It took an hour, but he must have been doing something right, because Crimson didn’t toss any of her damned stones at him in that time. Finally, at long last, he felt it. The magic completely suffused the stone, and a trickle, the occasional drop of power, fell from it like water from a limestone stalactite, falling up along the length of his arm. An electric thrill raced along his veins as it passed, and as little though it was, it felt like it hit him in the chest with the force of a clenched fist. He had to be ready.