The Stolen Amulet

03 | The Unseen Pilfering

Dorian stood still. Looking as lifeless as a statue, he continued gazing down on the mysterious amulet that had been lying on the counter. Being cautious of the surroundings in the shop, he turned to each of his sides and even from behind him, making sure that no one, not even the owner of the antique shop, could spot him, so he could inspect the amulet much closer. Dorian appeared to be very mesmerized by the abnormality and beauty of the amulet when something in his mind insisted on touching it, even if it was only for the shortest moment of time. But before his ivory hands could lay over the yellow jewel, Dorian nearly jumped in fear when someone came out of the left door that was from behind the counter and ended up crashing into a few boxes and crates.

"Good grief!" said a male voice from the ground before he stood up and dusted his dark vest and white pants. The old man seemed to be around in his late fifties or early sixties. "I apologize for that. Now then, when was the last time I ever had a customer in this forsaken shop? It's about time now. So what can I get for you, young lad?"

Dorian continued to stare at the man, his mouth slightly agape, before he cleared his throat. "I was merely looking for an antique that's fit for a girl's birthday present."

"Hmm," the man began thinking. He snapped his fingers and said, "Well, I may have just the right kind of antique for a gift!"

"Now, where did I put that again? Ah, right there!"

As he continued to rummage through whatever was behind the counter, Dorian still had his olive eyes on the amulet. He had been so enthralled that he didn't know the owner was finished searching for the perfect antique his customer was looking for.

Dorian blinked in confusion once the owner presented the antique.

The old man smiled apologetically. "Forgive me, sir, but I've never been outside most of the time, so I wouldn't have the knowledge of what many people prefer to have as their birthday presents. So, I went with what I thought would work."

"So you went..." Dorian pointed at the object. "With a glass doll?"

The owner nodded, and Dorian wrinkled his nose. "I-I'm sure the birthday celebrant is too old for dolls."

"But this is no ordinary glass doll," the man explained. "This doll arrived from the country of Oprea. The jewelry here embedded on the doll's head, young man, is made from their sea salt diamonds. Now, that kind of diamond can be harvested every twenty years! So rare, isn't it? Even the queen of Yuvell wears those tiny pieces of jewelry around her neck!"

Dorian's eyes were still on the amulet the minute after the owner explained the glass doll's history. "I'm sorry, what did you say about the queen?"

The old man narrowed his eyes in mild irritation, but he still didn't notice the amulet that Dorian was staring at. "The jewels on this doll's head are as rare as having customers here. So are you interested in buying it?"

Dorian inspected the glass doll, his interest now slowly shifting to it. "And may I ask, how much exactly is this doll?"

"I'd say about ten thousand and nine hundred dalers. That's all."

Dorian nearly had a stroke. "How exactly is that worth buying a two-inch doll with the sea salt diamonds you were talking about that can barely be seen by a monocle?"

"Well, one small sea salt diamond is worth maybe at least ten thousand dalers," the old man remarked. "But I just thought it out, and I made the price a little lower. And now each diamond is at least a thousand dalers."

"That's not how you-" Dorian paused and sighed. "W-well, can you... lower the price again?"

The old man blinks. "I beg your pardon, sir?"