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"...Tina? Can you hear me?" Tina heard her grandmother say. Opening her eyes, she found she was lying on the floor, looking up at her.

"What happened?" she asked.

"I don't know. We were talking and then you suddenly passed out! Although...I did feel something odd just before you fainted." Charlotte replied.

"Oh, yeah. I felt something, too. It was really weird. Like something broke, but then snapped back together again." Tina said dazedly.

Tina sat up carefully, but she felt fine. Not even particularly tired beyond what she'd expect from a busy work day. Charlotte watched her carefully the rest of the day, but she showed no further ill effects. Tina was frustrated with not being able to do any more work in trance, but Charlotte wouldn't allow it after what happened.

Charlotte decided it was a good time for them both to take a break from magical matters and just watch a movie. Afterward they went out for a late dinner and did a bit of shopping before calling it a day.

---

Tina felt fine the next morning and went to work. Several times in the morning she was distracted by strange feelings. It was like when she'd sensed magic while in trance, but weaker. I wonder if I can sense magic without being in the trance now? she wondered as she felt a particularly strong surge. They were different than what she'd felt before, though. Strong, but very precise and controlled. She could only guess that, if she was sensing magic, whoever was doing it was a lot better than whoever had blasted that area in the hills.

After a while it stopped and she was able to concentrate on her work. When she returned she helped her grandmother close up and told her about what she'd felt. "So, do you think I'm still sensing magic?" she asked.

Charlotte shook her head ruefully, "I don't know, Tina. You keep doing things I wouldn't imagine doing. This meditative trance seems to have unlocked even more potential in you than I thought you had. It's very possible that you are sensing magic. Perhaps that's what you sensed yesterday, when you passed out. Disturbing though that thought is."

Tina grimaced, "Yeah, if that was magic, it was really strong! But it didn't feel the same as what I felt in trance, or what I felt today. So maybe it was something else."

"Still worrisome, but there's nothing we can do about it at this point. Come on, let's get something to eat and we can go over the glyphs some more." Charlotte said.

Charlotte was still worried about Tina, so they went over what they'd learned about the glyphs and tried to figure out how they fit together best. They poured over the glyphs they at least thought they understood for hours before turning in.

---

The next day went much like the last, with Tina feeling odd surges of, what she believed to be, magical energy throughout the morning. After work, and closing the shop, they were sitting at the table eating when there was a loud banging at the door. "You turned the sign to closed, didn't you?" Charlotte asked.

"Of course! And the lights are all out. There's no reason to think the store is still open." Tina replied. She got up to see who it was, with Charlotte following curiously behind. As she approached the door it shook with several more heavy blows. "They're going to break the glass at this rate."

The windows all had curtains drawn, so they couldn't see who it was. Tina was already reaching for the lock when Charlotte pulled a curtain aside to look outside. "Wait!" she yelled, but the door was already unlocked. Before Tina could react it was flung open, knocking her to the ground.

Nathaniel stormed into the room. Glancing around he spotted Charlotte and pulled something out of his jacket. "You know how to make a talisman. Tell me! I saw Tina use one against me before, so don't try to tell me you don't know how like the others!" he screamed.

"Why do you want me to tell you? You seem to have managed just fine on your own?" Charlotte replied, glancing worriedly at the wooden rod he was holding. It wasn't pointed at her or Tina, yet, but it looked an awful lot like the rod Kerry described.

He scoffed, "This? An accident! I can't make another like it, and it only does one thing! I want a real talisman! Now talk!"

Charlotte held her hands up defensively, knowing he wasn't going to like, or accept, what she had to say, "I don't know. Tina didn't use a talisman; she used glyphs. And she nearly killed herself doing that! Neither of us know how to make a talisman."

He gripped the rod tightly and pointed it at Charlotte. The symbols inscribed on it began to glow as he growled, "You WILL talk, or else!"

I sure hope this works! Tina thought as she traced out the spell she and her grandmother had devised in the air. Nathaniel was totally focused on Charlotte and seemed to have forgotten she was there. Just as the rod was glowing too brightly too look at she completed the spell. It glowed more brightly for a moment and then flew into Nathaniel. There appeared to be no physical force behind it, but he was so startled he fell back.

"What was that?!" he screeched in surprise. Getting back to his feet he turned the rod on Tina. "I was going to get rid of you, anyway!"

"Uh, is something supposed to be happening?" Tina asked after a moment of staring at the rod in Nathaniel's hands. The symbols were no longer glowing and Nathaniel looked confused.

"What did you do?" he said softly in shock, staring at the rod. Then, turning to look angrily at Tina, he screamed, "What did you DO?!"

"Huh, I didn't expect that." Tina said. She had thought the spell would block the rod, not disable it. Assuming the effect was permanent.

"I think you had better leave, Nathaniel. Unless you want Tina to blast you again?" Charlotte said. He looked surprised, as if he'd completely forgotten what happened the last time he was there. But after seeing her disable his flawed talisman so easily, his anger turned to fear. He hesitated a moment, then fled.

"Uh, Grandma, I couldn't really blast him again without knocking myself out you know." Tina said once he was out of sight.

Charlotte smiled, "I know, dear, but he doesn't know that! Here, let me help you up." She held her hand out and helped Tina to her feet, and then closed and locked the door. "I think I'd better call Kerry and tell her what happened."

"What exactly did happen?" Tina asked.

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To Be Continued…

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