Chapter 346

Pleased with her success so far, she felt ready to get to work on the stone. She let the blue and yellow glow fade from her shield—maintaining the barrier while she tried to make the rock grow would be difficult enough without trying to keep the colors in place as well.

She stared down at the dark stone, once again fixing every angle and sharp edge in her mind. When she felt ready, she pictured it expanding an inch or so in every direction while she cast her spell.

“Blitha morun sumuss,” she chanted. “Blitha morun sumuss.”

Nothing happened. The stone remained exactly as it was.

Leesa was not deterred. Getting it to grow on her first attempt today would have been a surprise—a pleasant surprise, to be sure, but a surprise nonetheless.

She inhaled several slow, deep breaths, then fixed her eyes onto the rock.

“Blitha morun sumuss,” she said, even louder this time. “Blitha morun sumuss.”

Once again, the stubborn stone remained unchanged. When two more attempts failed as well, Leesa knew s