Anthony Giles gave a mildly concerned squint of his eyes as he saw Zoe and Athena back to the main body of the library with the new addition of a silver cuff bracelet. He knew that Athena was incredibly intuitive, and sometimes picked up on things that he, himself couldn't see despite his experience. Normally she only asked him general questions, but today was a pointed request for an artifact that was well-tailored for accepting defensive magic. And specifically for Zoe.
Athena didn't provide any details when asked, and Anthony didn't want to press her too hard. As long as they were working on defensive magic, he reasoned, they couldn't get into too much trouble.
But the situation warranted attention. And Mr. Giles began assembling the materials for a thorough scrying the moment his office door was closed once again.
Athena and Zoe returned to their usual table, completely unaware of the momentary disturbance it had experienced at the hands of Tiffany Sanders. For a brief moment, Athena thought it was strange that the amulet sitting in the middle of a pattern of sigils appeared to already be activated. But she must have completed the ritual absent-mindedly before leaving for Mr. Giles's office, she told herself. Zoe had distracted her.
So she wasn't fully paying attention when she lifted the amulet and strung it around her neck, as a brief wave washed over her. It was just the enchantment on the amulet connecting to her body, she told herself. A new piece of magic, like a new bluetooth device on her phone, sending a little alert that it had connected. She didn't notice that a single lock of hair in her bangs had turned blonde as the wave completed its journey.
"Put the bracelet on the paper," Athena quickly instructed her friend. "Right where my amulet was."
Zoe did so, and the clear glass jewel at the center of the cuff began to glow, just as Athena's amulet had.
"Now place your hand over it."
Zoe did so, blocking the item from view for a few seconds. When she took her hand away, the clear glass jewel had turned an obsidian black.
"It should be ready. You can place it on your wrist. Keep it there at all times."
Zoe followed her friend's instruction. And although she knew that she was now wearing an enchanted object, putting it on felt like putting on any normal piece of jewelry to her. She marveled at the new object on her wrist for a moment. But she felt no wave washing over her. No little bluetooth alert. It was so un-noteworthy that she didn't even think to mention it to Athena, as the two girls packed up their things and determined to re-group at Zoe's house.
If she was in the new magic's sphere of influence, then that's where they would need to start looking for it.
