed the back of his head, ruffling his hair. “To speak the truth, I hadn’t intended to see you before I returned home but one of the goddesses from here gave me the money to buy this from the merchant as they were closing up shop last night.”

  Arian lifted an eyebrow. “Why did she do that?”

  He shook his head. “I’m not really sure myself. She only said that I must have wanted it for a sweetheart and such a good intention deserved a reward. The only condition was I had to give it to you before I left so I swore an oath to see you today to give you it.”

  Arian’s heart fluttered but not from flattery. A dark inkling rose at the back of her mind. “What did she look like?”

  Jin lifted his gaze in contemplation and wrinkled his brow. “I guess she was a generation above ours and with long brown hair.” His eyes widened and he snapped his fingers. “And she was a wind user! I remember because a breeze blew past us and her hair didn’t move a bit, and that told me she knew how to control it!”

  Arian stiffened and her wide unfocused eyes stared ahead.

  Jin stopped and turned to face her. He grasped her arms and examined her terrified expression. “Arian, what’s the matter? Are you alright?”

  She lifted her dread-filled eyes to him and the depths of her fear froze even his seasoned veins. Her voice came out in a hush. “We must return.”

  He leaned back and blinked at her. “Return? To the palace? Why?”

  Arian grabbed his hand and spun around. She broke into a sprint and yanked him down the walk. “There is no time to explain!”

  Jin stumbled behind her and they returned to Fanshe Hall in a short time. Arian released him and raced down the walk to the house.

  “Anna! Anna!”

  Arian darted room to room searching each one for her friend. Jin joined in the treasure hunt but it only took them a few moments to realize their prize wasn’t there.

  Arian stumbled out of the last room, her own bedroom, and tears welled up in her eyes. “Where can she be?”

  Jin grasped her arms and squeezed them. “There’s no need to cry. Maybe she just stepped out for a moment.”

  Arian bit her lower lip and a loose tear fell down her cheek. “I just know something terrible has happened to her.”

  Her old friend pursed his lips and he draped a strong arm over her shoulders. “Well, why don’t we start asking around then? Somebody is bound to have seen her.”

  Arian sniffled and nodded. “You are quite right. Perhaps I am overreacting.”

  He comforted her with a smile as he led her to the arch and out onto the walk. “And we’ll have a good laugh about it later-”

  “Is there a problem?”

  The voice stopped them in their tracks and came from their left. Arian’s heart skipped a beat when she saw it was Lord Eastwei who had asked the question.

  “I-I am not sure,” Arian replied, and she looked to her friend for help.

  “Lady Arian’s mistress has gone off without telling her where and we’re a little worried about her,” Jin explained.

  Eastwei’s perfect eyebrows knitted together. “When did she leave?”

  “Within the last half hour,” Jin replied as he looked down at his companion. “We weren’t gone any longer than that.”

  Arian slipped out from Jin’s gentle hold and stepped close to the impressive lord. “Could you. . .is there any way you could help us find her, Lord Eastwei?”

  Eastwei’s reply was to sweep his arm toward the ground and his fiery flakes floated onto the earth. They illuminated a set of footprints that led all around the walk and even onto the grassy knoll, but the brightest set left through the arch and turned right.

  Eastwei strode forward with only a few curt words to the others. “Come with me.”