"This will take some time," Grimalkin said to Sonder. "The scrying follows one thread at a time, all the way to its destination. It doesn't like to be rushed."
She simply nodded.
"While we wait," Grimalkin continued, "tell me, do you carry anything else like this? Any other pieces, objects, relics, charms, tools of power?"
Sonder hesitated.
She thought of the few things in her possession, but saw no harm in showing them.
Grimalkin didn't seem particularly powerful, not magically, nor physically. A powerful wizard wouldn't have to wait for a simple scrying spell to reach its destination.
"I have a sword," Sonder said, pulling it out of its sheath and blinding the woman for a moment. "As you can see, it shines with a bright glow."
The woman's eyes widened.
"I have two bracelets, given to me… by my mother, Limerence." She showed them off. "They help me control my mana. And so does this ring."
She also showed it to Grimalkin. "It's made of luxorite, forged by a dwarven smith."
Grimalkin leaned closer, eyes glinting with open fascination.
"You carry all that?" she said softly, as though afraid to speak too loudly might make the artifacts vanish. "A glowing sword, luxorite, and… two mana-binding bracelets?"
Sonder shrugged a little. "I've had them a long time."
Grimalkin reached out, not to touch but to hover her hand over the bracelets. "They hum a little, don't they? You carry a vault's worth of priceless relics and talk about them like trinkets."
"Relics?" Sonder repeated. "The ring, maybe."
Grimalkin's gaze drifted to the sword embedded in Sonder's chest.
"That one," Grimalkin said, pointing. "What of that sword? I assume it must be another relic, bound to your heart, perhaps? Some old rite or pact?"
Sonder glanced down at it as if she'd almost forgotten it was there. "Oh. That?"
"Yes, that."
"It's not magical," Sonder said plainly. "Just a normal sword."
Grimalkin blinked once. Then twice. "A… normal sword."
"Yes."
"In your chest."
"Yes."
The woman stared for a long moment.
"You mean to tell me," she said slowly, "that you walk around with a normal sword lodged in your torso?"
Sonder nodded, entirely serious. "Well, it's not very comfortable, but neither is it not. It just is."
"Has anyone else commented on it?"
"A few do, but what is there to say?"