Morgan exhaled softly and bent to look more closely at his handiwork. The thrust had been sure; the needle was positioned in precisely the right place. With a deft movement, he removed the needle and wiped the earlobe a second time, then watched a small drop of blood well out at entry and exit. He picked up the Eye of Rom in its insulating lint and touched the stone to the front droplet of blood, then held it down where Kelson could see it.

As all three watched, the dark stone in the earring slowly changed its appearance. Where the smooth ruby had glinted before with a cold and smoky fire, now it warmed, cleared, almost seemed to glow with an inner light of its own, the way Morgan remembered it when Brion had worn it.

As soon as the Eye of Rom had made this subtle transformation, Morgan motioned Kelson to hold out the Ring of Fire. He touched it with the bloody Eye of Rom, and true to its name, the Ring of Fire began likewise to glow with a deep garnet radiance that permeated each of the brilliant cut stones.

Morgan breathed a sigh of relief, then wiped Kelson’s earlobe again and inserted the Eye of Rom. With the touch to the Ring of Fire, the huge ruby had given up all its blood. Now it glowed darkly in Kelson’s ear, tangible sign of the power to come, first fulfillment of the ritual verse.

Duncan took the glowing Ring of Fire from Kelson’s hands and wrapped it securely in its silken shroud. Since it would not be used again until tomorrow at the coronation, Duncan took it quickly to his security vault and locked it away. Returning to the table, he found Kelson fingering the velvet-covered box that housed the Crimson Lion as Morgan spread out the ritual verse on the table once more and scanned the third stanza.

“How do we get this open, Morgan?” the boy asked, shaking the box gently and listening for some telltale rattle that might give them a clue.

As the box neared his ear, it began emitting a low, musical hum, which ceased when Kelson lowered it in surprise.

Duncan leaned closer, then spoke. “Do that again.”

“Do what?”

“Shake the box.”

Kelson shook the box as he was bidden, this time a bit more gingerly. But he did not hold it as near his head as the previous time. Morgan noticed that fact.

“Bring it closer to the Eye of Rom,” he suggested.

Kelson did, and the hum resumed.

“Now touch the box to the earring,” Morgan ordered.

As Kelson complied, the box emitted a soft, musical click, and the lid of the box sprang open a crack. Lowering the box, Kelson raised the lid the remainder of the way to reveal what lay inside. All three looked into the open box in awe.