"Chapter Four" The rising sun bathed all who gathered at the bedside of Adnil with colors of gold, red, and orange. Its powerful rays reflected off the brillant stone necklaces worn by the women who had gathered there, causing the room to come alive in a tapestry of color. Jensarie had never seen anything so beautiful and had circumstances been different would have enjoyed the sight. The healers had joined hands around Adnil as Diana performed the ritual of cleansing and renewal, that would prepare them for the task ahead. Adnil lay quiet, except for the soft moans that occasionally escaped her tightly drawn lips. It seemed to Jensarie that her mother's aura had become much darker, especially as she was now surrounded, by the brilliant auras of her healing sisters. When Diana had finished her ritual, she stepped back from the circle to let the healers begin their task. With hands joined they formed the circle of the spinning wheels of life. The lines of energy from their hands formed a glossamer web, crossing above and below Adnil. Once connected the healers auras shimmered and shifted, so interwoven that Jensarie could not determine where they began and ended. Next each healer placed one hand on the large center stone in each of their necklaces and the other on the chakra they controlled. So began the healing. In the beginning, it seemed to Jensarie that her mother's body had become transparent. The dark aura of illness that had surrounded her mother was now being pierced by the brilliant auras of the healers. Jensarie held her breath as her mother's aura slowly began to return to the lovely colors it had always carried. As she looked around the room she saw her father softly weeping near Adnil's bed. Because Dref could not see the auras, he had no way of knowing if the healing was working or if he would lose his beloved Adnil. Jensarie moved to her father's side and explained what was happening. As the healers worked Jensarie was surprised to see that they were beginning to be covered by a fine layer of moisture. She had experienced such a thing during her training, but at the time had believed it had occurred because of her inexperience. The energy the healers were using in their attempt to free Adnil from her pain, was now beginning to show on their faces and in their auras. Jensarie could not believe what she was seeing! Were these not the most powerful healers in the kingdom? The room had been quiet, except for the sounds of cleansing breaths that the healers made as they worked. Adnil's soft moans had subsided and she appeared to be sleeping. Suddenly a sound like the breaking of a twig pierced the air and the healers, jumped back from Adnil's bed as if they had been burnt. The expressions on their faces were of disbelief and shock! Jensarie looked quickly at her mother and gasped. Her aura, that only moments before, had held such beautiful colors, had now returned to the color it had been before the healing had begun. In fact, it seemed to Jensarie, that it had darkened even more. Quickly Jensarie turned to speak to her name giver, Atez. "Atez, what has happened?" Before Atez could answer, Aldona, the oldest healer took Jensarie's hand and led her away from her mother's bedside. "Jensarie daughter of Adnil, we have failed in our quest. Adnil has not only lost the protection of the necklace, but she has also been tainted by a nix." Jensarie and Dref who had come to his daughter's side, shivered. Aldona was still speaking but it seemed to Jensarie that she was talking from a great distance. A nix, who could have done such a thing. The spell could only be cast by a healer of great power, with a soul of evil and a great hatred for the person they placed the curse on. All at once the room seemed to come alive as each healer tried to speak at the same time. "Who would have such hatred for Adnil, who was much loved by all who knew her. Could it be a family member of someone who she could not heal? Surely no one who lived in the Valley of Longing held such a grudge! Even if they did, they would also have to possess the power needed to cast such a spell." As the healers talked amongst themselves Dref took his daughter aside and asked the questions Jensarie hated to think about. "What is to happen now? Have they failed? Is there no hope?" "Father, I cannot give you answers because I do not know". Jensarie looked at the healers who now gathered close to each other near Adnil's bed. Finally after a few moments of quiet talk Maressa left the group and walked to where Jensarie and her father stood. " There is still one thing we have not tried, we believe it is Adnil's only hope. Jensarie, it will involve you and will place you in great danger. You must use the moonstone."