“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.