it like a warrior about to strike, but nothing happened. The only thing that changed was the metal cooling in her hand. She put it back on the table and shrunk to the back of the room.
“According to the lore, Ealga’s sword froze an entire lake with one touch.” Professor Scrod frowned. “Perhaps one of the others might work.”
Valera reached out for Aeda’s Sextant. Julia felt the aether pull away from her. Valera held the Sextant up to her eye and looked through the eyepiece. However, without the sun or stars, all she saw was the dark. Once again, the room deflated with disappointment.
Dr. Lawless grew agitated. “Theo, why don’t you try. You seem to be the strongest.”
The barb incensed Julia. Theo wasn’t the strongest, she’d just had more practice. Without realizing it, she’d gathered aether and cooled the room. Theo looked at her and smiled.
Don’t listen to him, Julia. You’ve just turned the room into a freezer. She winked.
He better watch out. One more insult and I swear…
Ignore him. We’re a team, Valera chimed in.
Julia’s nerves calmed, but she glared at Dr. Lawless. She would show him. Theo touched Maera’s Scepter with one finger. Julia startled at the loss of aether. Theo looked at the scepter as if it were a sleeping cobra. When nothing happened, she picked it up. At first, it seemed that the experiment was a failure. Julia felt vindicated, but then the scepter flickered. Theo seemed to concentrate on it even harder, and a spark erupted from the Aquamarine jewel.
“Don’t stop! It’s working! Look, how beautiful.” Professor Scrod perked up and reached out to touch the jewel, and then seemed to pull back.
“Good job, Theo!” Valera cheered.
“Focus harder,” Julia shouted. The excitement overpowered her resentment.
Theo bit her lip and squinted her eyes. Gripping it with both hands, she forced aether into the metal. Julia’s hair lifted off her shoulders as did everyone else’s. A static charge built up in the air. Theo let the staff touch the floor. The air sizzled and filled with bright white light.
Theo closed her eyes. The glass crackled all around them. Julia thought the walls were about to shatter. When Theo opened her eyes, the old cracks in the glass melded together and the filth burned away. The scientists outside the panes of crystalline glass gasped. Their hair began to rise as well. Julia felt Theo push the energy of the scepter beyond them. The massive room buzzed with life. All of the other artifacts in the larger room switched on at once. The room buzzed with noise and lights. When Theo’s light touched the walls of the room, the stains disappeared and the fractures closed. The puddles on the floor boiled away.
Then all at once, Theo collapsed on the floor. Professor Scrod picked up the Scepter and placed it back on the table, muttering her amazement. Julia and Valera ran to Theo’s side. Julia patted her cheek.
“Hey there, you still with us?”
Theo’s eyes fluttered open. Julia smiled.
“I’m here. Just feel a little drained.”
No wonder… You just had to show off. Julia laughed.
“Well you know me,” Theo coughed.
The girls helped Theo get to her feet. They seemed to be the only ones concerned for Theo’s wellbeing. Dr. Lawless and Professor Scrod jabbered to each other, smiling and laughing excitedly. The crowd outside cheered and examined the fixed walls.
“That’s enough for today, Lawly. Theo’s exhausted,” Julia commanded.
Dr. Lawless frowned and grumbled. His anger frustrated Julia. Clearly, Theo needed to stop. Any trust she had for him disintegrated. Professor Scrod touched Lawly’s back. Her brows furrowed, and she at least appeared concerned for Theo.
“Ellwood, they are young. We don’t want to burn them out.” She turned to the girls. “Get some rest. It was an honor to meet you, and please come see me anytime. I’ve so much to ask.”
Julia ushered Theo and Valera toward the door. She wouldn’t risk
“According to the lore, Ealga’s sword froze an entire lake with one touch.” Professor Scrod frowned. “Perhaps one of the others might work.”
Valera reached out for Aeda’s Sextant. Julia felt the aether pull away from her. Valera held the Sextant up to her eye and looked through the eyepiece. However, without the sun or stars, all she saw was the dark. Once again, the room deflated with disappointment.
Dr. Lawless grew agitated. “Theo, why don’t you try. You seem to be the strongest.”
The barb incensed Julia. Theo wasn’t the strongest, she’d just had more practice. Without realizing it, she’d gathered aether and cooled the room. Theo looked at her and smiled.
Don’t listen to him, Julia. You’ve just turned the room into a freezer. She winked.
He better watch out. One more insult and I swear…
Ignore him. We’re a team, Valera chimed in.
Julia’s nerves calmed, but she glared at Dr. Lawless. She would show him. Theo touched Maera’s Scepter with one finger. Julia startled at the loss of aether. Theo looked at the scepter as if it were a sleeping cobra. When nothing happened, she picked it up. At first, it seemed that the experiment was a failure. Julia felt vindicated, but then the scepter flickered. Theo seemed to concentrate on it even harder, and a spark erupted from the Aquamarine jewel.
“Don’t stop! It’s working! Look, how beautiful.” Professor Scrod perked up and reached out to touch the jewel, and then seemed to pull back.
“Good job, Theo!” Valera cheered.
“Focus harder,” Julia shouted. The excitement overpowered her resentment.
Theo bit her lip and squinted her eyes. Gripping it with both hands, she forced aether into the metal. Julia’s hair lifted off her shoulders as did everyone else’s. A static charge built up in the air. Theo let the staff touch the floor. The air sizzled and filled with bright white light.
Theo closed her eyes. The glass crackled all around them. Julia thought the walls were about to shatter. When Theo opened her eyes, the old cracks in the glass melded together and the filth burned away. The scientists outside the panes of crystalline glass gasped. Their hair began to rise as well. Julia felt Theo push the energy of the scepter beyond them. The massive room buzzed with life. All of the other artifacts in the larger room switched on at once. The room buzzed with noise and lights. When Theo’s light touched the walls of the room, the stains disappeared and the fractures closed. The puddles on the floor boiled away.
Then all at once, Theo collapsed on the floor. Professor Scrod picked up the Scepter and placed it back on the table, muttering her amazement. Julia and Valera ran to Theo’s side. Julia patted her cheek.
“Hey there, you still with us?”
Theo’s eyes fluttered open. Julia smiled.
“I’m here. Just feel a little drained.”
No wonder… You just had to show off. Julia laughed.
“Well you know me,” Theo coughed.
The girls helped Theo get to her feet. They seemed to be the only ones concerned for Theo’s wellbeing. Dr. Lawless and Professor Scrod jabbered to each other, smiling and laughing excitedly. The crowd outside cheered and examined the fixed walls.
“That’s enough for today, Lawly. Theo’s exhausted,” Julia commanded.
Dr. Lawless frowned and grumbled. His anger frustrated Julia. Clearly, Theo needed to stop. Any trust she had for him disintegrated. Professor Scrod touched Lawly’s back. Her brows furrowed, and she at least appeared concerned for Theo.
“Ellwood, they are young. We don’t want to burn them out.” She turned to the girls. “Get some rest. It was an honor to meet you, and please come see me anytime. I’ve so much to ask.”
Julia ushered Theo and Valera toward the door. She wouldn’t risk
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