The Children of When (Complete)

Chapter 27: The Missing Piece

The Oracle sat in stunned silence, looking at them in utter disbelief.

Raff chuckled. "Yep, that's about the same look Madame Persimmons gave us when we told her."

The Oracle pulled himself together, and leaned forward eagerly. "Do you have these pieces with you?"

Raff and Leah dug under their shirts, both pulling the leather thongs holding the bags over their heads. They each pulled out their piece, and placed them on the table in front of the Oracle. Raff could have sworn the pieces were glowing even more than the last time he'd seen them. He looked at Leah with raised eyebrows, and could see she'd noticed as well.

The Oracle's eyes widened as he looked at the objects in front of him. "Do they always glow like this? I've never read anything about them glowing?"

Raff scratched his head. "They only glow like this when they're close to another piece. It might be my imagination, but I reckon they're glowing more than the last time I saw them." Leah frowned, and nodded in agreement.

The Oracle chuckled softly. "Perhaps because they can feel the presence of the third piece?"

The children reacted instinctively.

"What...?"

"Where is it?"

"You mean it's here?"

"How did...?"

The Oracle raised his hand to curb the rush of questions. "Please let me explain." He smiled at their enthusiasm.

"A little over a year ago, I heard a rumour about a young dwarf bragging he'd found a blade he claimed was a piece of the missing amulet. I knew the blade was the piece forged by the elves, so was interested to know how it had come into the possession of a young dwarf. I made some unofficial enquiries, and discovered the dwarf had apparently found it in Naissance and brought it with him to Florisia."

"I encouraged another rumour to be circulated, about the piece being a fake, because the real amulet piece was safely stored with the elves. I then sent a friend to visit this Rufus fellow, and offer him a large sum of money to purchase the knife. Thinking it worthless, and my friend a fool for not knowing it was a fake, Rufus took the money and handed over the blade. Since then the rumour has been true, the amulet piece is safely stored here in the Forever Forest."

Belle frowned at the Oracle. "Raff didn't mention that I also found a bag the same as theirs. The bag was buried in my backyard, and it was empty when I found it, but... we had a neighbour in Naissance by the name of Rufus. He was two years older than me. He and his foster-brothers were always hanging around our house, waiting for a chance to give me a hard time."

"Hmmm, it sounds like the piece had found its way to you, as the other pieces found Leah and Raff, but was intercepted before it reached you."

Raff was astounded. "What do you mean the pieces found us? How could they do that?"

"The amulet was infused with a great deal of magic when it was created. The fact that the pieces glow when they are near each other indicates their desire to be reunited. I have no doubt they would be able to plant suggestions in the mind of the person who possesses them."

Leah jumped up in excitement. "Wait! This explains so much! Like when the circlet blocked the old hag, and the way I felt its sadness that night!"

The Oracle smiled at her. "Ahhh, an Empath I presume?"

Leah explained to him about their visit to Zolinda. Then she turned to Raff and Belle. "I'd forgotten all about the amulet communicating its feelings to me. So much else happened, I guess I didn't think it was important. Sorry I didn't tell you." She shrugged and sat back down. Raff gave her a thumbs up to let her know it was okay, and Belle rubbed her shoulder.

"I think it might be time to see what happens when the three pieces of the amulet are reunited." The Oracle reached into his robe, and handed a small golden key to Lyricus. "Would you please bring the dagger from my room?" Lyricus took the key, bowed, and quickly left the room.

The Oracle rubbed his chin as he sat deep in thought. "One of the things still puzzling me from Serena's diary is how did Sardon separate the pieces of the amulet. I am assuming it would have taken at least one member from each of the three races to negate the magic long enough to separate them?"

Raff was wondering how the whole 'blood of old' thing worked. From what he could tell, it was actually having the Gifts associated with this blood that made it so important. Madame Persimmons had said all three of them had rare Gifts, but what if they didn't have the right ones? And how would they know what the right ones were? Or, what to do with them? He scratched his head, sick of questions that just led to more questions!

Lyricus re-entered the room, carrying a small red cushion, on which sat the winged blade. It emitted a pulsating glow, much like a throbbing heartbeat, and the two other pieces began doing the same. The beats were in perfect sync, and from the look on the faces of Lyricus and the Oracle, Raff assumed this hadn't happened before.

Lyricusplaced the blade on the table next to the other two pieces, and they allwatched and waited to see what would happen. Nobody in the room spoke or breathed,or at least not that Raff could hear, while they waited.