Bayani sat back and crossed his arms over his chest. “So we have to take this magical item to the king and have him activate the images? And then he will know what is going on?”

“Exactly,” James said. He took the jewel from his father’s palm and dropped it into a a bag made of lavender velvet, then pulled the strings tight before knotting them. “Be careful with this,” he added, handing the bag to Cerys. “There are a great many ways in which it could be damaged, or the images lost. Our wizard can only repair some of them.”

Cerys stared down at the pouch in her hands for several moments before taking a long breath to say, “Why are you giving this to me?”

“Because, technically Cerys, you are also a wizard.” James met her eyes as he spoke. “As far as anyone in the kingdom will be able to tell, you are a novice magician, so it would only make sense that you have a magic crystal.”

“No,” she told him, holding it back towards him. “I cannot be responsible for it. You hold it!”

James shook his head. “Don’t you understand? I cannot hold onto it. I cannot go with you to the capital city. Our hopes of protecting King Leonars rest in your capable hands.”

Peter snickered, but was quickly silenced by an elbow from Bayani.

His sister, for once, seemed to agree with the sentiment. “Himeko is much more responsible than I am. I’m always getting her into trouble and she’s always keeping me out of it– or trying to, anyway– and I really can’t–”

“You can,” James insisted. “You have to. I would not have brought you here if all of us had not agreed that you could do this.”

“But…”

“Cerys, remember when you made our character sheets? I let you be the party’s wizard because I believe in you. You will be able t get the crystal to our king; you need only believe in yourself.”

“James,” she sighed, “I am not a real wizard.”

“Here, you are,” he replied. “You bound that goblin, and you cast a cantrip effortlessly. You have spells beyond those, as well. When we are done here, we will make sure that you have your robes and spellbook.”