Page 49 of Must Love Scones and Secrets
“He gave us these calibration wands,” I said, opening the wooden box. “And this should amplify the stone’s natural magic,” I said, gesturing to the potion he’d given me.
“And the realignment itself?” Kellen asked.
“That’s where it gets complicated. Thorne says it requires both northern and southern magic working together.” I glanced at Bjorn. “Luckily, he mentioned that Rune elf and pixie magic will work. Our magic can pull the Ley lines when we use the wands.”
Bjorn nodded slowly. “Very well. Let’s work together.”
I studied him for a moment. “I’d like nothing more.”
Bjorn smiled softly, but there was a sadness in his gaze I didn’t understand.
Kellen looked between us, clearly sensing the tension. “Perhaps we should consult with Elder Thornberry before proceeding,” he said, gesturing to the house.
“Good idea,” Bjorn said, relieved at the subject change.
I collected the supplies and slipped them back into the satchel. “Lead the way,” I said simply, but my heart thumped in my chest.
Whatever Bjorn needed time to consider was now weighing heavily on him.
I felt its denseness deep within me.
And to my great despair, it felt like the end to something that had barely begun to bloom.
Elder Thornberry welcomedus into his study, a cozy room lined with bookshelves and dominated by a large desk covered in papers and small magical artifacts. Maps and diagrams coveredone wall, while another featured a collection of embroidery circles, all made by his wife.
“Ley lines, eh?” The elder stroked his beard thoughtfully after we explained the situation. “Now, that makes sense. I think I have something for you.” He moved to a bookshelf, pulling down a heavy tome bound in weathered leather. “I remember a story… There was a similar disruption in Moonshine Hollow many, many years ago. I only remember it because my great-grandfather wrote about how rainbows filled the sky. His description was gripping and never left my imagination. It’s in the family chronicles.”
As he leafed through the yellowed pages, I stole glances at Bjorn. He stood by the window, the sunlight catching in his golden hair. His profile was so perfect it almost hurt to look at him. Last night, I’d traced those features with my fingertips, memorizing every line and plane by touch as much as sight.
Now, he felt a world away.
“Ah, here it is!” Elder Thornberry exclaimed, pulling me from my thoughts. “They called it the Great Divergence. Flashy name, isn’t it? The Ley lines shifted dramatically that year, causing all manner of magical chaos.”
He turned the book so we could see an illustration depicting a scene remarkably similar to what we’d witnessed in the unicorn fields. There were magical creatures surrounded by chaotic bursts of uncontrolled power and rainbows filling the sky overhead.
“How did they fix it?” Kellen asked. “Did they use calibration wands as the wizard suggested?”
The elder turned the page to reveal a drawing of a perfect circle of stone with an opening at the center. There were intricate spiral patterns carved into its surface. “Ah-ha! They used the Thread Stone. The fairies were right that the stones were thekey. The Thread Stone acts as a… Well, think of it as the eye of a needle. Thread the Ley lines through, andvoilà!”
“Where is this stone?” Bjorn asked, moving closer.
“Deep in the Whispering Woods, not far from where you met the fairies,” Elder Thornberry said. “It’s been largely forgotten. Few have need of such old magic these days.”
“Seems like we need it now,” I said.
The elder nodded. “Indeed we do, dear Rosalyn. And we’ll need to work quickly. According to this,” he said, tapping the tome, “if the lines remain disrupted through Midsummer, the magical disturbances could become permanent.”
Bjorn and Kellen exchanged looks.
“We should make ready to head out immediately,” Kellen said. “This is deep in the forest.”
Bjorn nodded. “Thank you, Elder Thornberry. We appreciate your assistance.”
“I need to attend to something,” I told Kellen. “I’ll meet you outside in fifteen minutes or so?”
The dryad nodded.
Bjorn, however, did not meet my gaze.
