• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

The second crystal’s glow steadily diminishes until it, too, is completely drained. Shortly after he’s started on the third one, again he hears a…Crack! Again, a hairline crack has appeared in the second drained crystal. By the time he’s done with all the crystals, three of them now have hairline cracks within them, while the fourth has completely split in two.

Thinking he’ll worry about the cracking of the crystals later, he turns his attention back to the box. The crystals embedded in the sides and top of the box all have a crimson glow, not quite as deep as it would be if they were fully charged.

Taking the box outside, he takes it into the forest and places it on the ground. Leaving it there with the leeching spell activated to continue charging the crystals, he returns to the workshop where he picks up the mirror he brought out earlier to replace the one he shattered the day before. Concentrating hard, he tries to find the box. But just like the last time with the stool, he’s unable to get a picture. He increases the magic usage and concentration, yet still the mirror remains blank.

Backing off, he finally cancels the spell and sits back. Exhausted and tired, yet feeling good about his accomplishments, he knows the box is unlikely to be found by magical means. Unless an incredible amount of magic is used, but that doesn’t seem too likely.

There’s one more thing he wants to do before they go and hide it. Getting up from his stool, he sees the moonlight coming in through the window. A lit candle sits on his workbench which had been giving him enough light to work by. Just when did I light that? Surprised at how long he must’ve been at it and how engrossed he must’ve been to not even remember lighting a candle, he leaves the workshop and goes into the house where Ezra provides him with a plate of leftovers from dinner.

He can hear the rest of them out in the front room where Tersa is favoring them with a song. Her voice is really quite good but it makes him realize how much he misses hearing Perrilin sing. Wonder what’s happening with him and if he’s gotten into any more trouble.

When he finishes eating, he moves into the front room with the others who just give him a concerned look. “I’m okay,” he assures them. “I was just in the middle of something requiring my undivided attention and time just sort of got away from me.”

“Here,” Tersa says to him. “Come sit by me.”

He takes a seat next to her as she begins another song, this one a fast paced ditty that he’s heard many times. It’s one of his favorites which is probably why she’s singing it now.

After another song and an improbable story of how Uther and Jorry had managed to be invited to attend a hunting party in search of a band of thieves which, according to them, they slew all by themselves, he excuses himself for bed. The rigors of the day have taken their toll and he’s barely able to keep his eyes open.

Lying in bed before sleep finally takes him, he thinks about the last thing he wants to accomplish before setting out the next day. A warning system to alert him should the box be disturbed.

Chapter Ten

_________________________

The following morning finds James back in the workshop right after breakfast, fully rested. True to his word, Illan takes the training session to the other side of the house, as far away from his window as possible. For the first time in days, James is able to sleep himself out.

Before him on the workbench are two of the crystals from his bag. He plans to use one for his warning system and the other as a possible defensive measure against anyone other than himself touching the box.

He infuses them with the leeching spell and takes them out to the forest where he’ll leave them until tomorrow in order to have them somewhat charged before he begins infusing them with the desired spells. Spells which he still needs to figure out.

The warning system should be fairly easy. Reaching down to the bag of crystals, he pulls out two more. One will be the transmitter and the