Page 52 of Sorcery, Swords & Scones
Thrain had edged his way around the group to stand alongside Sass, and he nudged her in the ribs. “You put stock in this elf sorcery?”
Sass twitched a shoulder, careful not to let Erindil catch her and fully aware that he could hear each of Thrain’s rumbling words. “You and I both know that elves have powers we don’t.”
Thrain harrumphed at this. “If we’re so powerless, how is that amulet supposed to be hexed?”
“Not by dwarves,” Sass said, which made Train’s scowl deepen.
“She must have found someone to do it for her,” Val whispered.
Sass had never thought about that, but Val was right. The Trollbanes dwelled beneath the mountains, but that didn’t mean they’d never ventured away from them or that they’d never summoned others to their underground palace. Sass remembered hearing that Florin’s father swore by gnomes for developing the contraptions that made his forges the best in the Ice Lands.
She cut a look at Thrain, who seemed to remember the same thing she had.
“Gnomes,” they said simultaneously.
A grin split Thrain’s face, and he nudged Sass again.
Erindil tipped his head up and shook it. “Oh no, my dear dwarves. This trickery has nothing to do with gnomes.”
Thrain looked on the verge of complaining about being called a dear dwarf, but Sass had snagged onto something else Erindil said. “Did you say trickery?”
Lira took a step back. “Are you saying the amulet’s cursed?”
Even Iris looked alarmed as their group exchanged nervous glances.
Erindil let out a high, melodious laugh that seemed completelyill-suited to the moment. “I didn’t say that.” Then his laugh died out. “Although I can’t rule it out.”
Vaskel glowered at the elf, seemingly unimpressed by Erindil’s regal bearing or whatever powers he might possess. “Then what are you saying?”
Erindil eyed the Tiefling as if just registering him for the first time, his eyes widening at Vaskel’s red horns and the tail that quivered behind him like a coiled spring. “I suppose I don’t know exactly what I’m saying.”
Sass stared at the elf. She’d never expected him to admit that he didn’t know. From what she’d heard of elves, they possessed more knowledge than most because of their long lives, and they were more than happy to let everyone else know it.
He handed the amulet back to Iris, who gaped at the piece as if it might come to life and devour her. “I sense some sort of enchantment surrounding the amulet.” He fluttered his fingers toward the jewel. “Whether it’s a charm to make the stone appear bigger,” he winked at Iris and chuckled, “which seems to be a popular charm for more than just jewelry, or whether it’s something more nefarious, I cannot know for certain without further study of it.”
Lira took the velvet bag from Sass and then held it open so Iris could drop the amulet inside. “But you’re certain it's enchanted?”
Erindil bobbed his head. “I am certain of that, my dear.”
Sass put a hand to her throat as if remembering the one time she’d worn the necklace. “That explains why I hated wearing it and why it made me feel so…unsettled.”
Val crossed her arms and set her legs wide. “And why you’re absolutely not wearing it again to return it to Florin.”
“Agreed,” Lira said before Sass could argue. “There’s no way we can let you wear an amulet that could be cursed.”
“Or charmed,” Erindil said with a raised finger.
A shiver went through Sass. “I wonder why it didn’t affect me when I wore it the first time.”
Erindil tapped a finger on his chin. “It’s very possible that the curse is only activated by proximity to the one who controls it or a trigger word.”
“Which is why Florin needs you to wear it and why you absolutely cannot,” Val said.
Thrain grunted. “I’m with the lady guard. Just because you wore it once and lived to tell the tale doesn’t mean you will again. There’s a reason Florin wants that around your neck, and it isn’t because she likes a pretty throat.”
Sass threw up her arms in frustration. “Then what do you suggest we do, because I’m not willing to bring retribution upon my clan or be the reason anyone in Wayside gets hurt.”
“Simple.” Lira held up the velvet pouch and let it swing from her finger. “First, we find out how the amulet is enchanted, and then we have the charm or hex or what-have-you removed.”
