They’re clearly very old and have been heavily damaged. I’m surprised that they still contain magic at all, but despite my disbelief they pulse with ancient energy that’s older than even I am. I find myself reaching out to touch them even though I know it’s impossible for me to do so, but it’s impossible for me to resist the urge as the magic of the crystals draws me towards them.

“Very bold of you to break into my home in broad daylight.” A voice addresses me causing me to jerk back from the case and look up to see the infamous Mr. Heins.

I take in the sight of him. He’s imposing for sure. Middle aged, slightly graying hair, but with wide shoulders and a healthy physique, and a cold look in his eyes that stare unafraid at me. In his hands a small gun is being pointed at me.

I square my own shoulders and give him my best flippant expression. The same one I’d used dozens of times on my disapproving father (may his soul rest in peace) when I was a teenager trying to learn the art of necromancy. “Do you even know what these are?” I gesture to the priceless crystals.

He narrows his eyes and cautiously lowers his guns as he begins to think I’m harmless.

“You’re one of them aren’t you?” He bares his teeth in a predatory smile. “A sorcerer or whatever.”

“You mean a wizard. And no I’m not. May I ask how you came to obtain these two pieces?” I try to get some information out of him for my own curiosity.

He takes a few steps closer to the glass case and glances at the Lemurian crystals. “They don’t look like much do they? But they are…” He laughs and shakes his head. “Real magic. Who would’ve thought?” He laughs again “And I only got them together by complete chance.” He

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admits. “The pendant was a gift from a friend. It was years later that I found the bracelet. I was at an auction and imagine my surprise when I saw it. It seemed impossible.”

I glare down at the crystals in thought. No, not impossible. These crystals belong together. The magic inside of them would forever link them together and that’s what had allowed Mr. Heins to become in possession of both of them. I think about the way they had been used on Marcus Holt. He’d likely had one of them on his person and it’d allowed Jacob Heins who had the other crystal to control his body. In their original state these crystals had likely been used as a form of communication by their original owners. Now though they are so warped and broken down they actually permitted one of the wearers to control the other.

“I paid almost 3 million dollars for that little trinket.” Heins continues, “I just knew that I had to have it the moment I saw it.” I look up at the man and see him for what he truly is: a murderer.

“You killed Winnifred.” She’d been right. Jacob Heins had done it and framed it on Marcus Holt.

He grins, “Good luck proving that in court. I was no where near her that night. I have an alibi and everything.”

I glare at his glib attitude. The rich really hadn’t changed over the centuries. They still think they’re above the law. “We’ll see about that.”

He laughs, “Oh, you actually think you’re leaving here alive?” He points the gun back at me. “No, you see you broke into my home and here you are in my ballroom trying to steal my art.” He cocks his head to the side and smiles playfully, “So I’m going to shoot you and the cops

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are going to say it was justified and then I’m going to go on with my day and not waste another thought on this moment.”

As he’s talking I find my eyes drifting pass him to a very familiar painting. Winnifred’s painting. They say that killers like to keep mementos from their victims and I guess that holds true even when the killer didn’t personally pull the trigger. What arrogance. The loud bang of the gun going off and the resulting sound of glass shattering behind me as one of the cases explodes from the bullet impact draws my attention back to Mr. Heins.

He takes in my unscathed form with wide eyes full of disbelief. Now it’s my turn to shake my head and smile. “I do hope that wasn’t expensive.” I give him an audacious wink before whisking myself back to my coin and Raziel in the car.

Raziel doesn’t even startle or hesitate as I appear next to him. He just quickly puts the car into gear and drives away as fast as he can without arousing suspicions. “So did you find it?” He asks as he navigates the car.

“I did. You can contact the guard. And you might even be able to have the human police get involved too.” I add on. Raziel gives me a questioning look so I quickly explain, “The arrogant fool actually kept one of the paintings he stole.”

Raziel laughs. “Yeah, that sounds about right.”

I watch Raziel finish up his conversation on his cellphone. How convenient the little devices are. Humans may not have magic, but they have their own ingenuity which allows them to do equally amazing things. 

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“So everything is settled?” I ask Raziel as he sets the phone down on his desk.

“Yep. Aleksander is getting his men together and are going to arrest Heins. He was really interested in those crystal thingies you told me about it.”

“Yes, they’re very rare and old.” I tell him. I wonder if the council will destroy them like they’re supposed to or if the artifacts will be kept in the treasury. I doubt anyone on the council even remembers why the crystals are supposed to be destroyed in the first place, but I don’t say anything about that to Raziel. What’s in the past should stay in the past.

“Oh, and I also talked to him about trying to get Marcus out of prison. Considering he’s an innocent man and all that. He said that he would try to work something out.”

I raise an eyebrow in surprise, “Mr. Graystone is quite lenient with you isn’t he?”

Raziel grins sheepishly, “Well, he has a crush on me even if he won’t admit it. He’s too much of a stickler for the rules to consort with the likes of me.”

“Mmhmm.” I give in reply not wanting to get in to Raziel’s habit of taking on multiple suitors.

“Anyway, I was going to go by Mr. Hawthorne’s house tomorrow morning to tell him that we closed the case.” Raziel carries on. “Did you wanna come with? You can do some more flirting with your new ghost friend.” He teases causing me to roll my eyes.

“No thank you. I will be quite content to stay in the quiet comforts of the shop. I’ve had enough adventures to last me for the next decade or two.” And with her murder solved and justice to be enacted I’m sure that Winnifred will finally find the courage to move on and leave her father to live his own life in peace. And if not then Raziel can always handle it without my aid.

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Raziel laughs, “Suit yourself. And if you’ll excuse me I have potion orders to fill.” He gets up from his chair and heads back to the laboratory to finally get his real work done.

I smile at his retreating form before returning to the sanctuary of my coin. Bright light shines through the small window by my reading chair. I pick up where I last left off on Aristophanes.