Cindy said, "What do these stones have to do with this earthquake and magic?"

"I really didn't understand at first. The elves wanted me to get the stones and deliver them, but the Council was also watching me. And they have powerful people."

"So, this Council is the people here?"

"Some of them are here. I uncovered a cabal, a secret society. They lurked in the shadows and were worse than the people I worked for, and deadlier."

"What happened?"

"I got the stones. It was not easy, but when I was about to deliver them to the Elves I was captured. I had to hide the stones, but something happened when I opened the case the second time. The stones flew away and disappeared. I fled my home. And then this happened."

"How did you know I have a stone?"

"Well, I was not sure but those two brutes who brought me here were talking about you. When I saw you I was sure you had one of the stones."

Cindy shook her head. "You were looking for me?"

"Well, somebody like you. You were not the only person who received the stones."

"What?"

"Yes, there was four stones in all. And you have to find the other stones before the next full moon."

Cindy shook her head. "The Council has my stone. But I don't know if I believe you."

She studied his clothes and wondered if this absent-minded professor look was a way to get her to do something. But his crazy story almost made sense. Cindy did sense another person, her friend Lazarus, and she needed to find him soon.

Robert said, "Don't worry. I think I can help you. But you need to get the stone and leave now."

"You said I needed to find these people who have the stone before the full moon. What is going to happen?"

He looked directly into her eyes. "I don't know. But I do know it will be really bad."

"Wait. Let me think."

This was going too fast. She needed to take a breather. The door opened and the two tall brutes came back into the jail. They went directly to Robert and opened his cell.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"The Council is ready for you."

The bald jailer snickered at him. When Robert passed through outside into the corridor, Cindy heard his voice in his head. The bars of her cell started to glow, but Robert said in her mind, "When you see the sign, you need to use your magic."

Robert’s voice suddenly ceased as if something or somebody stopped him from talking. Cindy fidgeted. She was not sure what she was going to do but she felt something was going to happen soon. She stood and paced around her small cell. Then an image bloomed in her mind. It was almost like watching a grainy TV screen.

Cindy saw Robert standing in front of the Council she saw him talking but she couldn't hear any voices. She understood this image was coming from Robert and his own magic. Then Robert took something out of his pocket. It was a small box, but she knew what was going to happen. She covered her ears.

***

The explosion rocked the building and instantly her powers came back to her plus the necklace with the stone. The necklace floated in front of her and the stone glowed and blinked out of her sight. She felt the necklace wrap around her neck. She pointed. A large wave exploded from her fingertips and destroyed the brick wall. The smell of smoke and fire wafted in the air. Cindy jumped through the opening. People were screaming and running around. She ran into the streets and surveyed the scene. People were dead in front of the building where she saw the Council and the structure was a smoldering ruin. Scanning the fleeing people, she looked for Rochelle among the living or the dead but the scene was chaotic. Fires started to break out among the other buildings. The remnants of New York City would burn to the ground unless she did something.

Cindy was about to run to the closest burning building when a group of people rushed to her in blind fear. She held up her arms in a defensive movement, but something happened. Her body grew warm and she floated upwards in a rush of air. Cindy yelped, not in terror, but in surprise.

She found herself hovering a few feet above the ground. The crowd of people didn't even notice. They kept running until they were out of her sight.

She calmed herself and knew her plan of action was to stop the fires. She didn't know if she had enough power or magic to do it but the time to think was over. Lifting both of her hands up to the sky, she concentrated. Her body started to vibrate slowly and a warmth flooded her skin. It was not burning nor scalding but was like being immersed in a warm bath.

Rain appeared on the street, pouring over the buildings on fire. The smell of ashes and soot flooded her senses and she focused her will and power on creating more rain. Her body started to shake as if she was being pulled in several different directions. She was not sure if she could keep up this conjuring.

Cindy dropped her arms and her feet touched the ground. She was exhausted beyond anything she had felt before. Shaking, she looked around and noticed the people were not running like before. They were looking at the smoking buildings. The rain poured from the sky, but was slowly petering out. Without her mind concentrating on the conjuring, her magic was ceasing.

Cindy swayed where she stood and was about to fall when a man grabbed and pulled her to an open area. The man looked at her with awe and also with a little fear. The fires ceased and a calm came over everybody around her. They turned to her.

Cindy was not sure what to say. A girl came toward her and knelt. She realized it was Rochelle.

She said, "I thought you were dead."

Cindy merely nodded.