by Frank Morin
She stepped closer and hugged him, her voice nearly a squeal. “I’m so excited to try this!”
“Me too. Let’s get to work.”
But as Connor studied the distance to the island, about fifty yards, he realized he would have to make a different type of bridge. He did not have trees like he had for Tomas. He glanced at the workshop behind them, with its high flat face. Maybe he could rip timbers from that and use them to make a bridge.
Verena followed his gaze. “You said most of the bridges are made out of ropes with planks, but you made Tomas’ more solid and that seemed to help strengthen his affinity, right?”
When Connor nodded, Verena flashed that adorable smile of hers that always came out when she was being particularly clever. “Why don’t we experiment? I have all sorts of materials inside. We could make the girders out of planks like you did for Tomas, or we could make it out of steel or even out of affinity stones.”
That was a good idea. Connor was not sure what would happen, so clearly that meant they should try it.
Together they rushed inside and scoured her workroom for supplies. It was full of options, with plenty of power stone on hand. At first Connor was tempted to simply use granite blocks to reinforce the affinity they were trying to build, but Verena suggested they use all of the different power stones.
“Maybe it’ll help me build additional affinities in the future.”
Connor wasn’t sure that would work, but agreed to give it a try. They collected all of the different affinity stones, piled the rough-cut blocks onto a wagon, and Verena used a makeshift quartzite thruster to push the heavy-laden wagon out to the cliff.
When they got there, she frowned and asked, “If you build these blocks out over that cliff, won’t they just fall in?”
“They might, but last time the trees sort of extended the way I needed. Remember, we’re not in the physical world so physical laws don’t necessarily apply.”
“So I could fly in here if I wanted to, without needing mechanicals?” Verena asked with a sudden grin. She jumped into the air, arms thrown wide, and managed to plop down onto her backside.
Connor laughed as she grimaced. “I had to give it a try.”
“There probably is a way to make it work, but let’s not get distracted.”
Connor hefted a large piece of granite from the back of the wagon. He’d worked with granite blocks since his earliest memories, and carrying granite somehow felt easier than carrying any other kind of stone. Although the block was heavy, he did not need to tap any affinities to carry it to the cliff.
Connor placed the block at the edge of the cliff, imagining it forming the anchor stone that secured the bridge to the land. As the stone dropped into place, it seemed to melt, morphing into the shape that he imagined. That was so much fun.
Bolstered by that success, he rapidly added additional stones. Verena helped heave the heavy stones, not struggling any more than he did to move the weight. She found that endlessly fascinating and started tossing stones into the air and catching them again. “I could get used to this.”
“You will, as soon as we get this affinity established.”
Connor placed each stone on top of the first piece of granite and willed it into position. They slid along the expanding length of the truss and snapped into position at the very end, forming an ever-growing arm of stone extending out into space. Although Verena wanted to mix all of the stones in equal measure, Connor insisted on alternating blocks of granite between every other stone.
“We’re building a bridge to granite, after all. Let’s make sure that affinity is really secure. We’re including enough other stones to see if they have other effects.”
Since neither of them really knew what they were doing or understood what would happen, she decided not to press the point. In short order, they completed both trusses between the mainland of her mind and the single-tiered granite island. Connor made sure the final pieces that secured the trusses to the island were also made of granite, and they fused without issues.
For the planks between trusses, they use the flat beds of wagons they found stacked up in one of the workrooms. Verena said, “These would be used eventually for making windriders. Seems appropriate, doesn’t it?”
Connor agreed, and as they hefted the heavy, flat wagon beds out to the bridge, new ones appeared to replace the ones they had taken, providing them an inexhaustible supply. The beds were a bit too wide, but shrank to fit as he dropped them into position. In a matter of moments, they completed the bridge all the way to the other side, complete with steel handrails.
“After you,” Connor said gallantly, gesturing Verena across.
She took his hand and pulled him rapidly across the bridge, breaking into a run. As soon as Connor stepped onto the completed bridge, he felt power thrumming through it. They had definitely accomplished something. He hoped it was something good.
Verena squealed with delight and pulled them on faster. “I can feel it. Something, a connection forming in my heart. This is going to work.”
Connor agreed. He couldn’t imagine it not working. They had built something very solid, and he expected she would quickly demonstrate an exceptionally powerful granite affinity.
As soon as Verena stepped onto the granite island, she gasped, eyes wide. “This is amazing. I feel so strong, and I haven’t even tapped granite yet.”
“I’m sensing an incredibly strong affinity,” Connor agreed.
She planted another quick passionate kiss on his lips, then grabbed his hand, and rushed back to the mainland, dragging him with her. He laughed at her enthusiasm.
She exclaimed, “Come on! I need to see what I can do.”
16
Sometimes You Get Exactly What You Deserve
By the time Connor blinked open his eyes after leaving Verena’s mind, she was already standing, her fistful of granite raised before her, a look of deep concentration on her face. Almost instantly, she squealed with delight and opened her hand, revealing all the granite powder gone.
“I did it! I absorbed granite.”
