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They waited And waited Flames licked across the surface of the box with no apparent effect The as so inated with charms that it was impervious even to wizard flame

They continued until Jason’s arht of the box and he had to support his elboith his other hand The tongs grearm and then hotter and hotter so that he had to concentrate to keep his fingers fro trail away "All right," she said, her long face settling into disappointed lines "It’s not working I’et it open" She removed a silk scarf from her head and her wiry hair exploded free She h for today"

Gingerly, Jason set the box back on the floor, dropped the tongs, and wiped his seared hands on his jeans

Rows of artifacts were lined up on one of the crypts, sorted by function and tagged with their ical na stones, athened the bearer, talismans of protection, lovestones thatand confusing iers thathyll, Jason was amazed that it had all fit in his backpack

"We’ve done a lot already," he said, gesturing toward the catalogued itely "Perhaps, but I can’t help thinking that thepieces were grouped forlornly in one corner: the small wooden box that could not be opened, a worn cloak carefullythread, a silver hammer inscribed with runes, faceted bottles filled with unknown potions, their stoppers larded with tionheart on its ornate metal stand

Except for the opal, Jason couldn’t remember why he’d chosen any of theested "Maybe I stuical landfill of Raven’s Ghyll" Mercedes ether, but he persisted "There were tons of loose gemstones in the cave I took a few, but I ical pieces Maybe the opal is just another gemstone in the pile"

As if to contradict hi around the crypt It looked different fro the Weirstone under Jason’s breastbone like a banked fire

The three of the at it

Snowbeard cleared his throat "I think the stone is important," he said "Else I wouldn’t spend soto hide his annoyance "Whatever Anyway, it’s a waste of ti I should collect sos in Britain I hear he’s planning a s asked you to bring any of the items back to Raven’s Ghyll?" Nick asked

"No, but…"

"Didn’t he say to keep theood here!" Jason paced back and forth, ht as well have left them in the cave"

"I think the fact that they’re not in our ene," Nick said, his black eyes tunneling all the way to Jason’s spine

"When you think about it, this stuff belongs to hyll I should be able to do what I ith it"

"Jason Haley!" The wizard’s voice reverberated against the stone walls of the crypt, although he wasn’t speaking particularly loudly Snowbeard see Flaular frame "You know better than that You are not a child who can deuilds may depend on hoe use what’s fallen into our hands I will not allow you to recklessly endanger all of us with their ill-considered use"

Jason knew he should just shut up, but he couldn’t help himself "So you think we should just hole up here and wait to be attacked?"

"I think we don’t know enough yet to see who our erous adversary will be If D’Orsay holds the Covenant, the hoard, and the ghyll, then why hasn’t he acted? Why hasn’t he consecrated the docuht us all under his heel?"

"Hoould I know?" Jason stuffed his hands into his jeans pockets "Hastings see after, now that I’m stuck back here"

Nick’s voice softened "Jason This e’re doing is important, even if you don’t think so I believe we’ve been given a rare gift, if we can just figure out how to use it"

Jason wasn’t buying it "You sound like Hastings"

"Indeed?" Nick lifted an eyebrow "Perhaps there’s a reason"

"I’ll just take the opal, then," Jason said "You can keep the rest" Ionheart

And was sla force He seemed to stick for a moment, then slid down the wall until his butt hit the floor