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He points over to where Illan, Uther and Jorry are working with the new recruits. “That and the guard I encountered out by the road,” he says.

“A little,” James tells him. “People keep coming by to see what I’m doing. Annoying.”

“I can understand that,” he tells him.

To the apprentice, he points to the floor near his workbench and says, “Just put it down there.” Once he’s set it down, James tells him, “Thank you.”

“Go and wait at the wagon,” the blacksmith says to his apprentice.

His apprentice says, “Yes sir,” and then leaves the workshop.

James comes over and inspects the box, running his fingers over the crystals. He nods his head when he finds them securely embedded, they don’t even wiggle a tiny fraction. Opening the box, he feels the soft inner lining where the Fire will rest. It’s just large enough for it to sit securely within. Closing the lid, he sees a small keyhole in the top near one of the sides.

“Here,” Kraegan says.

Glancing over his shoulder to the blacksmith, he sees him holding out a small key. Closing the lid, he places the key within the lock and turns it. After removing the key, he tries to open the lid and finds it securely locked. Placing the key in a pocket, he stands back up and turns to the blacksmith. “Very nice work,” he says.

“Is it what you wanted?” the blacksmith asks.

“Yes,” replies James. “Exactly. Now let’s go back to the house and I’ll get you the rest of what I owe.”

Leading the way, he takes him in through the house and has him wait in the kitchen.

“Would you care for anything?” Ezra asks him.

“No thank you,” he tells her.

James moves into his room and opens the money chest. Taking out a sack of coins, he removes all but what he needs for Kraegan. He adds two silvers as well as the promised bonus of ten extra golds for quick delivery and then closes the chest.

Coming back out to where he’s waiting, he places the sack of coins on the table and then they proceed to count them. When Kraegan sees the extra two silvers, he nods his head and puts the coins back in the sack.

“I appreciate the speed in which you managed to complete the job,” he tells him.

“Always try to, if I can,” he says as James leads him out the back door to where his wagon waits. The apprentice has already taken his position in the back.

Getting up in the driver’s seat, Kraegan says, “Good day to you sir.”

“You too, master blacksmith,” replies James as Kraegan turns the wagon around and heads down the lane to the road. On his way back to his workshop, he sees Yern out practicing with his sword as he works to regain the strength he lost after being hit in the shoulder. He’s moving his sword in a complex pattern as he moves around the ground. His red hair is matted against his face by the sweat his exertions are producing.

Coming over to him, James says, “How’s your shoulder?”

Yern brings his workout to a stop as he turns and replies, “Much better. It doesn’t hurt so much anymore and I’ve regained much mobility and strength.”

“Good,” he says. “I was wondering if you could find Fifer and meet me in the workshop?”

“Why?” he asks, rubbing the sweaty hair from out of his face.

“I have something I need you to do,” he tells him.

“I think he’s out by the road,” he says. “I’ll see if Jiron will take over for him and we’ll be there in a few minutes.”

“Alright,” replies James.

Yern goes over to a bucket of water and washes the sweat off of his face before going to find Jiron.

James turns back and continues to the workshop. Once inside, he picks up the box and places it on his workbench, it’s not nearly as heavy as he’d been anticipating. He spends several minutes in further examination of it, checking to make sure there are no cracks in any of the crystals, even to the point of sending his senses to inspect them internally.

Finding no fractures that he had been afraid would’ve happened during the construction process, he brings himself out of the crystals just as Yern enters the workshop with