"And what am I thinking? – I realized. – I'm married to the man I love, and I'm admiring Evans like some enthusiastic young girl!"

– Do you have something to hide the Axe in?" – Evans asked Alvissa.

– Perhaps! But you're not getting either one! – The old mage frowned. He walked over to the cabinet and slammed the door open, making the glass shake pitifully.

– Alviss, we need these weapons to save King Kaldwind," Evans said softly to the old man.

– That weapon stays here! Now get out of here! And don't come back! – Alviss spat it out with such force that drool spurted from his mouth.

– Take everything we have! – I untied a pouch of gold from my belt and threw it at the old mage's feet, but he laughed loudly and kicked it away from him.

– Either you leave voluntarily, or I will throw you out by force," Alviss said in a dark voice.

I felt a slight vibration in my fingers and glanced at the ring Derek had given me, the emerald glowing brightly.

– Evans…" I said quietly, so as not to provoke Alviss. – I don't think your friend is kidding… We're in danger!

– Oh, well! I didn't think it would come to this! – The healer cursed under his breath.

– Get out of my shop! – Alviss shouted fiercely and raised his hands sharply in the air.

A moment later, the stabbing and slashing weapons in the cabinet flew at Evans and me, leaving behind a hazy red smoke, but suddenly a translucent sphere surrounded us, and the knives and swords fell to the floor at our feet with a loud clang.

– Hide! Now! – Evans ordered me, pushing me to the wall, where there was a row of full-length metal armor, and I obediently hid behind one of them.

The room was filled with bright flashes, the clang of metal, and Alviss's loud cursing. But I didn't want Evans to have all the work, so I ducked out of my hiding place and headed toward the mad old mage. On the way I came across a heavy glass ball, probably for divination, and taking it and creeping stealthily to Alviss's side, I struck the old man's head with it, and Alviss fell to the floor.

– Sylvia! You killed him! – Evans exclaimed angrily, running up to his mentor. – He raised me as his son!

– I'm sorry! – It was all I could say in response, and I hurriedly threw the orb to the floor as if it were burning my palms.

– Alviss… No, not again! – Evans moaned and leaned in close to the old man's face. – Alive! – he reported with relief. Then, rising to his feet, he quickly pulled the Dead Man's Axe from the shelf and hid it under his cloak.

– What now? – I asked, staring dumbfounded at the old mage's body on the floor.

– Now we disappear! – Evans covered my head with his hood, put his own over his dark-haired head, grabbed my hand, and we slipped out into the street and disappeared into the crowd, remembering to lock up Alviss's shop.

– This concludes our visit to this city," my friend whispered to me as we once again made our way among the thousands of people crowded into the marketplace.

– It's beautiful! I think it's time to get out of here," I agreed, but I couldn't help but ask the question that had been bugging me: "But doesn't that sword affect you?

– Later. We need to find Astrid," Evans said instead.

But we didn't have to find Astrid; she came running up to us, asking quietly if we'd gotten what we wanted.

– We did. It took a little sweat," Evans said. – And before our seller wakes up and calls the guards, we'd better get out of this town.

– Well, then, go on without me. I have a couple of other things to do that are important, and I can't and won't cancel them," Astrid said.