Spell Preparations

"So will you need to renew the illusion every thirty minutes?" Astra asked. "That doesn't sound very practical."

"No, it won't just be a frequent renewal of the short term spell but a different spell which will be much longer lasting. And with this spell everyone will see you as clothed, even yourself. It only affects the eyes, though, so don't let anyone touch you or they will feel bare skin. Casting this more permanent spell will require a considerable amount of effort on my part, so I felt that it was only right that I should receive something in return."

"So just how long will this spell last," Astra asked.

"I can't be precise, but it should last for at least a couple of weeks, maybe even a couple of months. The spell will take me the best part of an hour to complete. It will involve my making various incantations and gestures, and it will finish with your having to walk through a cloud of a special incense that I will generate. We will therefore need to do it somewhere private, if we aren't to attract unwelcome attention."

"A couple of rooms are being got ready for us. I'm hoping to have a bath, so perhaps you could do it in my room after that?"

"Very well. I'll find out which is your room and come up in an hour or so. That will give me time to prepare the powder that I will need to burn during the spell-casting to produce the incense."

An hour later, Astra had had her bath, which she had greatly enjoyed, and was waiting for Ambaric in her room, which was plain but reasonably comfortable. She supposed that the initial spell must have worn off by now, but since its effect was invisible to her she had no way of knowing for sure.

1. There was a knock on her door and she opened it.
2. She heard shouts of: "Fire!"

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