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“A statue created in the eighteenth century by Lord Flarrity as a gift to his daughter when he passed. Made of obsidian and hawk feathers, it was taken to the mage of the Tarren kingdom to be blessed. It was soaked in two bottles of moon water, a tablespoon of fox hair, and a sprinkle of diamond dust for three nights before being given to her.”
My head snaps up from the book. The stone held green witch magic, revered for centuries and undone only by something inhuman. Something like me.
I look at the sky as I think of the ritual needed to undo the magic. All it would take is a lock of the spell caster’s hair, in this case, Jenna, and my blood under a waning crescent moon to undo.
I glance at her as she paces back and forth and sighs. Yeelus jumps off the cart and runs to her.
“Can you be any louder?” he snarls.
“I barely made a noise,” she argues back.
I watch them banter as my heart sinks. I could perform this magic tonight. It's the perfect time.
I look at the book and close it, admiring the leather binding holding it together. I glance at Malaki, still wandering in circles. I exhale and relax my shoulders, turning back to the fight between Jenna and Yeelus.
I think of the necklace and realize I can’t leave until we find it. If the orc chieftain uses it to open another portal, that could devastate this world, mine, and all of Protheka. The orc probably has no idea the damage it could do.
I look at Jenna. If he opens that portal, it could kill her and everyone else here. The inhabitants of this world would be the first to go. I hear a chuckle amid Jenna and Yeelus’s screams and turn to see Malaki wandering into the forest. I sigh, drop the book back in its chest and hop off the cart, chasing him down.
“Hey, hey,” I say calmly, turning him around and walking him back to the cart. “Let’s go back to your equu.”
Malaki nods and laughs gleefully, waving his hands in the air slowly.
“When is he going to be back to normal?” Jenna asks.
“Give it two more minutes,” I say calmly.
I sit Malaki on the wagon's side and walk over to Jenna and Yeelus.
“What did it say?” Yeelus asks hopefully.
I feel a knot form in my throat. The war between my mind and heart is coming to a head. My eyes dart back and forth between Jenna and Yeelus, seeing both of my lives in front of me.
“Well?” Jenna asks, throwing her arms out.
I sigh and look at her. “Nothing of importance, unfortunately.”
Yeelus looks at me skeptically and prepares to jump on the cart before Malaki awakens from his trance, grunting and rubbing his head.
“Mr. Malaki,” I say, walking over to him. “You passed out there for a few seconds. Are you all right?”
He shoos me away with his hand. “I’m fine, and I’m not telling you anything more about that damn necklace.”
“I understand,” I say, patting him on the back. “We’ll let you be on your way.”
Malaki grunts and jumps into the driver’s seat of his cart, ushering his equu quickly down the path. I watch him ride away, knowing the solution to my getting home is buried in the back of that cart.
“Well, what now?” Yeelus asks, agitation leaking into his tone.
“We have to find that necklace,” I say, glancing over my shoulder at Jenna.
“Okay, why does this sound so pressing?” Jenna asks, confused.
“If I’m right,” I sigh and turn to face them. “It’s the necklace of Dreada.”
“Dreada?” Jenna asks. Yeelus’s mouth opens in shock.
I nod. “An ancient pendant used to open portals to other worlds.”
