Page 53 of Styx

she asked, handing it to me,

‘whether you can create without

the use of stars or dreams

if you do not try?’

Sea Glass and Spellwork

Styx and I collected all the sea glass

we could find on the shoreline

between our fathers’ palaces.

We arranged our colourful glass –

turquoise, amber, emerald, ruby –

in a circle, and I tried the same trick

that Styx did. I attempted to use

my feelings to transform

the sea glass into other things.

I closed my eyes and imagined

the emerald sea glass in my hand

was a sapling, a leaf, something

living. Something breathing.

When nothing happened,

I lifted a ruby sea glass

and tried to envision

my crimson flowers.

Again nothing happened.

‘It took me time too,’

Styx said with quiet encouragement.

‘Perhaps we should try it another way.’

I nodded reluctantly,

sighing in disappointment.

‘Perhaps I must use something living.’

I went into the cave and picked