chests and boxes filled with emeralds, diamonds, turquoises, rubies, and many
other jewels. There were golden and silver idols and statuettes. There was
enough wealth to purchase a dozen of the lesser cities of the empire and all
their citizens.
But she could only take what she could carry and not be hampered in the leaving.
Exclaiming ecstatics, she reached towards a coffer sparkling with diamonds. At
her touch, the jewels faded and were gone.
14
She cried out in anguish.
‘They’re products of his magic!’ Smhee said. ‘Set here to fool thieves. Benna
must have taken one of these, though how he got here and then away I’ve no idea!
The jewel did not disappear because the mage was alive and his powers were
strong. But I’ll wager that not. long after the rat carried the jewel off, it
disappeared. That’s why the searchers found no jewel though they turned the city
upside down and inside out!’
‘There’s plenty of other stuff to take!’ she said.
‘No, too heavy. But he must have put his real jewels somewhere. The next room!’
But there were no other rooms.
‘Don’t you believe it,’ Smhee said. He tore down the tapestries and began
tapping on the walls, which were of a dense-grained purplish wood erected over
the stone. Presently, he said, ‘Ah!’ and he moved his hands swiftly over the
area. ‘Here’s a hole in the wood just big enough to admit my little finger. I
put my finger in thus, and I pull thus, and thus…!’
A section of the wood swung out. Masha got a burning lamp and thrust it into the
room beyond. The light fell on ten open chests and twenty open coffers. Jewels