Chapter 2

"Certainly. It was, oh, maybe five feet in length, maybe slightly longer, and made from a medium-colored wood. It had something affixed to the top. It was clear, like glass or crystal. There were also runes on the staff."

"Could you read them?"

"No. I could tell something was there but I could not understand them."

Khyrhyelle, listening intently, spoke up. "Arhyvhynne, could you please perform a mind scan when we are finished questioning Albera? You should be able to read the runes, assuming her mental image is still vivid."

Arhyvhynne acknowledged Khyrhyelle with a slight nod. Khyrhyelle's younger daughter, who wore the white robe, had a slender body similar to Eyrmysse, but unlike her sister, she preferred to conceal it. She had smooth, creamy skin and a wealth of hair the color of smoked wheat. You could drown in her deep blue eyes, which were the color of sapphires. Though only seventeen and considered very young to be selected to the Council, she was one of the best mind scanners the witches had. If there was a memory lost in the caverns of the mind, Arhyvhynne could likely retrieve it. She was seated on the right, furthest from her mother.

There was a moment of silence and then Qelharre, the remaining dark robed witch and an elf, questioned Dhynelle. "What do you make of it?"

"I am not sure, but by her description it seems to be nothing out of the ordinary. It will be interesting to see what Arhyvhynne can come up with concerning the runes."

"So I thought also," replied Qelharre.