Sea Glass

16

IF I DIDN’T DO SOMETHING AND SOON, THERE WOULD BE bloodshed. The magic in the sea glass forced everyone to crave it. They all desired the shiny pieces for themselves. Even I had felt the pull. However, as soon as I touched one, I…woke. That didn’t work for the others, who fought and grabbed for the pieces.

The fight bordered on a melee, with Kade and Wick wrestling and Prin punching Raiden. I blocked the ruckus from my mind, and concentrated on what Heli had said about collecting the sea glass. She couldn’t help herself from gathering them until dark.

I glanced at the fire. If I doused it, would the ensuing darkness work? A null shield would be perfect. Unfortunately, Skippy struggled with Ziven. However, Leif knew how to erect one.

Leif crawled on the floor, picking up the dropped glass. I pounded on his shoulders and screamed in his ear. He batted me away as if I were an annoying fly. In desperation, I straddled his back and cupped my hands over his eyes, pinching his nose tight, too. Leif’s magical senses involved smells. If he couldn’t smell, perhaps he wouldn’t be influenced by the sea glass’s magic.

He bucked and cursed and rolled, slamming me into the side of the cave. I held tight despite the pain radiating up my spine. He smashed me against the stone wall again and again, then stilled. My ribs ached, but I kept my hands clamped to his face. Pressed between him and the wall, I waited.

“Opal, why are you covering my eyes?” Leif asked. His voice sounded funny.

“Magic in the sea glass has made everyone insane with desire. I need you to build a null shield.”

“I’ll need to see, and breathe.”

“Don’t look at the sea glass,” I instructed. “Put the pieces in your pocket.”

He emptied his hands and I removed mine.

“I’ll be a date for a necklace snake,” Leif said as he surveyed the chaos. “All this for a…pretty…sparkle…”

“Leif!” I yanked his head around. “Don’t look.”

“Oh, sorry.” He shook his shoulders. “What did you need?”

“Null shield.”

“Oh, yeah.” He blinked.

“Now! Before the Stormdancers start sending tornadoes at each other.”

“Oh, right.” Leif focused on the ceiling.

I thought about asking him to move his weight off me, but decided to stay quiet for now. The sounds of fighting diminished. I risked a peek over Leif. The others stood panting and looking at each other in confusion.

Long scratches on Prin’s right cheek bled, Wick’s eye puffed, Raiden rubbed his arm, Kade pushed Skippy’s hands away from his neck, and Heli gaped in horror.

“Leif?” I asked.

“Hmm?”

“Move, please.”

“Oh, sorry.” He rolled away.

I sucked in a deep and painful breath. It felt like I might have cracked my ribs. “Keep the shield in place until we put all the glass away.” I staggered to my feet.

No one said a word. Heli’s mesh bag had fallen to the floor, landing under the table. I picked it up and noticed one piece of sea glass remained on the table. All the others had been snatched and fought over, yet no one desired the milky blue triangle.

I examined it. Was it the one I had touched?

“Leif, where is the shield’s boundary?” I asked.

“Past the fire.”

I handed the mesh bag to Heli. “Collect all the sea glass.”

She blinked at me as if I’d asked her to fly.

“Go on,” I urged. “Make sure you get them all.” I carried the little blue piece past the fire, bracing for the burning pain of magic. Nothing. Its magic was spent and it didn’t even sparkle as much as before. In fact, scratches marred the piece, rendering it ugly and ordinary. I put it into my pocket.

When Heli had gathered all the glass, she handed me the bag. Leif dropped the shield and the Stormdancers swayed in relief. Everyone suddenly found something to do, righting the chairs and cleaning up the mess made by the fight. No one wanted to talk about what happened, but we would have to.

Raiden stirred the fire, adding logs. Flames leaped toward the ceiling. I collapsed into a chair and Kade saw my wince of pain. He was beside me in an instant.

“Do you need a healer?” he asked.

“No.”

Leif poked me in the side. I yelped.

“How about you answer that question again?” Leif’s smug expression wilted as I glared at him. He hurried to his saddlebags.

