Alcatraz vs. the Shattered Lens by Brandon Sanderson Page A

you laugh at how silly you sounded. Did it work? (If you’ll look above, I said, "Someone needs to say something funny," but I didn’t say it would be me. . . .)
    "So," Bastille said. "Do you want to know about those Lenses your grandfather gave you?"
    "Sure," I said, glad for the change in topic. I pulled out the pair of Bestower's Lenses, with their purple-and-green tint. When I wore my Primary Oculator's Lenses, the ones in my hand glowed with a strong aura; they were very powerful.
    "These are supposed to be tough to use,” Bastille said, taking the Bestower's Lenses and inspecting them. "Essentially, they let you give something of yourself to someone else."
    "Something?" I asked. "What something?"
    She shrugged. "It depends. Like I said, they're hard to use, and nobody seems to understand them perfectly. You put them on, you look at someone and focus on them, then you send them something. Some of your strength, something you're feeling, something you can do that they can’t.
    There are reports of some strange events tied to this kind of Lens. An Oculator who had hives from a troll allergy once took a set of these and gave the hives to his political opponent when she was giving a speech.”
    "Huh," I said, taking the Lenses back, looking them over.
    "Yeah, and since his opponent was a troll herself, it was kind of weird. Anyway, the Lenses are powerful - and dangerous. I'm kind of surprised that your grandfather gave them to you."
    "He trusts me more than he should," I said, slipping off my Primary Lenses and putting on the Bestower's Lenses.
    As always, the tint to the glass was invisible to me once I put the Lenses on.
    Bastille jumped as I turned toward her. “Don’t point those at me, Smedry!"
    "I haven't activated them," I said, stomach rumbling. I'd need to eat before -
    Suddenly, I felt full. I cocked my head as Bastille’s stomach rumbled.
    "Great," she said. "You gave me your hunger. Thanks a lot, Smedry. And I just ate .”
    I felt embarrassed, but Bastille was the one who blushed.
    I'd given her my embarrassment.
    Hurriedly, I pulled the Lenses off. Immediately, the effect wore off - I was hungry and embarrassed again. "Wow."
    "I warned you," Bastille said. "Shattering Glass! You Smedrys never listen." She stormed off, leaving me to sheepishly tuck the Lenses back into my pocket.
    Still, they did seem like they would be very useful.
    I joined the others at our impromptu camp set back from the ridge. "All right," I said, squatting down beside them. "I think it's dark enough. Let's go."
    "Sounds good," Kaz said. "What does this plan of yours entail?"
    "It's dark," I said.
    "And?"
    "And so we sneak past the guards and run to the city," I said.
    The other three blinked at me. "That's your plan?" Kaz said.
    "Sure," I replied. "What did you think it was?"
    "Something not lame," Aydee said with a frown.
    Kaz nodded. "You said you had a plan, and then told us to wait for dark. I figured . . . well, that you’d have something a little more original.”
    “We could try knocking out guards,” I said, “and taking their uniforms."
    "I said more original,” Kaz said.
    "What does originality have to do with it?" I asked.
    "Everything!" Kaz said, glancing at Aydee, who nodded vigorously. "We're Smedrys! We can’t do things the way everyone else does."
    "Okay then . . ." I said slowly. "We'll sneak past the guards in the dark, and we'll do it while quoting Hamlet .”
    "Now that's more like it!” Kaz said.
    "Never seen anything like it," Aydee added. “It just might be crazy enough to work." she paused. “What’s a hamlet?”
    "It's a small village,” Kaz said.
    Bastille rolled her eyes. “I'll go first," she said, slipping on her warrior's Lenses despite the dark night. “Follow me to the rim of the camp, but don't come any closer until I give the signal."
    "Right," I said. "What's the signal?”
    “A quote from a hamlet,” Kaz said. “Obviously.”
    “Are you sure a hamlet isn’t a very small pig?"