Water and Power by Viola Grace Page A

street. She moved quickly and loosened the knot of hair at the base of her neck. Her locks were caught by the wind, and they flowed around her. She headed into a mall, and from there, she went into the busiest restroom she could find. She bumped into a woman who was entering with her, and while she was inside a stall, she changed into the woman’s appearance. She didn’t need the mind because this was just a distraction.
    She turned her long tunic inside out and belted it with a flashy buckle from her pocket. With her hair cascading over one shoulder, she left the stall and washed her hands.
    The two men following her were waiting outside, but she walked past them without stopping. She headed to the teashop and wandered out with a tea, heading to the underground tube station and a fast ride home.
    She held her borrowed shape until she changed trains, and then, she assumed another form with the belt no longer in position. A pregnant woman was always a good place to hide.
    She waddled up the steps toward the street and hoped that Mora had made it clear of the city. Around the corner, the shapeshifter ditched her outer clothing and emerged from the alleyway wearing boots, a bodysuit and vibrant blue hair.
    It was her own body and face, but the hair was all whimsy. Amly Hyde had done what she could for Mora, and now, she had to get back to her day job in the Coroway Teashop.
    The government officials needed their teas and pastry, and she was just the person to serve it to them.
     
    * * * *
     
    The directions to the small cabin had been spot on, but the rations they had given her only lasted six months. Mora hated the idea of hunting, but she had no choice.
    The nearby stream had fish it in most days, but she would get tired of fishing fairly quickly. She needed to hunt some of the local wildlife, and for that, she needed a weapon. She had already read the books on butchering meat from the cabin’s small library.
    “Come on, Mora. You can do this.”
    She sat next to the stream and lifted a handful of water. A flick of her wrist and she snapped it into the nearest tree, causing it to shake violently.
    She scooped up more water and increased her focus, managing to slice through the tree with one shot. With practice, she finally cut the tree down with nothing more than a blade of water.
    Mora just had to find out what her range was, and she might even be able to take down one of the local deer.
    How long would she have to live out here on her own, anyway?
     
    Another six months went by and she had become accustomed to hunting and foraging for a living. Her clothing was worn from repeated washing and her hands were rough from more than just the delicate metal work she used to do.
    Her vantage point in the hills gave her a good view of the sky. It was her sole means of entertainment.
    When the search parties began to come by, it took her a few moments to realize what she was seeing.
    “Damn it.”
    She ran for the cover of the trees, but the flying vehicles were sweeping in an organized wave across the mountain range. They were looking for something, and she was in their path.
    Diving into the rock was not an option, so she ran along the tree line, her worn boots skidding across rock and branches. She had no illusions about being caught. With a wave of ten vehicles flying edge-to-edge, she had no chance at escape. All she could do was keep her little cabin a secret in the hopes that someone could use it in a subsequent event.
    Mora had lived for a year with the threat of discovery, and she was tired. She was only able to run for two miles when the first blasts struck the ground around her. A groove was worn into the gravel in front of her and another behind her. She was well and truly pinned down.
    There was nothing to do but wait.
    “Remain standing. You are hereby arrested under the Unapproved Talents Act. Do not attempt to run and do not use your talent on any of our officers. That will not go well for you.”
    Mora waited