Kade knelt next to me. “I pushed you down. I’m sorry—”

“Not your fault.” When tears flooded Heli’s eyes, I added, “Not anyone’s.”

“I’ll fetch a healer,” Kade said.

“I don’t need one. Does anyone else?” I asked.

No one spoke up. Leif returned with a variety of first-aid supplies. “If her ribs are broken, she’ll need a healer. But if they’re cracked, she can heal on her own without danger.” He sorted through his collection of herbs. “I’ll brew you a tea to help with the pain, but first I want to assess the damage.”

“Assess how?” I asked.

He gave me a grim smile, then turned to Kade. “Is there a private place where I can examine her?”

Despite my protests, Kade carried me to his cave. I grabbed the bag of sea glass, knowing better than to leave it behind.

After being tortured by Leif’s examination, he declared two ribs on my left side were indeed cracked. He wrapped a bandage tightly around my middle. I dressed as he hurried off to make tea and to check on the others. If the brew was anything like the horrid stuff he fed me after Tricky’s attempt to bleed me dry, I planned to dump it onto the ground.

Kade tucked me into his cot. He started a fire in the brazier, then promised to return after helping Leif. I squirmed, trying to find a comfortable position. A sharp point jabbed me in the leg and I remembered the blue piece. I pulled it out. Leaning over the cot and ignoring the pain, I opened the brazier’s door. In the firelight, I examined the glass. So much trouble for such a little thing.

The scratches seemed random until I flipped it over. It could either be my overactive imagination or someone had carved a letter into the glass.

Kade returned carrying a steaming cup. I showed him the glass before he could force me to swallow the tea. He flinched as if burned.

“Relax. This one is spent. No magic.”

He took the sea glass and handed me the mug. “Drink up.”

“Ugh.” The liquid smelled like a wet dog. “What do you think?” I pointed to the glass.

“I think you should drink your tea and go to sleep.”

“About the scratches?”

He waited.

“Fine. Look, I’m sipping.” I slurped loudly. As usual, Leif’s medicinal concoction tasted horrible.

Kade examined the piece in the firelight. “The markings on this side resemble the letter S.”

“I thought so! We should look at the others.”

“And go crazy again?” Kade asked.

My elation died. “Have you discussed the…incident with the others yet? Are they all right?”

“Minor injuries only. Leif applied poultices and dispensed tea. Everyone was so exhausted I sent them all to bed. We’ll discuss it in the morning.” He sat on the edge of the cot. “You know, the tea tastes worse when it’s cold.”

I downed another gulp. “You should go to bed, too.”

“I’ll sleep in the main cavern. I don’t want to bump your ribs.”

“No need to worry.” I scooted over.

“Opal, you should—”

“Finish my tea first. Good idea.” I drained the cup.

He still looked unconvinced.

“Please stay. The last two nights have been horrible.” First Tricky, then the sea glass. With all that had happened, I had forgotten about the wound on my arm. In fact, even the pain in my ribs had dissipated. Leif’s tea worked. I would thank him, but he would be obnoxious about it.

Kade slipped into the cot next to me. Once his arms wrapped around my waist, I fell asleep.

“I didn’t see anyone,” Heli said. She concentrated on the empty bowl in her lap, spinning it around. “I was in the middle of nowhere.”

The early-morning sunlight touched the horizon. The beach remained in The Cliffs’ shadow, casting twilight into the main cavern. Everyone gathered around the cook fire. And everyone avoided each other’s gaze.

My ribs ached, but I wasn’t about to ask Leif for more of his tea.

“A magician had charged the sea glass,” Kade said. “Either he scattered them on the beach for you to find, or they were deposited there by the current.”

“Why?” Heli asked. She sounded like a little girl.

“To sabotage us or as a joke,” Kade guessed.

“Heck of a cruel joke,” Raiden said.

“Maybe someone really wanted you to find them,” I said. “Maybe they were trying to send you a message.” I pulled out the blue piece.

Ten people flinched, including Kade, who should have known better.

“This one is safe,” I said, handing it to Leif. “Looks like someone scratched the letter S on it.”

Leif turned it over in his hands. “Why is it safe?”

