Page 126 of Keeper of the Word

“Aye,” Elanna replied. “I am ready.”

Gethwin lifted the Edan Stone to her milky eye with care. A knobby finger ran across the azure streak. “This has already been used.”

“’Tis not broken,” Tara said.

“That is not what concerns me. You ask much of the moon, Seer of stars. The moon has already given its shadow. You’ll need more than the spell we perform here tonight to conceal an entire city. And the one whom your faith is in? You certain he’ll be up for the task? Thewordwill not be easy to bestow.”

“Beyond doubt.”

“’Tis not whathethinks. He has more than doubt in him. Anger, grief, a desire for vengeance still. Those qualities can impede theword.”

“He’s also noble and brave. He will come through.”

The witch turned over the Edan Stone in her palm. “There’ll be others, you know. They will know what this is. And they will desire it. Jordain, the leader of the coven, especially. There are only a handful of moonstones on this continent, and most are lost.”

They nodded. A chill ran up Elanna’s arms.

“One more matter,” Gethwin said, placing the Edan Stoneprecisely in the center of their triangle. “You will not have your powers forat leasta phase of the moon. Mayhap longer. That is the price of borrowing from the goddesses whom you’ve no right to ask from.”

One week. One week without being able to See the stars. The chills already consuming Elanna caused her to shiver. Tara studied the sediment of the late-night sky. “We understand. The stars have commanded this.”

Gethwin nodded, satisfied. “Keep your eyes low. Do not become fixed on nor speak to your stars while we perform this. ’Twill ruin the spell, and then that moonstone will be naught more than a hunk of rock. Swear it.”

“I swear,” they said in unison.

“Say no words until you are told. When I tell you, place your left hand on mine and touch your right hand’s fingers to the moonstone. Do not touch the stone or me until I instruct you. Do you hear?”

“Aye,” they both said.

“Hmph.” The witch placed her hands on the orb. Her eyes closed and she began to utter words under her breath that were indistinguishable.

Within seconds, the air cooled. A breeze stirred, and a roll of what sounded like thunder resounded. The orb illuminated, glowing like a pale full moon in miniature. The more Elanna focused on the orb, the colder she became. Her teeth chattered. Fingers grazed her gloved hand, and she noticed Tara peering at her.

Look at the Edan Stone, Elanna, Tara said in StarSpeak.

She did, grateful that when she regarded it, she wasn’t quite as chilled. The Edan Stone did not change appearance but remained seemingly like a piece of rough obsidian. Gethwin’s voice grew louder. Echoed in Elanna’s ears.

A smoke-like substance rose from underneath the Edan Stone and wafted through the air. Elanna shivered when it brushed against her neck. She longed to gaze at the stars for comfort. For warmth.

’Twas impossible to know—the witch spoke so swiftly—if she spoke in Lenforese or in some distant tongue of sorceresses. The wind kicked up, and Elanna brushed strands of hair off her face. In the middle of the smoke, the Edan Stone began to change color. It melded from midnight black to charcoal to slate grey to the color of stone dust. The azure fissure transformed as well. Its blue disappeared and glowed silver. The voice mutated, and suddenly, what Elanna heard in her ears was a tone like gravel. It deepened, and with it, the echoes rang next to her temples. She squinted against it before bracing herself. The wind whistled, knocking at her cheekbones.

Hold on, Elanna.

Were the words from Tara? Or the stars? Elanna’s gaze traveled upward.

Do not, Elanna.This time, the voicewasTara’s StarSpeak.

The wind blared against her shoulders, her hair whisking her face. The Edan Stone continued to transform until at last, ’twasalmostwhite.

“Now!” Gethwin shouted.

Elanna thrust her left hand onto the witch’s and placed two fingers from her right hand on the Edan Stone next to Tara’s. Even with her hands gloved, her fingers immediately chilled.

Gethwin’s voice changed again, and this time, it became higher, the echoes a screech slashing into her ears. Her left hand grew colder and colder until ’twas numb.

Tara’s scream broke Elanna’s attention on her numbed hand.

Tara?! What is it?