Sleight of Hand: The Final Card

Chapter 42

Everyone decided they wanted to come along and watch as Aivilo tried to create something that seemed impossible. But she was confident. She knew what she had to do.

There were many gasps and murmurs as they emerged into the gray fields through the gold-and-pink portal Aivilo had created to the Superhuman land. She'd forgotten that besides her, Kurtis, Trebor and Rae, the others hadn't seen this place.

"Is that where you guys found the power source?" Ammee asked, pointing up to the cave carved into the rock face of the canyon wall. The four who'd been there nodded. Aivilo started toward the canyon wall. She made it to the rock face and placed her hand against the wall. It was cold and seemed to crumble a little under her fin­gers. To her left was a deep pit—the lake that the Living Waterfall emptied into.

"This place makes me feel so sad..." Sierra said.

Aivilo nodded. "Hopefully it won't be that way for long."

"So what are you planning to do?" Trebor asked as he stepped up beside her.

"Some gardening," was what she replied with. She took a few moments to tune out the people around her and think through what she was about to do. If she planted a seed in this dead place, would it even grow? She also needed some of the water from the falls to water it with.

"Ammee, do you think you could get your parents?" Aivilo asked. She nodded, hopping back through the portal that Aivilo left open.

"What're you thinking?" Trebor asked in her ear. Aivilo tried not to flinch at his warm breath. She didn't dare turn her head, because she knew his lips were less than inches away from the shell of her ear. She didn't know what she'd do if he grazed there.

Trying not to imagine the scene, she responded, "I'm thinking that to use as little power as possible, I'm going to need some help."

Once Ammee's parents were present, Aivilo explained her plan to them. They both nodded in understanding.

Aivilo held up her hand, and the light from her eyes blazed as she summoned a little more power. The power surged through her body, down her arm, condensing in her fingertips. She pinched her thumb and forefinger together as she'd done that day when she'd given it to Seamus. A small, golden seed appeared, glowing brightly and giving off more warmth than would be expected of something so tiny.

"Tre," she said, gesturing for his hand. "Hold this for me, please." She dropped the seed into his palm. He frowned slightly, looking a little uncomfortable as he cradled the seed in his hand with more care than he probably needed to give it.

Aivilo suppressed a giggle. He was so cute.

"Okay, I'm going to summon the memory now," she said to Ammee's parents. They stepped closer as Aivilo placed her hand once again on the canyon wall. She closed her eyes and let more power ooze into the rock. It warmed under her hand, and she heard more intakes of breath and murmurs of wonder as the memory of the land spread, revealing its former beauty to them.

"How is the soil?" Aivilo asked Ammee's parents. They were knelt on the ground, their hands pressed against the now vibrant green grass.

"It's... more fertile than I've ever felt before!" Ammee's mother exclaimed. Aivilo felt her power pulse as she froze the memory so that it didn't continue to shrink like it'd done the first time.

"Careful, Aiv," Trebor warned when she blinked hard. "You said it would require minimal power."

"For it to work the first time, I think this is minimal power."

She gestured for Trebor to follow, and he crouched along with Aivilo beside the large lake the Living Waterfall now poured into, spraying them with warm mist.