This was not exactly news to Will. Rose Quartz and Magnetite. Amber and Malachite. Jasper and Agate. Folks had always known that the magic of crystals could subtly influence ley lines. Even the most common stones influenced earth energy. They worked like magnets that attracted and repelled, and could be useful in nudging the flow in slightly different directions. This was why crystals had always been used for magic and divination. But he supposed he could tolerate a little bit of “leysplaining,” if it involved having tea in this cozy cubby with Zani. He nodded, and used his fists to make a tripod to rest his chin on.
“Sorry. I know all of this is common knowledge.” Zani waved a hand dismissively. “But the charred book from the archives also mentioned this effect. However, it claimed that the gem that has the most profound effect on ley lines is something called Celestial Sapphire?” Zani looked at him skeptically. “Have you ever heard of that one?”
Will’s elbow slipped off the edge of the table.
“Was there a title on that book?” Will’s jaw was still hanging open. Celestial Sapphire was no common crystal. It was so rare that most people had never even heard of it.
“No title. It was only a fragment of a notebook, barely held together by a bit of millboard binding and old glue. Barely legible. It was charred around the edges, as if it were pulled from a fire. But I think it may be a portion from a late sixteenth century diary. It caught my eye because I saw Catherine de Medici’s name and a reference to ley lines. It’s too fragile to even remove from the Archives. I took some notes, though.” Zani reached into her pocket and pulled out a crumpled up take-out menu, which she now smoothed out on the table. On the back of the menu she had written four questions.
What is Celestial Sapphire?
Catherine De Medici?
Scrying stone?
Untethered Ley Lines?
“What did the actual text say?” Will looked up from the menu. It was for a Thai place in Boston he had yet to try. “And are these spring rolls any good?”
“I don’t know anything about the spring rolls, Will. I’ve barely had time to leave Primrose Court. Someone left the menu in the Mudpuddle.” Zani tapped her fingers impatiently, pointing at the worduntethered. “The text was not super specific. It just warned of the tendencies of ley lines to act extremely unpredictably in the presence of these particular stones, and it mentioned they are also particularly well suited to scrying with. Apparently the future shows up very clearly in them.”
Will sat up straighter. “I’m only aware of the tethering theory,” he said. “Merfolk lore suggests that Celestial Sapphires exist in abundant quantities, deep beneath the sea, and have been there for eons, as the result of long ago starfall. It’s a difficult claim to confirm or deny, as only the Merfolk can go down that deep. They’re famously secretive, too. Nobody else has ever seen more than a small fragment or sliver of this type of stone. But the legends say that these stones, or rather a specific collection of twelve of them, are somehow responsible for keeping all the ley lines anchored.”
“Doyoubelieve that?” Zani seemed surprised and confused by what he was saying. “I can’t believe in all my research. I’ve never come across a single mention of Celestial Sapphire!”
Will hesitated, unsure how much more to reveal. His Porting school teachers had taught him that, regardless of the legends’ truth, even discussing the stones could be dangerous. Because if it were true, and someone were to find a way to get ahold of the collection of twelve Celestial Sapphires, known as “The Weight of the World,” the entire ley line system could be at risk. He didn’t even want to think about the possibility of that.
He weighed his options before saying any more. He wasn’t the one bringing Celestial Sapphires up. Zani had discovered the legends by herself. And now that she had, he knew she wouldn’t stop investigating further. Not until her curiosity was sated.
Better that she seek answers from someone like him. It wasn’t a breach of porter code to answer a direct question honestly.
“Celestial Sapphire is one of the most sacred and ancient stones. Atlantis was said to have been built on a foundation of them. I first became aware of them because while all gems add risk to a port, Celestial Sapphires are the only ones that porters are strictly forbidden to carry. Many folk will tell you that’s ridiculous of course, that the stories are the musings of Ordinary alchemists and mages. In fact, most scholarly witches would insist that no such stone exists.”
“But that’s not what you think.” Zani read him all too readily. She leaned forward and he could feel the gentle warmth of her breath. “Have you ever seen one, Will?”
He closed his eyes. He knew that at some point, he was going to have to tell her all about Burnside Porter. He just wasn’t so sure he was ready to tell her now. But he recognized that this was the direction they were clearly heading in. He’d only be delaying the inevitable if he chose not to share.
“I can attest that Celestial Sapphire isn’t like any other stone I’ve ever encountered.” Will exhaled slowly.
“Okay.” Zani studied him briefly before going on. “The writing also mentioned a prophecy, something the writer saw while scrying. It said the stone would be cursed by blood and would be the death of all who Catherine loved.” Zani looked up at Will. Her dark brown eyes were full of worry. “The date on the text was well before Catherine lost her children, Will.”
“That’s a pretty generic prediction, though,” Will commented, ignoring the goosebumps on his arm.
“This is where I feel the need to tell you that the bloodstone amulet had a really strange blue undertone to it.” She splayed her hands out on the table, as if to brace herself in a vehicle that was too rapidly gathering speed. Will felt himself hurtling toward the same conclusion, even before she said the words. “I think it is the same stone.”
He tried to play it cool. “It seems like a long shot. I’m sure Catherine had many jewels.” Will shrugged. But he felt no footing in this conviction. He could feel the hairs standing up on the back of his neck, a sure sign that there were specks of absolute truth in the air.
“The writing wasn’t about a different stone, Will.” Zani squared her shoulders defensively. “It was about the bloodstone.”
“Okay. I guess it’s possible,” Will yielded. The last thing he wanted was to be Zani’s adversary. “But what makes you so sure?”
“When I held the text up to the light, there was an impression on the paper. The indentation was left from whatever was written on the previous page. I thought it might be something, so I cast a charm to reveal whatever was on the missing page.” She flipped the Thai menu over, displaying a rudimentary sketch drawn on top of a photograph of one of the restaurant’s most popular entrees.
“Mmmm. Is that Pad Thai?” Will asked.
“Yes, Will.” Zani rolled her eyes. “But it’s also a sketch of an amulet.Exactlylike the one I took from the vampires in Romania.”
“Goblin’s gizzards,” Will cursed quietly before letting out a long breath. “So you think the bloodstone is really a Celestial Sapphire in disguise?”
