Perda awoke after a restless night. When she opened her eyes, she was confused. "Where am I?" she thought. Then she remembered. "Oh yeah. Zann and I are trapped in Terrica."
The evening before, Mellis had taken them to her bedroom, which contained only a thick mat stuffed with straw. She and Vilkor had brought in similar straw beds for Perda and Zann.
Perda sat up and yawned. Zann was still asleep. But Mellis was awake. She was searching the floor in the corners of the room.
"What are you looking for?" Perda asked sleepily.
Mellis straightened up, looking anxious. Before she could answer, the door flew open.
"Time to get moving," Vilkor announced. "Mellis, you quit digging earlier yesterday. I hope you'll make up the time today."
Zann finally woke up. "Where am I?" he mumbled.
"Zann and I will help her dig the well," Perda told Vilkor. "After all, it was our fault she had to stop yesterday."
"You will?" Vilkor looked impressed. "Wonderful! I'll make sure you all have a double helping of porridge for breakfast."
"Thanks," Mellis said after her uncle left. "You don't really have to help dig."
"We don't mind." Zann appeared fully awake by now. He nudged Zing with his foot to wake him up.
After two helpings of porridge, they started the long hike to the well site. Zann carried Zing until they were out of sight of the farmhouse and then released him from the bag. The girls carried an assortment of tools.
"Why did you decide to dig your new well so far from the farmhouse?" Perda asked. "Won't it be difficult to haul water so far?"
"Yes, but water is scarce in this part of Terrica," Mellis explained. "My uncle noticed that small tree and figured there must be water in that spot. He suggested I pull out the tree and dig the well exactly where it was growing. But I didn't have the heart to do that. I dug next to it instead."
Perda shook her head. "It's strange to think how different things are here from back home in Magica. We just conjure whatever we need."
Mellis shot her a sidelong look. "Will you tell me more about Magica? I still don't understand where it is or how you got here."
"Sure," Zann said. "Magica is great! Well, it usually is. Not long ago this evil guy named Morb decided to take over, and . . ."
He told Mellis the whole story, with Perda helping. Mellis' eyes grew wide as she listened. Perda wondered if she believed what they were telling her.
Finally they reached the well site. The day was growing hotter. Zann mopped his brow with the back of his arm.
"We'd better start digging," he said.
"Wait." Perda dropped her shovel. "First let's try to open the wormhole again."
She and Zann went to the spot where they'd emerged from the wormhole. But it still didn't appear.
"Let's stop wasting energy," Perda said at last.
Mellis was already digging. Perda and Zann each picked up a shovel and joined her. Soon the three of them had scooped out a wide but shallow hole.
By the time they stopped to eat lunch, the hole was as deep as the height of a tall man.
"This is great." Mellis peered into the dark, damp hole. "With all three of us working, we might strike water today! Uncle Vilkor will be so pleased if that happens."
"Uncle Vilkor could make it happen faster if he picked up a shovel himself," Zann grumbled.
Perda was too tired to say anything. Every muscle in her body was sore. Her throat ached with thirst. She imagined gulping down a tall, cool glass of airberry juice.
Mellis finished her lunch quickly. "I'll take a turn in the hole," she said. "Can one of you please help me get down there?"
Zann climbed to his feet and held onto Mellis' hands, lowering her into the hole until she could safely drop down.
"I wonder if there's enough magic energy to make a pitcher of airberry juice," Perda said as Zann flopped down beside her again. "Should we try?"
Zann groaned. "I'm not sure I have enough strength to create friction," he said. "It does sound tasty though, so—"
"Hey!" Mellis called up from the hole. "Could one of you hand me the ax? I've hit a big root."
That made Perda curious enough to stand up and grab the ax from Mellis' bag. "A root? From what?" she asked as she peered into the hole.
Mellis looked up and shrugged. "I'm not sure. It's too big to belong to that tiny tree. Maybe there was a larger tree here once."
Perda carefully handed the ax down to Mellis. "Have you hit any water yet?"
"No," Mellis said. "But the dirt is getting quite damp. I think we're very close."
"Cool." Zann kneeled next to Perda. "I'll take the next turn down there if you want."
Mellis nodded. She hoisted the ax and swung it at a gnarled root at the bottom of the hole. Once, twice, then . . .
"Whoa!" Mellis cried, falling back.
Perda felt something come rushing up and out of the well. It wasn't water, but a mighty swirling rainbow of light and air. It roared up and filled the air so that Perda could barely see Zann beside her.
"What's happening?" Zann shouted.
Perda couldn't answer. For a second she was terrified.
Then she gasped as she felt sudden strength course through her. Could it be . . . ?
Acting on a hunch, she snapped her fingers. An overflowing pitcher of airberry juice appeared in front of her. And then another, and another, spilling juice onto the dusty ground.
"Zann!" she cried. "It's magic energy!"