She tapped it, and all Connor could do was stare.
Most women tapping granite did not experience massive bulk expansion like the men. Men’s muscles would bulge to many times their normal size, but women’s muscles seemed to only grow denser and slip into their ideal, perfectly sculpted shape.
Verena’s muscles all hardened, sculpting into perfect lines as they expanded to double their normal size. She was already in excellent shape, with a trim, athletic figure. Her skin faded to gray and turned to living stone as she transformed into a goddess of granite. She laughed and flexed her stone fingers.
“I love granite!” Her voice echoed around the room, richer than ever. Listening to her max-tapped granite voice was like getting a warm hug through his ears, right into his mind.
Jean clapped, and Hamish laughed and asked, “What can you do?”
Verena hefted the couch with Hamish and Jean on it, making it look easy. When she lowered them, she leaped into Connor’s arms to give him a kiss, and he nearly collapsed under the weight. He hadn’t been planning to catch a living statue, but quickly adjusted, tapping his own granite, and lifted her off her feet.
He was not about to comment on her weight. No girl liked anyone pointing out they’d just added half a ton, even if it was all stone weight. He didn’t want her to punch him right out the window. She felt somehow denser than other Boulders he’d wrestled, and he sensed she possessed an exceptionally powerful granite affinity. What had they done building that bridge?
When she released him, she winked and said in an excellent imitation of Anika’s voice, “Come mine Connor. We wrestle? Prove strong hands.”
Connor grinned. “I’m starting to think I might’ve created a monster.”
“This monster will spank your butt when we wrestle together,” she laughed.
“You’re on.”
Grinning, Hamish poked at Verena’s arm. “What’s granite
like? Wow, you feel dense.”
“You’ll have to get Connor to loan you granite. That’s the only way to really understand.”
“That’ll give you a pretty good idea, but we accomplished something special today,” Connor added.
Jean walked slowly around them, studying Verena closely. “I was just going to ask about that. Verena seems unusually adept for such a new Petralist, and exceptionally comfortable with her new strength.”
So Connor told them about the bridge. Hamish whistled softly. “So better mental bridges make stronger affinities?”
“They appear to,” Connor confirmed. “It worked for Tomas, and now with Verena.”
She grinned and hugged him again, squealing with enthusiasm, squeezing so hard he grunted, even max-tapping granite. His girl was definitely a strong woman now.
Despite how impatient he was to get his own affinity, Hamish insisted that Connor help Jean next. She was not about to argue, and took Verena’s place facing Connor. He tapped the necessary stones and plunged into her mind.
Mhairi’s kitchen, of course. Connor grinned as he turned a slow circle, taking in all of the familiar sights, breathing deep the unique scent of herbs and fresh-baked pies.
Jean appeared beside him, wearing the simple blue dress that she had favored that last year in Alasdair. When she realized where they were, she clapped and exclaimed, “Oh this is wonderful. I return here all the time in my dreams. It always reassures me, and I’m convinced coming here subconsciously helps me produce better cures.”
“I don’t doubt it. Come on, let’s see if we can get you a new affinity.”
They exited the healer’s house and found it was the only structure on the otherwise flat street of Jean’s mental mainland. Together they stepped to the edge of the cliff and looked out over the gently billowing mists toward the nearby floating islands. Like the other minds Connor had entered, her islands were constructed of the various affinity stones they represented, although the sandstone island a little farther out was fashioned to look like a huge healthbed.
The obsidian island looked like little more than a blacker shadow, hovering low in the dark mist. The granite and basalt islands seemed a little better formed. Connor wondered if maybe they should target one of those instead, just to be safe. Jean didn’t have any affinities yet, after all.
Jean didn’t look worried, but was grinning and pointing at the distant sandstone island. “Do you really think we can establish affinities for me with obsidian and with sandstone both in one day?”
“There’s one way to find out,” Connor said, determined to make it work. Usually it took Petralists longer to establish a secondary affinity, but if anyone could reach sandstone quickly, it would be Jean.
He looked around for building materials, but only then realized the problem with Jean’s affinityscape. There were no power-grade stones available. In real Alasdair, they could head up to the quarry to acquire some, but he didn’t even see the rest of the town, let alone the mountain and the quarry.
“So how do we do this?” Jean asked expectantly.
Connor rubbed a hand through his hair as he considered the challenge. He’d hoped to build something special for her like he had Verena, but maybe that wasn’t possible. In Tomas’ mind, he had used trees. He lacked even that option for Jean.
“We need to choose building materials to make your bridge. I’m just trying to figure out what we’ll use,” he admitted.
She glanced around. “Are you saying I can’t get an affinity because I didn’t create trees in my mind? Can I change things?”
“I think the representation of this place is important, so I don’t think we should change things, even if we could. When I built other bridges, the materials changed to fit what I needed. Let’s try pieces of the house.”
Jean grimaced. “Good thing Gran’s not here. She would not like us ripping apart her home.”
Connor smiled to think of old Mhairi coming after him with a switch and a bucket full of one of her foul tonics. “I don’t think she’d mind sacrificing a little to help you.”
