Chapter 213: A Jewel in the Shadows
Soleia held her breath as she peered through the magnifying glass, her eyebrows scrunched up together tightly as she stuck out her tongue ever the slightest. Keeping her hand as steady as she could, she placed the gemstone into the gold bed before securing the claws around the stone.
Only when she knew it was secure did she finally lean back in her seat, letting out the breath she didn’t know she held. She raised a hand and wiped the beads of sweat away from her forehead before she reached for the pouch next to her.
Her hand dug into the pouch, pulling out a handful of stones at random before placing them onto the table. There was an assortment of stones―moonstones, obsidian, and opals― but in the end, she picked the lone garnet from the bunch.
Just as before, she shaped and polished the stone before carefully placing it into the slot that was reserved for it. Once the claws around the gem were secured, she slid the ring onto her finger, admiring it in the light.
Even though this was the first time Soleia was dealing with jewelry, she had done a pretty good job, if she did say so herself. It was the perfect size, and as long as no one tugged too hard on it, it shouldn’t drop off easily.
Taking a deep breath, she pursed her lips and concentrated on the palm of her hand. Her palm faced the ceiling as she imagined a flame, flickering to life.
There came a burst of warmth that tickled her skin, then a spark, then―
The door’s handle clicked, and Soleia’s ears instantly perked to attention. Quickly, she swiped the project that she had been working on off her finger and into her pocket, shoving all the notes related to it into a hidden compartment on the table she had added just last week, before placing a set of mock research on the desk.
Right as she was done, the door opened, and Rafael stepped in.
Soleia turned around and smiled, standing up and walking over to greet him.
"You’re back early," she said, taking his outstretched hand eagerly. "What did your father want to speak to you about?"