against his boots. He stood on tiptoe to avoid them getting wetter, but the water swelled up even more around his heels. The whole stream around him seemed wider than it had a moment ago.

He leapt to the far shore, splashing into the shallow water with one step before he was clear of it, and turned back just in time to see the rock swallowed up by the stream. The water between him and the sisters rushed past with a surge of strength.

Fear crossed Annyka’s face as she turned back towards him after stabilizing Ashidi and saw that the next stepping-stone had disappeared. As she looked around for somewhere else to step, fear turned to panic.

“Just walk through the water!” he yelled to her. “The stream’s rising. You have to get out of there!”

She crouc...

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