I thought back. “When I touched it, it…sparked, waking me. After all the…craziness last night, it was the only piece not claimed.”

“Let’s assume you’re right and it’s a message,” Kade said. “How do we examine the other pieces without going insane with desire?”

“Opal can spark them,” Leif said. “In a place where we can’t see.”

It was a reasonable step in logic. However, I dreaded the prospect, remembering the burn and shock of pain from just one piece.

I pulled Leif aside. “Can you brew me more of your tea?”

“Which one?”

“The wet-dog one you gave me last night.”

“Are your ribs hurting?”

“Yes.” Which was the truth.

I returned to Kade’s cot and dumped the sea glass onto the blanket. A mug of Leif’s potion was within reach. Steeling myself, I drank the entire mug, then reached for the first piece.

By the time I finished, my numb hands could barely hold the glass. Pain burned along my skin from wrist to shoulders. My bones ached. I wrapped my arms around my waist and curled up on the cot.

Kade woke me with a hard shake. “Opal, what happened? We thought you’d be back by now.”

My body throbbed. My arms and hands tingled as if they’d fallen asleep.

“Is it your ribs?” he asked in alarm.

“Yes. No. Leif. Dog.” The room dimmed and Leif appeared next to Kade. A hot liquid burned my lips. I choked on the taste of dirt mixed with mint.

“Drink it. It’ll help you,” Leif said. “Trust me.”

I wanted to make a sarcastic comment, but the pain eased and I drifted into a relieved sleep.

The next time I opened my eyes, Kade hovered above me with an anxious expression.

“I’m fine,” I said, although I didn’t have any energy.

“You slept for two days. That’s not fine.”

“Two days? But the melt, the orbs…” I tried to sit up.

Kade held me down. “No. You are to stay in bed until Leif gives you permission to move.”

“Who made Leif boss?”

“I did when he saved your life.”

“Pah! I would have been fine.” I couldn’t believe Kade had fallen for Leif’s dramatics.

Kade sighed. “Opal, why didn’t you tell us?”

“Tell you what?”

“About the pain. You didn’t have to spark all that glass. You could have done a little at a time.”

“Heli felt so bad…I wanted to help.”

“She’ll be fine. She’s been sorting the sea glass, trying to decipher the message.”

I tried to push up to my elbow, but Kade refused to budge. “Has she gotten any of it?”

“Not yet. One side of the glass has a letter and the other has a number code scratched on it. Once she figures out the code, she’ll be able to assemble the letters in the right order.”

An interesting puzzle. I longed to join her and to check on the glassmakers. “Can you ask Leif to come visit so I can get up?”

“Will you promise to stay in bed?”

“Yes.”

Kade left. I fidgeted and thought of a bunch of questions I wanted to ask. A little of my energy returned—enough so I regretted promising to stay prone.

Leif arrived carrying a mug. “How’s my favorite glass wizard today?”

“Wonderful. Can I move now?”

“Not yet.” He handed me the drink.

I wrinkled my nose. Another foul-smelling brew. This one reminded me of mushrooms and moldy storerooms.

“It’s a restorative. You’re to finish every drop and eat a full meal before you’re allowed to walk among the living.”

“Why do all your potions taste so bad?” I stalled for time.

“They’re all made from plants and fruits grown in the Illiais Jungle. My father is an expert on herbal remedies, and, since I’m not the super healer like my sister…” He gave me a wry smile. “I have to make do with using leaves and spoors and roots and seeds.”

Leif’s clan, the Zaltanas, lived in the jungle. Their homestead had been built in the tree canopy, blending in with the surrounding greenery.

“Are you going to drink it? Or do I need to hold your nose and force it down your throat?”

I sipped the potion. It tasted better than it smelled. Swallowing a few more sips, I noticed deep scratches on his nose and cheeks. “Are they from me?” I pointed.

“I think so.”

“Sorry.”

“No problem. You sliced my face, I cracked your ribs. Let’s call it even.” His tone remained light, but his expression was uncharacteristically somber. “If you hadn’t broken the spell.. just imagine.” His hand touched the hilt of his machete. “If I had thought about it before you went to neutralize the glass, I would have stopped you. The magic on them was strong. Maybe even master-level strong.”

