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Leaving them there, they return to the house where Ezra has dinner almost prepared. She’s setting a bowl full of steamed tubers on the table when the door opens and turns to see him being helped in through the door. Taking in his condition, she gives a small shake of her head.

He flashes her a grin as they help him through to his room where he collapses on the bed, feeling completely drained.

As they leave, he says to them, “Tell Ezra I’ll not be joining you for dinner.”

Jiron pauses at the door and replies, “I’ll tell her. You just get some rest.” He closes the door and leaves James by himself.

Too tired to even attempt to get out of his clothes, he tries to get comfortable and allows sleep to claim him.

The morning drill of the recruits again disturbs his slumber. Going to have to ask Illan to take it somewhere else. He just lies there listening to him instruct them in proper defensive techniques for awhile, too comfortable to get up despite having slept in his clothes.

I did it. I can now hide the Fire with the concealing spell. Feeling very good about himself, he relaxes and tries to put the rest of his cares out of his mind. The money situation continues to plague him, disturbing the inner tranquility he was trying to achieve.

With the money he has now, both here and at Alexander’s, he can keep this place running for several months with no undue hardship. However, he’s got to figure out a way to generate a steady, reliable source of income that will last for years. The teddy bears will bring in some, but not nearly the quantity he’s figuring to need.

Finally giving into the inevitable, he swings his legs over the side and sits up on the bed. The room starts spinning and he has to remain still for several minutes before it stabilizes. A slight headache and a trace of fatigue is all that remains from the exhaustion he experienced the day before.

Holding onto the bedpost for support, he stands up and the dizziness returns, but only for a second before subsiding. He slowly changes out of the clothes he slept in and into a fresh clean set Ezra has laid out for him on his chest.

Once dressed, he opens the bedroom door and makes it out to the kitchen where she provides him with a plate with eggs and a ham steak.

“Thank you,” he says. The aroma coming off the plate makes his stomach cramp and he realizes just how hungry he is.

“You shouldn’t go without eating,” Ezra tells him. Sitting down across from him, she begins peeling tubers for their midday meal.

Finishing the bite of ham, he replies, “I know. But I needed rest more than food last night.”

“Are you done with whatever you are trying to do?” she asks.

“I think so,” he says. “I shouldn’t be doing anything too draining for awhile.”

“Good,” she says. Then she pauses in her peeling and looks at him with concern in her eyes, “I worry about you.”

He gives her a reassuring smile and says, “I know you do. I’ll try to be more careful.”

Before he’s finished with his breakfast, the sound of a wagon coming down the road can be heard. Stuffing the last of the eggs and ham in his mouth, he goes to the window and looks out to see Kraegan the blacksmith, driving a wagon toward the house. One of his apprentices sits in the back with the iron box he commissioned.

Leaving the kitchen through the backdoor, he goes out to meet him. When Kraegan brings the wagon to a stop, James says, “You’re done!”

“Just got it back a short time ago,” he says as he climbs down. “Thought you may be wanting it so brought it out myself.”

James comes forward and shakes his hand as the apprentice brings the small iron box down from the wagon. It’s little more than six inches wide and tall, should be just right for the Fire to sit securely within. He can see the crystals are embedded in the sides and top just as he requested.

“Where do you want it?” he asks.

James gestures over to his workshop and says, “In there would be fine.” He then turns and leads them over to it.

“Been having trouble?” Kraegan asks.

“Why do you ask that?” he replies