Vlad slipped off the bed and reached down to pull open one of the big drawers under the bed. Instead of taking something out of the drawer, he reached up under the bed and fiddled with something for a moment. A small catch released, allowing him to pull out another thin, tiny wooden box that had been hidden within the bed frame. He whispered a word to it then opened it.
Tiny trinkets and artifacts that did not appear to be of much value filled the small box, yet a strong sense of magic escaped the now open box like a good smell that had been trapped inside and was now released. It was not powerful like Felix's brand of magic, but it was warm and steady. Vlad ran a finger through the items, sorting through them until he found the one he wanted and selected a small pendant. The stone hanging from the pendant did not gleam or shine or look even that attractive. It was a small piece of grey stone about the size of a half-dollar smoothed into a more or less flat and round shape then held to the hemp necklace by a net of thin fibers.
"Here," Vlad said, holding it out to Camilla. "The spell may affect your temporarily, allowing Felix to believe it worked, but the stone will absorb whatever it is he tries to throw at you. It has its limits, of course, but I doubt he will be using anything powerful enough to break it on you. Wear it at all times except for when you are trying to do your own magic. Oh, and let it sit in running water now and again. Streams and other natural water is best, but even the pump will do."
