“I am sure we will,” Cinnia responded, and then she felt herself slipping away. Opening her eyes she saw her husband dozing in the chair by her side. She stretched and sighed, reaching out to touch his arm. “I am returned,” she told him.
“Tell me,” he said, and Cinnia did. When she had concluded her tale, Dillon said, “We must call upon Kaliq and Cronan to return to us. Now that it has been decided it must be done swiftly before any whisper reaches Ahura Mazda’s pointed ears.”
“Is it morning yet?” Cinnia asked him sleepily.
“It is just daybreak,” Dillon told her.
“Then let us do what must be done, my lord husband,” Cinnia replied, and she arose from the small bed in the dream chamber.
Together they returned through the castle corridors to their own apartments where they bathed, dressed in fresh garments and readied themselves for the day ahead. They had a great deal to do once the two Shadow Princes were called upon to return to the castle. Most important of all were the amulets that would have to be fashioned to protect the Yafir from the effects of their centuries beneath the seas of Belmair. Dillon had finally managed to fashion a spell that implanted within the little amulets would protect those who returned to the land, and allow them to begin the aging process from where they had left off.
It was Cinnia who had created the amulets. The star symbol of Belmair, which was made from Belmairan red- gold, and would be inculcated into the left shoulder of each Yafir except those who had not yet reached their maturity, and would not need the amulets. They would simply age naturally as if they had always lived upon Belbuoy.
The amulets were brought into the Great Hall, and spread out upon the stone floor. There were several thousand of them. Dillon now came to speak the spell that would protect each Yafir who wore the star of Belmair. Raising his hands he moved them over the little golden stars spread across the Great Hall of his castle.
“This magic star will keep you free,
From your years beneath the sea.
Time be twisted, turn away,
From the Yafir from this day.
Age from now as you will,
Let none this spell turn ill.
This Shadow-faerie lord has spoken,
And this spell shall ne’er be broken.”
Cinnia had watched, fascinated, as her husband incanted his spell. The little stars had glittered and glowed as Dillon’s words flowed over them. When the sound of his voice had died Cinnia could almost swear she heard the stars sigh. Carefully she gathered them up into soft velvet pouches. Tonight they would be distributed by magic to protect the Yafir as they were brought to Belbuoy.
Now Dillon called to Kaliq and to Cronan to join them. The two Shadow Princes stepped shortly from the shadows. Both he and Cinnia went forward to greet them. Servants came forth with sweet frine to welcome them. Dillon explained all that had happened in the last few weeks. “We are now ready to proceed tonight.”
“How will you keep the Yafir safe from the centuries?” Cronan wanted to know.
Cinnia brought forth one of the velvet bags, and drew out one of the tiny red-gold stars. “Each Yafir, but for those who have not yet reached their maturity, will have this star implanted into a shoulder. The spell rests within each star.”
Cronan took the star from her, examining it carefully. “So I see,” he said. “It is a good spell, my boy. A very powerful spell, and by making the stars part of each Yafir you keep them from losing their protection. Well done! Well done!” He handed Cinnia back the star, and as he did he smiled at her. “The crafting of the stars is quite excellent, sorceress of Belmair,” Cronan told her. Then he turned to Kaliq. “They are a well-matched couple, old friend.”
“You will not go away now, will you?” Cinnia asked the ancient Shadow Prince. “You will stay with us here in Belmair? Our world is honored to be home to one of your kind. What can we do to make you more comfortable, my lord?”
Cronan smiled again. “Do you know where I live?” he asked her mischievously.
Cinnia shook her head. “No, my lord, I do not, but wherever it may be we will do whatever we can to make it better,” she replied earnestly.
“I live at the top of the round tower on the north side of the castle,” he said.
“No one has bothered with the north tower for centuries,” he said with a chuckle. “I thought as it was unused I would take it for my own. Now and again one of your servants stumbles across it, but I gently wipe their memory of it, and send them on their way again. That is how I have lived there undetected for centuries. I have watched you grow up from the shadows of the rooms where you have lived, daughter of Fflergant. I knew at your birth that you were meant for greater things and so with your proper mate I have watched you becoming what you must eventually be. A sorceress almost equal to your husband, Dillon, son of Kaliq and Lara.”
“Teach me!” Cinnia said to him.
The old Shadow Prince smiled and nodded. “I will teach you,” he said. “Your first lesson will come tonight as you watch us bring the Yafir from beneath the sea to their new home. But before then I shall teach you how to implant the stars of Belmair within each Yafir. It is only right that you do this, for you are Belmair born.” He looked to Dillon and to Kaliq. Both nodded in agreement.
“When will we do it?” Cinnia asked.
“We shall bring the bubbles up from the sea floor one by one, and set them about Belbuoy. As long as the Yafir remain within the bubbles they will continue to be protected from time. We will enter each bubble, and you will go from cottage to cottage implanting the stars in each Yafir who needs one. Once that is done the Yafir are safe from the ravages of time, and we may move on to bring up the next bubble,” Cronan said.
“Why not bring all the bubbles up at one time?” Cinnia inquired.
“The bubbles cannot sustain themselves for too long within the sunlight and the air,” Cronan said. “That is why we must all work quickly.”
“I see,” Cinnia said. “Yes, it makes sense, doesn’t it? But can I get all the stars for each bubble implanted in time?”
“You can,” Kaliq told her. “That is why we only bring one bubble at a time up from the sea. It will take the three of us to maintain the bubble’s integrity while you work to implant the stars in the Yafir so that they are protected.”
“I have the spell!” Cinnia said excitedly.
“Excellent, sorceress!” Cronan approved. “Now give me your hand.”
Cinnia put her small hand within that of the ancient Shadow Prince, and looked up into his startlingly bright blue eyes. Her own eyes widened as she experienced what felt like a heated bolt of energy flowing from his hand into hers.
“All you need do,” he told her, still holding her hand, “is place each star in the front of each Yafir’s left shoulder. They will feel a tiny surge of the energy I am giving to you. The star will adhere to their skin, and cannot be removed. Upon their death the star will dissolve into their flesh to be burned with their body,” Cronan explained. He released his hold upon Cinnia’s hand.
She swayed slightly. “Oh, my!” she exclaimed. “Your power is overwhelming, my lord Cronan.”
Dillon put an arm about his wife. “Are you all right?” he asked her.
“I will be in a moment. I am so filled with power, and I am not used to it,” Cinnia responded to his concern.
“Do not fear, young king,” the ancient Shadow Prince said. “Your wife is stronger than you can possibly imagine. Perhaps one day she will be your equal.”
“You are old, Cronan,” Kaliq chided his friend. “Do not promise what you may not be able to give.”
“Old I may be, but not powerless by any means, Kaliq. I think you are jealous for your son.” Cronan chuckled. “Or is it for yourself? You have grown used to being the most powerful among the powerful.”
“My lords, cease this bickering,” Dillon said. “If Cinnia were indeed as powerful as she might be think of all the
