Ren and Andoralson doubted anyone could be that efficient, but said nothing.
Evaine continued. 'Is the ghost's black blade still lying in the grass? We can't just leave it here for anyone to find. Miltiades, what should we do with it?'
The knight spoke solemnly. 'The blade certainly should be hidden, but no one may touch it. The safest place for it will be inside my tomb.'
Without a word, Evaine strode to the site of the battle. The smoldering blade still lay in the blackened grass. The sorceress spoke a few words, and a green mist flowed from her hands. The vapor enveloped the sword and raised it a few feet off the ground. Concentrating, Evaine slowly walked toward the tomb with the blade suspended in the air ahead of her. She entered the tomb and promptly reappeared. 'Is there anything else that should be done to safeguard that sword?'
Miltiades nodded and asked the other men to assist him at the entrance to the crypt. The doors were pushed shut with an unearthly creaking noise.
Gamaliel suddenly appeared at the edge of the graveyard. 'I've found our campsight. Follow me.' The companions gathered their horses and set out on foot after the barbarian. In moments, they arrived at a secluded clearing. The babbling of a stream filled the air. Two huge jackrabbits, freshly caught, lay at the center of the clearing.
The sorceress shook her head and chuckled. She knew he had transformed into a giant cat the instant he was out of sight. The others wondered what she found so funny, but were afraid to ask.
'If you'll be coming with us, Miltiades, you'll be needing a horse. Evaine, do you have anything in your magical bag of tricks that'll give him a horse?' Ren's voice was joking, but he wouldn't have been surprised if she had produced a steed.
'No need, ranger. I have my mount.' The paladin reached into a pocket and drew out a miniature stallion carved of ivory. He held it out to Evaine, who grinned and nodded, then he set the figurine on the ground and spoke a word of magic. In a white flash, a fully saddled stallion appeared in the clearing. Talenthia eagerly admired the horse, then Miltiades reduced it to a statuette again and slipped it into a pocket.
The group quickly divided up the work of gathering firewood and preparing the rabbits. Evaine announced that as soon as everyone was settled, she would place a spell of protection around the site. Ren asked for volunteers to take turns on nightwatch.
'That won't be necessary,' Miltiades stated. 'I do not need sleep. I will be awake the entire night, and I am more than happy to serve as your guard.' The exhausted party accepted the knight's offer gratefully. Still, Evaine was glad to have Gamaliel around-just in case.
When the meal was finished and everyone was settled, Evaine asked for attention. She would be casting her spell at dawn and insisted on explaining the procedure and giving instructions.
'This is one of the most dangerous spells a wizard can cast. It is not dangerous to the five of you, but it could kill me or render me insane. If anything goes wrong, I guarantee the result will be disaster.
'If no creatures approach overnight, the ward that I place around this camp will still be in place in the morning. Do not enter or leave the clearing or you will be fried to a cinder before you know what has hit you. I require this safeguard because I can't have monsters wandering into camp in the middle of the spell.
'Ordinarily, I must build a fire and purify it. The brazier will allow me to skip that step and conserve some of my energy.
'Once I begin casting, I cannot have any distractions. You must not speak and you must not walk around. If my concentration is broken, we'll all be sorry.
'I will be gazing into a crystal for the greater portion of the spell. My body and brain will be present, but my mind's eye will be elsewhere. Even if you think I'm in trouble, do not disturb me. Follow Gamaliel's lead if you think I need help. He has seen me cast the spell dozens of times.'
The barbarian nodded grimly, and the others silently noted their agreement.
'When the spell ends,' the sorceress continued, 'the crystal will shatter, but I won't be injured. Gamaliel will take over from there. Follow his instructions; my life will depend on him.
'I will be nearly unconscious all day following the spell. Don't think you can wake me, throw me on a horse, and hit the road. I will have almost no powers, and you'll put us all in danger if you drag me along. All you can do is let me sleep and regain my strength. We can start out again the second morning. Any questions?'
Andoralson snickered. 'Can you write down the instructions for this spell so I can try it sometime?' Talenthia's elbow landed squarely in her cousin's ribs.
Evaine's green eyes blazed at the druid. 'I know you command some magic, but if you were to try this spell you would spend the rest of your natural life in a coma or hopelessly insane. Your brain would be plagued by monsters of your imagination so horrible that you could do nothing but scream and writhe in your bed. You would die a thousand horrible deaths in your mind and you would be so tortured that you'd wish for death. But you couldn't even ask to be put out of your misery.' She scowled, almost daring the druid to ask another snide question.
Andoralson looked sheepish. Miltiades had hung on her every word. Despite her original feelings about the paladin, Evaine had the feeling she was going to appreciate having Miltiades around.
'Ren, I'm going to need you awake and alert during the spell,' Evaine said after a moment. 'I need you to concentrate on the pool with every ounce of energy you have. It will help me make contact and get a solid fix on its whereabouts.' Ren nodded his cooperation, and the sorceress felt somewhat relieved. 'I know I can depend on you with the lives of your friends at stake.'
Evaine stood and paced the perimeter of the clearing. An emerald mist followed her, dissipating quickly. With the ward in place, the sorceress sat down to study. A few hours later, all the companions were in their bedrolls and sleeping fitfully.
Gamaliel awoke Evaine just before dawn. Miltiades stoically stood guard over the camp as she retrieved the brazier from its miniature bag and removed the platinum cap. To her relief, a bright flame sprang forth.
The sorceress spent nearly half an hour clearing her mind with meditation exercises. When she was ready, she signaled Gamaliel to awaken Ren and the others. The barbarian led the ranger to a position near the brazier, and whispered to the others to keep their distance.
Evaine drew a large crystal from a pocket and performed the same ritual she had used at the campfire a few days earlier. After the crystal was heated by the magical flame, she laid the stone in her lap and began to concentrate.
'Hey, what's that roc-' Andoralson blurted out.
Gamaliel was sailing through the air at the druid before he could finish his sentence. The barbarian knocked him to the ground, pinning his chest, and clamped an enormous hand over Andoralson's mouth. 'Keep your mouth shut or I'll shut it for you!' Gamaliel whispered with a snarl. His tone was so menacing that the druid didn't so much as blink. Ren, Talenthia, and Miltiades sat motionless.
Thanks to Gamaliel, Evaine hadn't noticed the interruption. Her mind now sailed up over the treetops and toward the pool. Her breathing was rapid and regular, her body was engulfed in a pale green mist. All the others could do was wait.
Gamaliel eventually allowed Andoralson to sit up. But he sat glowering at the druid throughout the rest of the spell.
After what felt like hours, the crystal in Evaine's lap shattered into dust. Gamaliel leaped to her side. She was breathing hard, drenched in sweat, but otherwise healthy. Gamaliel collected the crystal dust, helped his mistress to her bedroll, and saw that she was safely asleep.
Talenthia was the first to whisper to the barbarian. 'Is she alright? Is there anything I can do?'
Gamaliel responded calmly. 'She'll be fine. All we can do now is wait for her to awaken. We won't know the outcome of the spell until she's ready to tell us. In the meantime, you can do as you like. She's sound asleep, so you're not likely to awaken her.' The barbarian seated himself near the sorceress's side with a waterskin, a tin cup, Evaine's herbal mixture, and several clean cloths close at hand.
Around midnight, the sorceress stirred. Gamaliel was still at her side, watching every move. Evaine opened her eyes abruptly and was relieved to see the barbarian's face peering down at her. 'What day is it?' she whispered.
'It's the middle of the night, the same day you cast the spell. You've been asleep, oh, about seventeen
