“Certainly, but you must make some progress first. Creating power stones is advanced magic. Try to break the rope again.”
Try as she might, the magic kept slipping out of reach.
Risna was too polite to say anything, but Elizabeth felt that Risna privately believed trying to teach a human magic was a waste of time.
After another unsuccessful attempt, she cast around for a different topic of conversation. “Why are there so many different colours? Is one better than the other?”
“Is a tomato better than an apple? They cannot be compared. They are used for very different things.”
Elizabeth smiled at the older woman’s brisk tone and nodded at a chunk of white crystal with an iridescent sheen. “What’s this one for?”
“Moonstone. They are the stones witches wear the most,” Risna said, pulling out her necklace—a large, rough-hewn moonstone hung on a thin silver chain. “This stone opens your mind to the metaphysical and boosts the power of each spell you cast.”
“You have many of them,” she said, looking around.
“Yes, this is a witch’s shop after all.”
“And the others?” Elizabeth asked.
“Crystal lore is nearly as complicated as herblore. Why don’t you tell me which ones you would like to know about, and we will start there.”
Elizabeth didn’t know if she simply didn’t want to tell her about every stone, or if this was some kind of test. “What does this pretty pink one do?”
“Rose quartz, a lady’s favourite—used for manifesting love and emotional healing.”
She made a face, and the older woman laughed. “You are only showing your youth, dear. There is not a force in this world more terrible or powerful than love.”
“Tell that to themen,” Elizabeth muttered darkly. She heard Nasera snort behind the shelves.
Risna smiled and said gently, “One day, I hope you find yourself a nice man who proves you wrong.”
She quickly looked around the shop, then pointed at a cluster of dull green stones on the shelf. Some were the size of her palm, and others were large, cut into long, pointed shapes. “What about the green ones?”
“Jade. For luck and being grounded and connected to Mother Earth.”
Elizabeth raised her brows. These crystals didn’t seem particularlyuseful. What use was there in being grounded to the earth when she was standing on it already?
She walked around the shop. “And this one?”
“Tiger’s eye. For courage and physical protection. Imbued with shield spells.”
Nowthatsounded more useful.
“This is a strange stone,” she said, picking up a dark stone, darker than ebony and impossibly shiny. It looked like an onyx gem, but rough-hewn and warped, as if it were a captured moment of a wave cresting on the shore.
“Obsidian. The deep black of the stone absorbs all light and negative energies. It is a powerful protection against magical attack. We use them for magical shielding.”
“What is the difference? Between this one and the other.” She nodded at the chunk of tiger’s eye.
“What’s the difference!” Risna scoffed. “If someone came at you with an axe, magical protection wouldn’t help. Likewise, if someone sent a ball of magical fire in your direction, shielding against physical damage wouldn’t do much. You’d need a shield that’s specific to magical abilities. We sell a fortune in these.” She held up a small chunk of obsidian the size of a pea. “Helps keep demons from interfering with your mind.”
Elizabeth’s eyes brightened. “How much are they?”
Risna quoted a figure.
Elizabeth whistled. “You can’t be serious! That’s worth more than diamonds. And they’re still rough. Not even faceted or polished.”
Risna raised a brow. “Don’t buy one then. Obsidian is extremely rare.”
