Verunt sat on a bench under the largest tree in the River Park, eating a mango with a dagger the size of his underarm when Amber found him.

Hey Amber! he greeted her joyfully, but his optimism faded quickly once Amber shared what she had heard from her father. Nora Marsh, in the council, was murdered today. Someone cut her throat and left her body in the middle of the market. Seekers are spreading the rumor that the other council members are next. My father believes Egem himself is the one behind it, but he can't prove it.

As they walked through the city that day Verunt could sense the tension wherever they went. The news had spread like a wildfire and the streets, which used to be filled with voices and one or two musicians, were almost empty and strangely quiet. Since that spooked both of them, Amber suggested that they went to the library, where the quiet wasn't as noticeable.

High shelves, stacked with books about everything from agriculture to magic, lined the walls and made up hallways in the library. While Verunt was reading An Introduction to Crystals in the dust filled air, Amber was further down the hallway, trying to reach a copy of Broken Bones and How Crystals Can Help by balancing on a slender footstool. Verunt just made up his mind to ask her if she wanted help when a thick book from a shelf above knocked her down. She hit the stone floor with a thud. Verunt was there before the footstool lay still.

"Are you okay?" he said, helping Amber up. Crystal Combat lay open on the floor but neither  noticed it. Verunt was transfixed by her grey-green eyes. He'd never seen them from this close.

I think so, Amber signed and then rubbed her head where the book had hit. When she lowered her hand Verunt noticed her bracelet. The purple crystal in it had begun to glow.

"Um, Amber," Verunt began. Why is your bracelet glowing?

She held it up in front of her and furrowed her brow. The blue and the yellow crystals she wore around her neck didn't shine. 

A similar purple glow from Verunt's hip drew their attention.

Where did you get that? she asked him when she noticed the dagger's crystal. I know you can't have bought it, purple crystals are incredibly expensive. 

Shit, Verunt thought. Should I lie? Could I? Would she believe me if I did?

He must have stood there like a fish on land, because she repeated herself. Slowly and clearly this time, in case he hadn't understood. So he said what he wanted her to know; The truth. When he was done he quickly ended with The dagger has never done something like this before.

Amber thought for a moment, her face filled with concern and a hint of curiosity. We should go to Antheia, she finally signed. If she doesn't know what's happening, no one will.

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A/N: Don't forget to leave a vote if you liked this chapter! As always, constructive criticism is welcomed like a hot summer's breeze. ;)