154. Rowan's Level-up (1)

Nobody touched the gate.

The workers had been ready with timber and shovels, but Hester lifted one hand when Rowan spoke. They stopped where they were.

Carlos watched the lower patch carefully and tried to understand what his specialty wasn't in.

The water did not rush into it from the surface at first. It vanished near the cracked side of the channel. The soil around the low patch darkened in a long line, then began to sink little by little.

"It is going under," Rowan said.

Marcus looked at him and frowned.

"Under the wall?"

"Under this side of the channel. The old patch is only where it comes back out."

The water kept pressing against the shifted gate. A thin stream reached the southern channel, but most of it kept finding the broken side.

Rowan moved closer with the measuring cord. Carlos followed him, but stayed behind the marked edge Hester had placed.

"That is dangerous, Rowan," Carlos said.