“Crystals are living beings at the beginning of creation.”

Nikola Tesla

While we were waiting for the rest of the family to arrive, I had a thought. The new seed of the Lodestar we had cut from the shard of the Lodestar in the Church’s Sanctum had never come close to perishing while I had carried it. Somehow using only my natural regeneration of mana I had managed to keep it functional although dim. Admittedly I was lucky to have Source of Mana as a trait but it meant that I regenerated mana significantly faster than my sister, mother and possibly even our tutor. What if I kept a slice for myself? Surely, I could keep it alive so to speak with my mana. It might never grow in size from the amount of mana I was feeding it with, but it would give me a portable Light of the Lodestar that the church was built around.

I could carry it around with me all the time. That sounded like a potent power to have on hand. The ability to assess someone’s level maybe even their stats. I could put it into a ring on my hand so that what I touched I could use it to assess. That was the plan anyway to develop the skill we would need to fool the bishop we were to spend time ‘communing’ with the Lodestar learning to read the world the way it did us before we could attempt to hide from anyone who else able to read the world, the church. However wouldn’t that process be quicker if I kept it on me the entire time?

Excited I turned to Grandfather who was waiting watching to see our families approach now that the seed had been placed in the Elendil tree and appeared to be settling into its new spot.

“I don’t suppose you could cut an extra little bit off for me?” I wheedled.

“We have a seed. Why do you want your own?” he asked.

“Just a little side project I’ve thought of,” I answered. “I was just thinking that I could make my own ring with it.”

“A ring?” he frowned tapping his knife at his side.

“Yes, if we are going to have to spend time here in the tree to attempt to gain the skills. Think how much faster that might go if I held on all the time.” I explained my reasoning.

“Would it not be best to run it by Lady Acacia first?” he asked unconvinced of my suggestion.

“A private project for a private man. I’d like to see if this works if we wait I will have four more people I have to convince of my idea. Let me see if I can get it to work. Then if it does we can make more for the rest of the family.” I argued.

“They wouldn’t have enough mana to keep the Light of the Lodestar alive.” He pointed out.

“Probably not, no harm in letting me have a go.” I hadn’t given up but I was running out of time to convince him before the rest of my family arrived. They would be here soon, then I would have to explain my thoughts to all of them. “I could always command you to do to it,” I grumbled, unhappy that I had promised him I would not add any orders to the life he had led being bound by them.

“You could,” he admitted, “and I’m grateful that you haven’t.” he sighed before asking. “How much do you want?”

“Just a nail's worth. Something small that I could fit under a ring or tie to round my skin somewhere. I’m going to have to keep feeding it mana if I am to keep its light alive.” I clarified, happy I had somewhat convinced him to let me run my experiment.

He carefully chiselled a piece from the seed as I supplied it with mana the tiny sliver transferred carefully to under my sleeve where I tied it tight to my arm with a handkerchief. Grandfather helped tie the knot. As he finished it, he whispered, “Careful not to carry too many secrets lest they pull you under, Kai.” Then he straightened and exited the grotto to welcome the rest of our family.

. . .

The rest of the family had finally arrived. Aleera ran through the entrance before relaxing in relief at the sight of the light of the Lodestar illuminating the grotto. “You made it in time.” She affirmed and I never mentioned the little sliver I had taken for myself with the rest of the family on her heels.

Mother was next to enter and also happy that the first step in hiding our status from the soon-to-arrive archbishop was complete. “Honestly serves that smug individual right. I know that an unknown theft is a perfect theft but at the same time, I wish we could somehow have let him know that it had been taken. If only it would not lead right back to us.” She also seemed conflicted that her minor revenge on the man was never going to be known.

The third person to enter was Lady Acacia who went to check the placement of our seed and ensure it was receiving enough mana from the relatively new Elendil tree that we had helped to grow at the centre of our garden. “It seems to have been transplanted perfectly. It is naturally drawing from the mana of the Elendil tree which in turn is drawing from the surroundings and deeper into the lodestone the local ley lines.” She turned to Aleera, “The garden might not be as bountiful for a while as it establishes itself but it should soon even itself out.”

“Was it worth it?” Father asked still conflicted about the theft. “What comes next?”

“First we need a good night’s sleep but then tomorrow their training shall begin.” Lady Acacia answered turning to the exit, but we had one more surprise for her.

Before planting the tree, prior to hiring Wanda or our cousins visiting the secret garden we had bored up through the mountain creating an inverted tower a well through the heart of the mountain. But once others were visiting we had covered it up and hidden the entrance. When we had been working on the heart grotto we had opened up an entrance to it without her knowledge. It was time to reveal the secret.

“There’s a quicker way down then,” Aleera said while Mother opened the way leading us through the secret passageway until we were all looking down the well the circular staircase way wound its way down.

“The Silverseas, always another silver secret to be found hidden in the depths of the sea. You have one more to add to your collection.” Lady Acacia commented on the reveal as we worked our way down to the tunnels that ran through the mountain and joined up with the back of our entrance hall before we once more made our way to bed, no one the wiser for our night time theft of the light. Or my own personal project I had tied tight to my arm and out of sight under my sleeve.

. . .

Despite the excitement of the night I fell fast asleep as soon as my head hit my pillow. I woke just as suddenly slapping my hand to my arm to check by touch that it was still tied tight. Failing to have formed a core properly might have proved challenging for controlling my spellcraft and spellsong but in this instance it was perfect. My body without conscious control naturally produced more mana than I either needed or could hold so it seemed that the excess I was producing was being drained into the seed of the lodestar much as my amulet had done before.

My amulet! That was a mana reservoir that would keep the seed alive for as long as I had held it. Years even. The mana reef too if I took it out there would be good if I wanted it to grow not that I wanted to grow mine. I dug through my chest for the amulet I had been asked not to wear to allow my core to form properly. Once it was out it was time to see if my idea would work. I carefully untied the knots holding the seed against my skin, it was harder than when they were tied last night as I was doing it on my own. In the end, I had to involve my teeth to do it. It was all very awkward and the next time I did this, if there was a next time, I would be strapping it somewhere a lot more accessible to both hands like a leg. Eventually, after an excruciatingly nerve-wracking set of manipulations, I was left holding my nail’s worth of Lodestar between my fingers still alight.

The amulet was far more complex than I had once thought. I had now studied the runes on it and it was an incredibly clever piece of jewellery each rotation aligned a different rune allowing the mana reservoir to flow and produce the effect. What I needed to do was place the seed in what was effectively the off position due north for it to receive mana from the reservoir of the emerald gem. I would not be able to use any of the other effects but then I was not supposed to be wearing it at the moment anyway. I then took a small pot of isinglass, it was a type of fish glue Uncle Karl had introduced us to and very carefully attached the tiny seed to my amulet. Taking care in all this to keep supplying it with mana the entire time until it was finally attached and glowing of its own accord from the mana of the emerald in the centre of the amulet. I would have to work on a more permanent piece of jewellery for it but for now, my secret seed was safe and secure although I was going to have to keep it wrapped up tight to hide the light.

Time to make my way to breakfast and find out just how we were supposed to use the light of the lodestar to train those skills.