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And because I had failed her, our colony had lost another member.
    With only fourteen people left, it was hard not to wonder if we were all as fragile as her. And if so, who would be next?

CHAPTER 6
    A nanias was the first to wake, shortly before sunrise. When he saw Griffin, Alice, and me, he nudged Eleanor. The five of us encircled the body of Guardian Lora.
    Eleanor turned away from her dead grandmother, and Ananias wrapped her in a tight hug. She buried her face in his hair.
    Alice rubbed her tired eyes. “We should release Lora to the water.” With the storm over, her voice sounded loud and intrusive.
    Eleanor stepped back and dried her eyes with her tunic. “We should wait for the Guardians to arrive first.”
    â€œThere isn’t time. She died just after you fell asleep. I overheard the Guardians say that bodies must be released to the water within a half day of passing.”
    â€œYou
overheard
this?”
    Alice shrugged. She had an uncanny knack of overhearing all sorts of things—more than the rest of us put together. Some of the Guardians even accused her of spying, though she always denied it.
    â€œWell, then,” said Eleanor, “we should carry Guardian Lora to the water and offer a blessing for safe passage.”
    Alice stood and waited for the others to help her.
    â€œSomeone needs to stay here, Alice.” Eleanor tilted her head toward Rose and Dennis, who were still fast asleep. “They’ll wake up soon, and need reassuring.”
    â€œSo stay here and reassure them.”
    â€œNo. Releasing Guardian Lora’s body is something Apprentices should do.”
    â€œWell, there are only two of you, so you’re going to need help. Anyway, you think I can’t toss a dead body into the water?”
    Eleanor gasped. “This is our grandmother, remember.”
    â€œBelieve me, I remember—how much she hated me, criticized me. Truly, how can anyone be so mean?”
    Eleanor raised her hand. “Please don’t disrespect the dead. I can see you’ve been awake for most of the night. It must’ve been difficult, but you can’t let tiredness cloud your judgment now.” She spoke so calmly, so reasonably, that there was no way for Alice to protest.
    I signed to Griffin that I needed him to stay behind and explain to Rose and Dennis what had happened. It was like he didn’t even see me. Still, as long as he was around, they would know we hadn’t abandoned them.
    We picked up Lora’s body together, one of us at each limb. Ananias was stronger than me—with powerful arms and wide shoulders—but not much taller, so he and I took her legs. Lora was so light that none of us struggled. Hard to imagine such a frail body could have endured year after year of storms.
    We carried Lora up the worn stone steps and along the road to the shore. To the east, the sun was rising above Hatteras Island. I couldn’t see through the glare, but I knew the Guardians would be coming for us soon.
    How would I explain to them what had happened during the night?
    We waded into the sound and let Lora’s body float beside us. Eleanor offered thanks for Lora’s years of companionship, and expressed hope for the afterlife. Ananias didn’t speak, but he held Eleanor’s hand throughout, and pulled her close when she choked on her words. Alice just stared at her grandmother, eyes dulled by anger and distrust.
    Eleanor finished, and we let Lora go. Her body bobbed gently in the post-storm calm.
    While the others headed for shore, I stayed and watched her drift farther into the sound. I studied her closed eyes, the way the lines etched into her forehead had smoothed out, making her seem younger again. She had indeed tested me, but it was a matter of life and death, not a trap.
    Why hadn’t I woken the others?
    I heard someone pushing against the water, rejoining me. “Did you get any sleep at all?” Ananias asked