Evander stands and bows before stalking out the door, leaving the rest of us staring at the crystal in the middle of the table. Could it honestly be that simple? Destroy the crystal imbued with venom and restore magic? I hold my necklace out, staring at the familiar runes, hoping for a sign that I’m on the right path. A slight warming of the medallion has my lips spreading into a smile.
Yes, it could be that easy.
***
Itwas not that easy.
For starters, mining raven stone is extremely difficult and time-consuming. After dozens of broken tools, we learned that you have to find a chunk that has already broken off naturally from the main stone and use a smaller piece of it to grind it down into the shape you want. And with none of our forges open yet, Lachlan couldn’t construct anything but a crudely shaped sword. However, we did manage to find a large enough block to grind down into a basin. Which is a relief because after days of searching, we weren’t able to find where they inserted the venom. Days we don’t even know if we have because we do not know what’s happening outside of our realm. Julius and his demons could have breached the human realm or decimated our allies.
We have no idea, and the unknown is destroying me.
Between the stress of the unknown and scouring for an invisible hole in the quartz, the only assistance I’ve been able to contribute is reading through more of the books. Luckily, Luna loves to read as much as I do. So when we weren’t taking a shift inspecting the crystal chair, we were reading in companionable silence.
It’s taking a team of horses to drag the throne down to the training ground. I figured having it outdoors and away from anything too important would give us the most room to work and reduce the risk of destruction. The sun beats down on us from a clear blue sky. The usual cooling breeze is nowhere to be found, making the heat insufferable, but safer. No breeze means no venom blowing where it shouldn’t be.
Lachlan walks beside me as we lead the horses down to the training grounds. “So, what is the plan now?”
My head throbs as my heart rate speeds up. I feel like time is against us, and I’m running out of options. “I guess we’re going to try puncturing the throne with the raven stone.”
He studies my face. “And that’s nae what ye want to do?”
Evander pops up on my other side. “What don’t you want to do?” His brow arches, and he studies my face.
“It’s not that I don’t want to do it. I just feel like time is consuming my every thought, and I’m not thinking clearly.”
Lachlan nods. “If we need to slow down so ye can think things through, we can.”
I shrug. “I don’t know what else there is to think through. We know the venom is in there and that raven stone will negate it.” My shoulders drop with the sigh I heave. “I guess we can always go back to the books.”
Evander shoots a look over the top of my head to Lachlan, and they share a chuckle.
“Not you too,” I whine. “What do you have against books?”
Evander feigns complete innocence and turns his head back to the path ahead of us. “I’d rather be trapped in a chimney again.”
I roll my eyes as we walk under the archway to the training grounds. The horses’ hooves are silent against the dirt as they continue dragging the throne to the center. Dirt piles up in front of the colossal crystal chair as it’s pulled along. Mina, Mathilda, and Tane all walk together behind it, and farther behind them is Luna, carrying the basin of raven stone.
We stop the horses. Lachlan and Evander set about unstrapping them from the throne and tying them up to the fence railing.
It’s quiet as I stand before the monstrosity.
I unknowingly hold my breath, and it’s only when my lungs ache that I remember to breathe.Gods. Why do I feel this way? I should be excited we’re finally doing something constructive to restore magic. But anxiety gnaws at my insides.
I grip the raven stone sword firmly in one hand as I circle the throne, trailing a free hand against its surface, hoping to find any hint of a seal or a plug. It resembles a crudely shaped chair. A giant mound of crystal with armrests, a seat, and a hollowness underneath the seat that I often tuck my legs under. But the armrests are cut in before it rounds back out into a chunk of quartz. Like whoever constructed it couldn’t be bothered to whittle any more away. Or, to make it look much more imposing than it already is.
The others gather around, silently waiting for me to finish my assessment. A vice grips my lungs, squeezing tighter with each pass around it.
Time is slipping through my fingers like grains of sand. Unease writhes under my skin, and my feet halt.
“I guess we’ll try piercing the front of the seat?” I look around for confirmation or disagreement, but no one says a word. “My hope is that the raven stone is not only strong enough to pierce the quartz, but will also protect us from touching the venom.” I give a small explanation, and I’m met with nods or blinks. “Uh, I’ll go first then.”
Luna steps forwards depositing the basin in front of the seat where the venom will drip if I do manage to puncture it.
“Thanks,” I say to her retreating form.
I take a deep breath, my eyes sliding shut. Please work.
Rearing back, I stab at the quartz with half my strength, and the sword embeds the tiniest amount into it. Lachlan grimaces, worry thinning his lips. This is going to take forever. But I didn’t want to swing too hard and risk cracking the chair.