“Probably not,” she admitted.
He didn’t spy anything that might work as rope supports, but preferred making a more solid bridge anyway, so Connor ripped the door off its hinges. It was a good stout, wooden door, and should work nicely. He carried it to the edge of the cliff, closest to the obsidian island and pressed it to the lip, envisioning it transforming into the anchor block for the first truss.
The door disintegrated, wood melting away to mist that flowed over the edge and disappeared into the dark mists covering the abyss. Connor stared after it, surprised.
“Is that how it’s supposed to work?” Jean asked with a frown.
“No,” Connor said slowly, considering the problem. “I haven’t had this happen before.”
“So I can’t establish an affinity?” she asked softly, looking crestfallen.
“Not necessarily. Don’t jump to conclusions. I think it means I chose the wrong materials.”
“So what can we use?” she asked, turning back to the house. “Do we need to rip apart the rest of the house?”
That didn’t feel right, so Connor led the way back inside. “Maybe the kitchen table. That holds more meaning than the door did and more than the walls would.”
She nodded, pacing around the table, tracing the fingers of her restored hand along its worn but spotless surface. “Lots of good memories around this table.”
Feeling hopeful, Connor hefted the table, carried it to the cliff, and pressed it into the anchor position. It too dissolved into mist. He muttered a Grandurian curse, not wanting to look at Jean and see her disappointment. There had to be a way. What was he missing?
Jean touched his arm, her expression sorrowful, but not devastated. “It’s all right, Connor. Not even the queen can grant affinities for everyone.”
He shook his head stubbornly. “I don’t know anyone who wants an affinity as much as you want sandstone, or anyone who would use it to accomplish so much good.” He gave her a reassuring smile. “I know we can figure it out. The islands are there. We just need to figure out how to reach them.”
Jean considered that. “You made Verena’s bridge using power stone and beds from wagons, right?”
He nodded. “All materials tied to her Builder powers.”
“They’re more than that. Those are all items relating to her life’s work,” Jean pointed out thoughtfully.
Connor glanced back at the healer house, hope kindling again. “The table was important, but not really significant in your work. Maybe that’s why it didn’t work.”
“My life’s work is healing, Connor. How can we build a bridge with that?” she asked.
He grinned. “I have an idea.”
Connor rushed back inside, passed through the kitchen, and led Jean to the large storeroom packed to overflowing with herbs and remedies. In any other place, trying to build a bridge with such materials would’ve been laughable, but in Jean’s mind they were powerful.
Connor gestured at the herbs and said, “If anything is going to work, it’ll be something in here.”
Jean smiled, her face radiant as she stepped into the storeroom, arms extended toward the shelves of medicines. “I like it, Connor. This feels right.” She extracted a bunch of dried herbs tied together and said, “Start with these.”
Connor sniffed them, unfamiliar with the herb, although he suspected Mhairi must have used that one in at least some of her nasty tonics. He carried the bunch to the edge and pressed it down, willing with all his heart for it to form the anchor block. The herbs melted together, and for a second his heart sank.
The herbs transformed into a solid block as hard as stone, and sank into the edge of the cliff. Connor exulted, and Jean shouted, “It’s working!”
“What’s next?” he asked excitedly, thrilled beyond measure that they’d figured out the mystery.
“Come on.” She led him back to the storeroom, paused to study the s
helves, then began grabbing up bunches of herbs, bottles of powders, and packages of medicines. Connor hauled them all to the edge of the cliff. Once they assembled an enormous pile, Jean organized them and began passing them to Connor. All the while she muttered softly to herself, as if reciting recipes for cures and tonics in her mind.
Whatever they were building, it was not a random association of herbs, but growing according to a plan. That worked for Connor, and he took each item and pressed it into place, willing them to connect. Each item morphed into a solid piece of heavy, wooden beams and slid out to the end of the bridge to attach itself to the expanding truss.
It took only moments to complete the trusses. They were multi-colored wonders, formed from dozens of medicines, and the air grew heavy with their gentle scents. The mixed aroma smelled sharp and sweet and savory at the same time, and Connor found it somehow both relaxing and invigorating.
For the planking, Jean chose to use the treatment beds. Again more beds reappeared as necessary, providing all the materials they needed. As Connor placed each bed onto the trusses, it transformed into nine polished chestnut planks that slid out and snapped into position.
It was so much more fun building in the mind than building in real life, and Connor was thrilled by what he’d learned with Jean. He’d stumbled on the right materials out of sheer lucky instinct with Tomas and Verena, but Jean’s bridge was proving enlightening. When he tried to help other people build new bridges, he suspected finding the right materials would prove a critical element in success.
When they completed the bridge with spiraling rails, Jean rushed across to the first island, towing Connor along by the hand. When she reached the island, she inhaled sharply, one hand going to her mouth, eyes wide as if in sudden understanding.
She whispered, “It’s amazing. Obsidian is like a light illuminating shadows in my mind I never knew existed.”
“I bet you use a lot more of your mind than most of us do.”