“Really?”

“It’s hard to say for sure. I couldn’t examine them while they were charged, but most magicians keep mental defenses in place so they don’t fall for illusions and magical suggestions. The Stormdancers don’t because their magic is…different. But the rest of us do. And for the sea glass’s magic to break through mine and Skippy’s defenses, it had to be strong.”

“Skippy’s?” I found that hard to believe.

“He may be a prick, but he’s a powerful prick.”

“Good to know.” I thought about Leif’s comments. “The magician who charged the glass was either desperate or deranged.” I drained the rest of Leif’s brew and upended the mug. “Can I get up now?”

“Nope. You still need to eat.”

“I’m sure Raiden has a savory dish on the fire.” I pushed the blankets away. How did I get so many? Swinging my legs over the side, I stood, using the little energy I had collected. My legs buckled under me and I plopped down on the cot.

Leif watched me with an aggrieved expression. “It would be refreshing if, for once, I helped someone who actually listened to me.”

“I drank your tea.”

He harrumphed.

Kade arrived with a tray full of food.

“Make sure she eats it all,” Leif said, shooting me a warning glare before he left.

I consumed a large serving of Raiden’s special fish stew, bread and seaweed. The salty green leaves crunched between my teeth.

“What have the glassmakers been doing?” I asked Kade.

“They made a few orbs. But Heli’s getting closer to figuring out the code. She thinks there may be missing pieces. Once you’re feeling better, she wants to take us back to the spot where she found them.”

I squinted at him in suspicion. He had changed the subject from the glassmakers rather fast and now he avoided my gaze. Yet I couldn’t help being intrigued by the prospect of going to find more sea glass.

When I finished every bite as instructed by Leif, Kade put the tray on the floor. Instead of feeling energized by the food, I felt sleepy. My eyes kept drifting shut. Movement roused me as Kade pulled the blankets over me.

“Want to…” I muttered.

“Later.” He kissed my temple.

It was hard to stay mad at Leif for spiking my food with a sleeping potion when I felt so much better. The early-morning twilight shone through the cracks in the curtain. Kade slept on a pile of blankets on the floor. He looked exhausted, so I tiptoed from the cave without waking him.

I felt bad about slipping out, but I didn’t want to have to drink one of Leif’s potions before I could go anywhere. Hiking up the trail, I checked on the kiln. The glassmakers had been busy. A handful of orbs filled a table. I picked one up and brought it out into the light.

A purple iridescent film coated the outside of the round translucent glass. It resembled a bubble of soap. A small neck and lip for the opening ruined the perfect sphere shape. I ran a finger along the inside of the hole. The orb could be any size as long as it wasn’t too heavy for a Stormdancer to hold, but the opening had to be a specific diameter or else the rubber stopper wouldn’t fit.

Once a Stormdancer filled the orb with the storm’s energy, the stopper sealed the energy inside. When the orb arrived at one of the Stormdance Clan’s factories, a glass tube was inserted through the rubber to transfer the energy from the orb to the machinery.

I hefted the orb. This one weighed about eight pounds and felt solid, but so had the ones that shattered during the last storm season. Carrying it back to the table, I tried to ignore the hum of potential vibrating through my fingers.

I stopped short. Why couldn’t I use an orb to siphon the magic from the sea glass? Because at the time the melt wasn’t ready, and Skippy would have had a fit—not that I cared. If we found more sea glass, I would have to try it.

The rubber stopper fit perfectly. Impressive. In fact, it fit all the orbs on the table with the same snugness. Incredible. My opinion of Ziven and Zetta increased by a factor of ten. All were a beautiful round shape and their sizes matched. Wow.

Only one test left. I found a hammer and pounded on the orb. It broke with a solid crack.

“What are you doing?” Ziven asked with a sharp and accusing tone.

I startled and spun around. “Good morning to you, too.”

He strode into the cave, scanning the equipment as if he’d caught me stealing. “Why did you destroy that orb? It was—”

“Perfect. So far.” I took one of the broken pieces out to the light and inspected it. Ziven followed me.

