out to the staff, willing it to come to her. Which it did, rising into the air and zooming toward her outstretched hand. But before it could move so much as a foot, Darris's hand shot forward and grabbed the staff, which hissed and smoked as his fingers closed around the handle, appearing to burn him. Darris didn't draw his hand back in pain as Noel had hoped he would, instead his grip on the