So Squire Thomson had a notion that Sally ought to go to America, where she’d be more than welcome. Sally had been pretty dubious about this notion. Until Pavel arrived.

Pavel was educated, her equal in magic, and also an Earth Magician. Pavel was blond and handsome and—thanks to his difficult life in his homeland—modest about his abilities and his looks. Pavel for his part fell head over heels for pretty, brown-eyed, brown-haired Sally the moment he saw her. And Pavel was going to America in the spring, his pockets full of gifts from other Earth Masters who were eager to see an Elemental Master well established in the New World, where he could relay reports about how Elemental Magic was practiced there and help find and educate new Masters.

Sally’s Ma and Pa were very much inclined to like Pavel from the beginning, as he put on no “airs” with them. They liked him even more for his deference and gentleness with Sally.

And as for Sally—well, if Pavel was to be believed, and Anna saw no reason why he shouldn’t be—it was love at first sight for both of them.

It was during that winter that the squire taught Pavel how to “scry,” and gave him that black glass plate, which was not glass at all, but a stone called “obsidian,” which was something Anna had only heard of, never seen. Pavel gave a long and detailed description about how to use this plate, but made it clear that it didn’t have to be an obsidian plate, it could be any shiny, black surface. A black bowl full of water, for instance—though that would be better suited to a Water Magician. Or a ball of black or clear glass. Or a ball or plate of some other black stone. Why, it could even be polished coal! First, you filled the plate with the Glory. The first time you used it you had to “seal” it to you with a couple of signs. After that, all you had to do was fill it with Glory and think of the person you wanted to talk to. The critters on the other person’s end would let him know he was wanted, and he’d get his plate or bowl or whatever, and talk to you through it.

It was more complicated than that, but that was the short tale. And the thing was, since Pavel had the power, and so did Sally, it wasn’t like it was with most folks, which meant that her parents were fine with her going off across an entire ocean away from them. For most people, if a child went off to America, they’d be lucky to get a letter or two a year, if that. Sally’s Ma could talk to her every night if they wanted.

So as soon as shipping began after the end of the winter storms in the Atlantic, Pavel and Sally were on a stout sailing vessel, a trading ship full of household goods on the way to make profit from the former colonies, Pavel traveling only with his precious set of carving tools and clothing, and Sally with an equally precious stock of herb seeds, her healing powers, and enough herbs to be useful on the voyage.