The thickness of the glass was consistent throughout the section. Good. “Do you have any orbs left over from the previous glassmakers?” I swallowed a sudden lump in my throat. Sir had murdered the three siblings for the orb’s recipe.

“Why?” Again the suspicious tone.

“To compare the density. I just want to be sure these match those before I give Kade my approval.”

“Oh. Okay.” He strode to the back of the cavern and returned with another orb.

I smiled when he handed it to me. It was egg-shaped. One of Nodin’s. He always had trouble shaping the orb. With reluctance, I broke it and evaluated the cross-section.

“Your orbs are wonderful. They should work well for the Stormdancers.”

Ziven beamed and it transformed his whole face. He looked years younger.

“Zetta will be happy to hear it,” he said.

I collected the broken pieces and dumped them into the cullet barrel. One of the joys of working with glass was being able to reuse it. The cullet would be melted in the cauldron and made into new orbs.

On my way down to the main cavern, I checked in on Kade. He was still sound asleep and I wondered how late he had stayed up the night before. Most of the people who slept around the cook fire remained motionless in their cots. For a second, I panicked, thinking they had all been hit with Curare. But then Leif rolled over and Wick snored.

I scanned the sleepers, searching for Skippy. Not the type to rub elbows with the masses, he must have taken a cot up to one of the empty caves for privacy. Since we arrived at The Cliffs, he had been keeping a low profile. I didn’t mind. It was a nice break not having him by my side all the time.

Not wanting to bother anyone in the common room, I headed to the stables to check on the horses. I found Raiden filling their buckets with fresh water.

“Good thing we have this spring back here,” Raiden said. “Otherwise, we’d have to cart in a tankful of drinkable water every season.”

I helped him feed the horses and muck out the stalls. Quartz nuzzled my ear before eating her breakfast. They all needed exercise. I would ask Kade about riding them to the location where Heli found the sea glass. It would save time and energy.

“Has Heli discovered anything more about the glass?” I asked Raiden.

“No. And she’s obsessed about it. It caused enough trouble, so I told her to toss it back into the sea.”

“It’s harmless now.”

Raiden shot me a dubious look.

I changed the subject. “Your new glassmakers have made some beautiful orbs.”

“Will they work?”

“They should.”

“Should isn’t an encouraging word.”

“There’s always a possibility something may go wrong.” A lesson I learned from experience, yet each time there was an element of surprise.

“Would you stake Kade’s life on it?” Raiden asked. “Because you know he’ll want to be the first one to test the new orbs out.”

I knew. “Yes, I would.”

Raiden stared out to sea for a moment. “That’s more encouraging. Especially since it’s obvious you two are a couple.”

“He hasn’t said anything to you?”

“I’ve hardly spoken to him since he returned. He’s been gone since the end of the cooling season, when he chased after the bastards who murdered Indra and her brothers.” Raiden kicked a rock into the sea. “He sent me a message explaining what happened, but it was basic facts.” He gave me a sly smile. “He’s happier now. And I don’t have to worry too much about him taking unnecessary chances and risking his life. We don’t have many Stormdancers.”

“How many are there?”

He gestured toward the cave. “What you see is what you get.”

“Five! That’s all?” And one was in training.

“We lost Kaya and Gian during the last storm season, and the year before a rookie lost control and drowned. Then with the glassmakers’ deaths, I’m surprised Tebbs even admitted she had the power.”

“She probably heard about the fabulous location and posh accommodations,” I teased.

“Hey! When I was younger, the dancers slept on the beach and cooked for themselves. Now they have cots and privacy screens and a cook. They’re spoiled.”

I laughed. We finished cleaning the stalls and headed back to the common area.

“We must be doing something right,” Raiden said. “When the word spread that we needed glassmakers, we were overwhelmed with applicants.”

“How did you decide to hire Ziven and Zetta?” I asked, glad for this opportunity.

“I wanted to invite you back to help us since you know the orb-making process, but Councilor Stormdance said you were busy.”

Busy disobeying the Council’s orders and hunting down Ulrick. No need to tell Raiden that.

