Chapter List

he inside of the jewelry box was lined with a deep purple fabric, and it contained five sparkling pieces of jewelry worked in so many different kinds of precious stones and metals that Jessica couldn’t believe what she was seeing. The other girls gathered around.

“They’re beautiful…” Shannon whispered.

“Where did they come from?” Talitha asked.

“There’s another alto clef,” Jessica said, pointing at one of the pieces of jewelry. It was a Golden Charm in the shape of an alto clef with tiny red jewels set around its edges. It was the center setting, and seemed to glow very softly.

It’s right under the carved symbol on the outside, Jessica thought.

“Can we pick them up?” Shannon asked, kneeling by the jewelry box and looking at Jessica hopefully.

Jessica nodded. “I guess.”

“Careful. Don’t break anything,” Ranko cautioned as Shannon reached for a black Ring circled with glittering bluish-colored jewels around its edges.

Talitha picked up a bronzed Talisman decorated with translucent green leaves.

Alanna gently picked up a Bracelet decorated with jewels cut in the shape of chalices.

Ranko used both of her hands to gather up a Necklace made of tiny ocean wave shapes linked together with pearls. Jessica picked up the Golden Alto Clef Charm.

“At least now we know why those guys are all after this stuff.” Ranko pulled the Necklace around her neck to see if it fit. The weight of the silver and aquamarine stones was surprisingly heavy.

“There’s some missing,” Talitha noted, pointing at an empty fitting in the jewelry case for two items shaped like miniature birds with their wings spread. There was another disc-shaped fitting on the opposite side that was also empty.

“Earrings?” Shannon said absently as she fitted the ring on her right hand. “I can’t think of any jewelry that’s disc-shaped though.”

“I think it’s earrings too, Shannon-sama. It’s the only kind we don’t got here,” Jessica said. “Here’s a charm, bracelet, necklace and ring.” She pointed at each item as she counted it. “I wonder if these all belong to the same person?”

“My guess is that shadow lady,” Ranko said.

“That’s obsidian!” Cici almost shouted.

Ranko looked up. “What is?”

“That Ring is made out of obsidian and it’s got sapphires too!”

Talitha adjusted her glasses. “You mean that all of those stones are sapphires? Real ones?”

Cici nodded, and Talitha stared for a moment.

“What is it, Talitha-chan?”

“That many real sapphires would be worth a fortune.”

“What’s this made of, Cici?” Alanna turned the Bracelet over in her hands, asking Cici’s opinion even though none of them understood how a fourth-grader could possibly accurately identify precious gems and volcanic rocks by name just by looking at them.

“Platinum. Those little things all over it are diamonds.”

Alanna gasped and almost dropped the Bracelet.

“Diamonds?” Ranko stood up, pointing. “There’s a hundred of ‘em!”

“Reina said the treasures would protect us if we go to the Lockvern place.” Cici said.

“Now we really have to get out of here,” Alanna looked around. “We have a fortune in jewelry and we already know some bad people like those guys on the dock are after it. Which way?”

Talitha hadn’t been paying much attention to the map, but she turned back as Cici walked over to retrieve the Lantern that was acting as a weight to hold it down on the ground. What she saw fascinated her.

“Look!” Talitha pointed.

All around the tiny colorful symbol of the Chronicler’s Lantern drawn on the map, tiny representations of the other treasures were appearing as if they were being drawn and painted by an invisible hand.

Continue to Chapter 20