corners of the building. “Over there is woodworking saws, routers, and back there is a kiln for ceramics. Most of the stuff on the table I use for the metal and stonework.”
He turned from the tool chest and approached the workbench, handing the copper medallion to Mara. “Here it is. I was hoping to experience the same vibe with this as the original, but it just didn’t seem to have the same spiritual oomph to it. I sensed nothing from this.”
It was an exact duplicate. Mara would not have been able to distinguish it from the original. It covered her palm, just like the other one. She hefted it up and down, feeling its weight. Exactly the same. She ran her fingers over the blue azurite crystals that surrounded the center sunstone, then stroked the symbols between them, the symbols Ping had taught her represented the elements of perception and the elements of reality. She was amazed at how accurately Ned had recreated the Chronicle.
“This is absolutely astounding. It’s an exact duplicate,” she said, almost reverently.
He smiled at her and rubbed a finger over the face of the medallion “You seem to be getting more from it than I did. Perhaps you are more attuned to these runes than I am.”
Mara continued to stare at it. “Perhaps.”
“I would like you to have it,” Ned said.
“Oh, I was just hoping to borrow it, until we can recover the original. Would that be possible?”
“If you prefer, but I will probably just end up melting it down at some point for the metal and stones.”
“I wouldn’t want you to destroy it. What if we just bought it from you now instead of waiting?” Mara said, looking to her mother for support. Diana nodded.
“I couldn’t charge you for it. Even with the copper and gems, the materials didn’t even add up to a hundred dollars,” he said.
“What about your time?” Diana asked.
“If I wasn’t working on that, I would have been doing something else. It isn’t as if it took me away from doing the things I love.” He pantomimed, pushing it toward Mara. “Go ahead and take it. I insist.”
“It’s a pretty Chronicle,” Hannah said.
Ned smiled at her. “Is that what you call it, a Chronicle?”
“The Chronicle,” Hannah corrected, then added, as if it explained her credibility on the subject, “I’m from the future.”
Mara’s throat tightened, and she choked out a cough. Diana laughed nervously.
Ned didn’t seem to be put off a bit and replied, “Well, as old as I am, I guess you could say, I’m from the past.”
CHAPTER 46
Ping’s Camry was parked at the curb in front of the Lantern house when Diana turned into the driveway. Sam was just emerging from the passenger side, and the interior lights of the car came on. Leaning down over the passenger seat so he could be seen, Ping waved but didn’t get out of the car. Mara jogged over to his window, and he lowered it.
“Why don’t you come in for dinner? We can catch up now that you are out of the hospital,” she said. “I’ve got a few things I’d like to pick your brain about.”
“That’s very kind of you, but, to be honest, I’m ready to have a quiet evening at home. It’s been a while since I’ve had one of those,” Ping said, smiling, but his eyes looked tired. “How about, if you come by the bakery tomorrow, I’ll make us some sandwiches for lunch?”
“That works,” she said. “You’re okay though? No lingering symptoms from the events of the other night? No rumblings from you-know-who, right?”
“I’m fine, and I think the dragon is asleep for the duration, a notion that strikes me as a wonderful idea.”
Mara lightly tapped the roof of the car and stepped back, as Ping pulled away from the curb. She watched his brake lights brighten at the end of the block, and stood there until the car turned at the corner and disappeared into the night.
“Hey, are you coming in?” Sam yelled, standing in the open front door. Everyone else had already gone inside.
Mara jogged up the driveway and the porch steps. Sam turned to go in, but Mara grabbed his arm and pulled him back outside the door.
“Hey, did you know Hannah will be gone before Christmas?” she asked.
Sam looked mildly confused. “What?”
“She says I told her that she would be back in the future before Christmas. Did she ever tell you that?”
“No, but I never asked her when she expected to return. I