When I didn’t say anything, he continued, “I whittled the field down to two families based on experience and knowledge, but, before I could announce my choice, Councilor Stormdance arrived with Ziven and Zetta. He claimed they were perfect for the job and hired them.”

“You must have been livid.”

“Livid is too tame a word.” He scowled. “The Councilor gives me the responsibility and doesn’t even ask my opinion. It was a big waste of my time.”

“Look on the bright side. They produced a high-quality orb. That’s the most important thing.”

“Yeah, yeah. Silver lining and all that, but I just wish those two had—” he waved his hands as if trying to pull the right word out of the air “—more personality. They’re too serious and suspicious. They always think you’re trying to trick them or tease them. We’re here four months a year, living together. I hope they relax now that they have the orb recipe.”

We returned to the main cave. A few people had roused. Raiden stirred the fire to life and I walked over to Heli. She bent over a table, moving the sea glass around with her fingertips.

“Anything?” I asked.

She startled.

“Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” she said. “I should be apologizing to you. To everyone, but no one will listen. They tell me it’s not my fault.”

“It isn’t—”

“Bull. Put yourself in my place. How would you feel?”

I considered. “Lousy.”

“At least you didn’t die.”

“Heli, don’t listen to Leif. He exaggerates and revels in drama.”

“Really? Because two days ago when you were still comatose, he was alarmed. And I watched him have many serious discussions with Kade, who looked distressed.” She cocked her head to the side, peering past my shoulder. “Sort of like he looks now.”

I turned. Barefoot and with sleep-tousled hair, Kade strode toward me. His unbuttoned shirt flapped behind him. I braced for his lecture.

“As much as I enjoyed thinking all kinds of horrible possibilities about your whereabouts, do you think the next time you disappear, you could leave me a note?” Kade asked. “We can even make up a form. I’m gone because of A, Tricky, or B, Devlen, or C, fill in the blank. You can just circle a reason and leave it for me.”

“Wow. That’s some impressive sarcasm,” Heli said. “I’m glad I’m not on the receiving end this time.”

Considering all that had happened to me since I’d known Kade, I couldn’t blame him for being upset. “I’m sorry. I’ll try not to do it again.”

An eyebrow spiked. “Try?”

“Since your suggestion of making up a form actually is a good idea, I’d say try is the best I can do. I have no control over a whole list of things, but what I can control, I’ll make sure to let you know.”

His anger dissipated as he conceded the point. “You liked my form idea?” A hint of a smile played at the corners of his mouth.

“It could use a little work. I think we should put check boxes next to the list—circling the reason might take too long. With a box, I can just check and go.”

“I’ll get right on it.”

Despite my assurances that I felt fine, Leif wouldn’t approve my request.

“Rest today and you can go tomorrow,” he said.

Kade agreed. “You can help Heli with the code. Maybe find out more about the sea glass.”

I grumped, but listened and even drank a cup of Leif’s wet-dog brew with breakfast.

Heli welcomed my aid. We sorted the glass by color, by number and by letter, hoping to see a pattern. Nothing. The numbers weren’t consecutive. We tried matching the pieces like a jigsaw puzzle, but none of them fit together.

“What can scratch glass?” Heli asked. She held a translucent green one.

“Diamonds can and other hard gemstones. Glass cutters have bits of diamonds on the wheel, but they’re not the nice ones used for jewelry.”

“So anyone could have done it?”

“The scratches, yes. The magic, no.”

“Did you get any sense of the magician when you neutralized them?”

Heli looked so hopeful, I hated to disappoint her. But all I felt was burning pain. “No.”

All our attempts to decipher the markings failed. Heli was determined. She had the trip back to the sea glass’s location all planned out, enlisting help from Leif to form a null shield before we reached the destination to keep everyone safe.

We would ride the horses. Heli with me on Quartz. Raiden insisted on coming along, so Kade offered to share Moonlight. Though not happy about the prospect, Skippy would tag along, too.

Unfortunately, we never had the chance to execute Heli’s plans. As we gathered around the fire to eat dinner, Leif arrived and pulled me aside. He held one of my glass messengers in his hand. “Opal, we have to leave. Now.”