A Sapphire's Tale

Chapter Four

*~*~*~*~*

The next morning, the sun broke through the clouds in Crawldon, casting soft rays across the peaceful town. It was a typical autumn day, but for the three sisters, everything had changed overnight. The jewels rested silently on their bedside tables, their soft glow now a faint memory, but the weight they carried was palpable.

Sheila was the first to stir. She awoke early, as she often did, to start her day with the routine that had become second nature. But as she stood by the window, gazing out at the quiet streets, her thoughts were consumed by the sapphire resting in her drawer.

What are you, really? she wondered, gripping the edge of the windowsill. The night before, she had felt something stir within her when she held the jewel-a warmth, an energy that made her heart race. It had been subtle, almost like a whisper, but it had been undeniable.

She couldn't shake the feeling that the jewels were more than just mementos of their mother. They were connected to something greater. Something ancient.

The creak of the floorboards behind her made Sheila turn. Akeelah stood there, clutching the emerald in her hands, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"You couldn't sleep either?" Sheila asked, her voice gentle.

Akeelah shook her head, her gaze shifting between the jewel and Sheila's. "I... I think it's calling to me. Like it wants me to do something."

Sheila raised an eyebrow. "Calling to you?"

Akeelah nodded, biting her lip. "It felt warm last night, and when I held it again this morning, I thought I saw-" She stopped herself, her eyes shifting to the floor. "I thought I saw something glowing in the air. Like... magic."

The word hung in the air, heavy and strange, but Sheila didn't dismiss it. There was something unexplainable happening with these jewels, something neither of them could deny.

Before Sheila could respond, Mila barged into the room, her usual swagger cutting through the tension.

"Are we really doing this now? Talking about magic?" Mila scoffed, though her eyes flickered nervously to Akeelah's emerald. "It's just a jewel, Akeelah. You're overthinking it."

Akeelah opened her mouth to respond, but Sheila raised her hand, halting the argument before it could begin.

"No," she said firmly, turning to Mila. "We need to figure out what these really are. We can't just ignore it."

Mila huffed but didn't argue further. She turned to the window, where sunlight streamed in. "Fine. But how are we supposed to figure it out? It's not like Mom left us a manual or something."

"We start by testing them," Sheila suggested, determination creeping into her voice. "We need to see what they can do. Maybe if we learn more about them, we'll understand their purpose."

Akeelah, still clutching the emerald, nodded in agreement. "I'll try again. Maybe I can make something else happen."

Sheila and Mila exchanged a glance. Sheila's thoughts lingered on the sapphire. If Akeelah could make the plant bloom, what could her jewel do? And what about Mila's ruby?

"I think we need to do this together," Sheila said. "We can't afford to do this alone. We need to figure out what's at stake here, and we can only do that as a team."

Mila frowned but nodded begrudgingly. "Fine. But I'm not doing any weird magic stuff."

---

Later That Morning: The Garden of Discovery

The three sisters stood in the garden behind their house, each holding their respective jewel. The air was crisp, and the garden around them was still, waiting for something to happen.

Akeelah was the first to step forward, her fingers trembling slightly as she raised the emerald. The moment it touched the air, a soft glow began to pulse from the jewel, and for a brief moment, the flowers around her seemed to shimmer.

She gasped. "Look, Sheila! Look!" She pointed to a patch of daisies that suddenly perked up, their petals blooming faster than any flower should, creating a floral path. The emerald seemed to hum in her hand, its energy coursing through the air. The flowers' petals unfurled as if responding to an invisible force.

"That's... that's amazing," Sheila whispered, her voice full of awe. "It's like you're making them grow faster."

Akeelah's face lit up with wonder. "I don't know how I'm doing it! It just feels right."

Mila stepped forward with her ruby, her expression a mix of skepticism and curiosity. "Alright, let me try." She held the ruby high, and for a moment, nothing happened. But then, a faint red glow enveloped the jewel, and suddenly palms of her hand felt warmer. A single flame lit its way to the sky, leaving a smoky trail.

"Did you feel that?" Mila asked, her voice laced with excitement. "It's like the ruby... is connected to fire!"

Sheila watched them, her heart racing as she clutched the sapphire in her hand. "I guess it's my turn," she said, her voice uncertain.

Taking a deep breath, she raised the sapphire to the sky. For a long moment, nothing happened. But then, a soft light began to pulse from the jewel, illuminating the space around them. The temperature dropped slightly, and the sky seemed to darken, as if the sapphire was pulling in the light. Sheila felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up, and a strange energy rippled through her body. It was powerful. Unpredictable.

She felt a whisper, almost like a voice, calling from the sapphire. Protect them.

"Did you hear that?" Sheila whispered, her voice barely audible.

Akeelah and Mila turned to her, their expressions questioning. "What?" Mila asked, a little annoyed.

"I-I don't know," Sheila said, shaking her head. "But it felt like the sapphire was... speaking to me."

Akeelah's eyes widened. "Like magic?"

Sheila hesitated, the weight of the moment pressing on her. "I don't know what it is, but it's not just a jewel. There's more to this. Much more."

---

That evening, after the sisters had shared their discoveries with their father, Raymond Sapphire sat them down in the living room, his face solemn. The fire crackled in the hearth, casting long shadows across the room.

"I've been waiting for the right time to tell you girls this," Raymond said, his voice quiet but steady. "Your mother never spoke much of the jewels, but they were part of a family legacy. Her mother had them, and her grandmother before her. They've been passed down for generations."

The sisters exchanged glances, their curiosity piqued.

"These jewels," Raymond continued, "hold power. Powers that have been dormant for years. Your mother and her family used them to protect something-something dangerous. I don't know all the details, but I do know that your mother was the last to wield the jewels before..."

Before she passed, he didn't need to say. The sorrow in his eyes was enough.

"You need to be careful with them," Raymond warned. "They're not just relics of the past. They're a link to something...else."

The room grew heavy with silence as the sisters absorbed their father's words. The jewels in their hands now seemed more than just a gift. They were a responsibility, one that would soon take them on a journey they were not ready for-but a journey they had to take nonetheless.