Chapter 4

“It obviously hasn’t done that before. Go on.”

Giving his sister his best glare, Shaw swallowed hard, then reached with a trembling hand to brush his fingers quickly across the gemstone.

Nothing. No heat, no roar, nothing emerged. Shaw touched it a little more firmly. Still nothing. Then Shaw had a sudden epiphany. He looked at his sister.

“You’re not freaked out by this. Why are you not freaked out?”

“Uh, you need to ask Mom. I’ll call her. She’ll come right over. Think I’ll open some wine while I’m at it.” Keitha scrambled to her feet, then looked down at Shaw and smirked at him. “You might want to get a little more comfortable, baby bro.”

* * * *

Keitha wasn’t wrong. Shaw didn’t overhear what his sister told their mother, but in less than ten minutes, Lin was at their door.

“Okay, what’s happened? Shaw, how did that…that thingget around your neck? Don’t leave anything out.” Lin folded her arms and glowered at him. Shaw felt as if he was six years old all over again.