Lesson 80- Always double check your work.

“Great. I’ll get started on the back door. I’ll need a sample of blood from each of you since you’re the ones who will be assigned to open it.” I nod and expect her to pull out a knife or something, but she pulls out one of those finger prick things that diabetics use.
“This works well enough, I only need the tiniest bit. One drop for each door.” I stand still and let her prick my finger, then put a few drops of blood into a tiny glass vial that she pulls from her handbag. Torin elects to prick his own finger then does the same.
“Perfect, thanks. I’ll get started on the back door. It will probably take about an hour. Then I’ll move on to the ones in here. They’ll probably take a bit longer. It’s harder to make wards with exceptions. The front door has a lot of exceptions about when people are and are not allowed in. I expect it will take me at least a few hours. Hopefully I can have them all done by midnight and we can all get some proper rest.” Torin nods but I can see his shoulders tense a little. He was probably hoping it would be done faster than that so he can go home and get some sleep. Still, he trudges along behind Laura to watch her start the ward for the back door.

I was hoping the process of her making the ward would be interesting, but mostly she just sits there on the floor with her legs crossed and her hands on the door. She keeps her eyes closed. Occasionally she opens her eyes and glances down at an old book she brought along, nods along then closes them again. There is really nothing to see. It’s kind of disappointing. I was hoping for flashy lights or something cool like that. After about forty five minutes she opens her eyes again, and reading from her book, she begins reciting something. None of the words are in english, I have no clue what she’s saying. But finally something interesting is happening. Where her hands are touching the door, it’s sort of… Glowing? Just a little bit, a blueish purple light. As time passes, the glowing sections gets bigger and bigger until it covers the entire door and the door frame too. She pauses her recitation, takes out the vials of blood she took from Torin and I, then using what looks like a cotton bud of all things, she dabs a drop of blood onto the door knob. She recites for another minute or two, then she groans and gets to her feet, stretching her neck and shoulders.
“That one is all done. You can test it out if you like. The glow will fade in a couple minutes as the spell settles.” She assures us. Torin opens and closes the door a few times, then asks me to do the same. I do it. It feels like just… Opening and closing a door. Nothing special at all. When I tell Laura that she nods happily.
“Good, you shouldn’t feel anything. If someone other than you two were to try to open that door their blood would basically boil. Except Kyle, no spell will work against a dwarf. You’ll just have to rely on the super strong, reinforced door and lock. But without magic there’s no chance of a dwarf managing to get through that anyway.” She concludes. Torin sighs and nods.
“That’s fair. I can’t expect you to create a spell that works on a dwarf. Damn inconvenient species.” He grumbles and I smile. I bet Kyle would be thrilled to hear how inconvenient his non-magical self is.

We move out to the bar and Laura repeats a similar process on the door behind the bar, this time is a lot faster though, probably only forty minutes total. I guess it has less spells on it. It’s just a barrier to stop the door opening for anyone who doesn’t work here. She warns us that it probably wouldn’t keep anyone powerful out for very long. But if I was being chased again, it might give me a chance to hide at least. She doesn’t point out the obvious fact that there are only so many places to hide. I’m stuck in this building and if someone keeps coming after me, there’s no way for me to really escape. Laura moves on to the front door. She warns that this door will likely take a few hours so I settle in at a table to watch and Torin takes his place beside me. He looks EXHAUSTED. I have no idea how he’s still got his eyes open.
“You know you could take a nap for a bit. It’s just us and Laura here anyway, well… And Jane too. I can watch Laura work and keep an eye on the front door. If someone were to try to break in again you would be close enough to hear us scream for help.” I point out. He could go rest in his office chair or something for a while, or even in my room if he really wanted. I could swap out the sheets or whatever. Plus it seems silly to be worried about that kind of thing when I spent multiple hours today asleep on his lap. Torin looks hesitant, but I can tell he’s tempted. He looks so tired.
“Seriously, it will be fine.” I repeat. He sighs and gives a reluctant nod.
“You’re right, I need to rest.” He gets to his feet and I expect him to leave, but instead he just settles on the floor next to my seat with his legs out in front of him, facing the front door. Then slowly, as if worried I’m going to push him away, he leans sideways into me and rests his head on my lap. He’s tall enough that he can comfortably rest his head.
“Oh, I did mean in your office or something, but I guess this is fine…” I comment. I can’t exactly complain. I used him as a pillow earlier, this is just a fair turnabout.
“I don’t want to leave you alone until I’m sure this place is secure. This way I still know where you are, even if I do close my eyes. You can’t go anywhere, or be taken anywhere, without me noticing.” He explains sleepily and I smile. He’s still trying to look out for me. I reach down and brush his hair out of his face, gently combing my fingers through his hair.
“Alright then, you get some sleep. I’ll wake you when Laura is finished and you can go home to bed.” I promise. He gives a grunt of acknowledgement, but he’s already basically asleep.

It takes another three and a half hours for Laura to finish the ward for the front door. When she does, she looks like she is about ready to pass out. All her earlier energy is definitely gone.
“I’m done. I’d get up off the floor but that sounds like way too much work.” She sighs and lies backwards. She looks like she did the night we first met after she cast the binding spell. I point it out to her.
“Yeah, I feel like it.” She agrees.
“But that night you only cast one spell. Tonight you cast three. Shouldn’t you be more tired?” I ask curiously. She sits up to look at me properly.
“The spell on you is way more powerful. It didn’t take long to cast because it isn’t all that complicated. You leave the building and it stops you, but that spell took a huge amount of energy. Inanimate objects hold spells much better than living breathing people do, and as a human you don’t naturally hold magic. I basically had to flood you with it.” She explains.
“Huh… This magic stuff really is confusing. I conclude and she shrugs.
“It makes sense when you’re the one doing it. It’s not something I can easily explain.” She sounds apologetic and I shrug.
“It’s alright. Are you going to be okay getting home?” I ask worriedly. She shrugs.
“I’ll call for a ride. No driving for me. But don’t worry, I won’t pass out or anything. At least not until I make it back to my own bed. Unlike Torin there. You know, I wasn’t totally convinced that he actually sleeps, but he is out like a light.” She observes.
“You’re right. I should probably wake him though.” I sigh and she nods.
“Yeah, he will want to check the ward.” Laura agrees.