Bob Lapis Lazuli Novels & Stories

Mia removed the tile, and inside was a wooden box small enough to fit in the palm of Mia's hand. She looked at her dad and then at me. "Can I open it?" We both nodded. Mia carefully opened it. We all gathered around her to see what was inside. A few pieces of blue lapis lazuli and four small sapphires. "Wow," Mia said, fingering the gems. She stared at them for a few minutes before looking at me. “What’s behind your tile, Mommy?” "I don’t know." I looked at Annabel. "Let’s find out."

He suddenly thought about the old Jacklyn—the one who had never been this troubled or pensive. After who knew how long, Jacklyn suddenly looked up at him. His eyes darted away, slightly embarrassed. "Here's the first draft. Have a look." Surprise colored Liam's eyes. "That fast?" he gasped to himself. He reached for the sketch, and after looking at it for a while in silence, he remarked, "You're amazing, Jacklyn." Her gaze fell on her sketch, and she frowned. "This design poses a difficulty. Blue sapphires with the right hue and luster will be difficult to find on the current market."

Every inch was filled with clothes, designer pieces still bearing tags, shoes in pristine boxes, accessories arranged with museum-like precision. But it was the colors that made her stomach clench. Emerald green. Deep royal purple. Crimson red. Bold sapphire blue. Rich burgundy. Victoria's colors. Every single one of them. Elena's hand trembled as she reached out to touch a emerald silk blouse. The fabric whispered beneath her fingers, cool and expensive. The tag read Loro Piana. She had no idea what that meant, but she could guess it cost more than a month of her teaching salary.

Lisa watched, utterly fascinated, a connoisseur appreciating fine wine. The blue light swirling. Lyra’s struggles weakened, her vibrant green eyes dimming, fading to a dull, lifeless grey. Her body slumped, utterly still, as the last wisp of sapphire essence vanished. The whine died. Silence, thick and suffocating. Lisa carefully picked up the dark blue crystal, palm-sized crystal, radiating a deep, mesmerizing blue light—the concentrated essence of Lyra’s life, her spirit, her laughter. Lisa held it up to the light, turning it this way and that, her face alight with covetous delight.

These gifts were debts that she had to repay in the future. Half an hour later, Gabriella stumbled upon a surprise—a multi-colored moonstone bangle. It was slim and sleek, and the mixture of yellow, green, and the slightest hint of purple made the bangle seem almost mystical. It was in her size, and the barcode indicated it was from Essence Jewels.

A couple of thick scents I immediately recognize to be sandalwood and roses envelope the entire room. Just a few steps away from the bathing chamber, there is a vanity table and two chairs all made from lapis lazuli. I am very familiar with that deep blue color and markings because back in Velmira, lapis lazuli is one of our most abundant natural resources that we mine and use in building so many things in the palace and for business export. The vanity table contains varieties of bottles and brushes that I don't bother counting them. Everything in this room is opulent. Indulgent and yet makes me feel at home. Someone curated everything in this room with care as if trying to say: ‘You may not

“A sweater chain necklace with personalized pendant—it’s not a perfume bottle.” “No. It has no scent, and it’s empty?” She wasn’t sure about her answer anymore. This conversation affected, and again, it was because of me. “It looks like a Lapis lazuli.” “A Lapis what?” Gael asked. “A deep blue rock. A long time ago, this rock is expensive than gold. A Tsarevich egg is made of this stone for Empress Alexandra.” “And who the fuck is Empress Alexandra?” Frost asked, mocking Darick.

Lora demanded as Lilith borrowed yet another pair of her heels. “A what?” Lilith asked, touching up her lipstick in her floor-length mirror. “That necklace.” She crossed the room and examined it, wrinkling her nose. “Let’s see. Z-O-L-O-T-S-E — oh. It’s a customized BVLGARI. Wow, Lilith.” Lilith flushed as she realized enzo had taken the time to customize something for her like this. “God. I can’t even with him. We had this whole discussion about him doing too much, and he keeps going overboard.”

The ball made a loud stinging sound. "What are you doing here?" Levin asked and the thunderball in his hand disappeared. Roul didn't answer. He turned and strode towards the lake. Levin followed closely behind. "Can you feel it? There's a strange aura emanating from within this lake," said Roul as he and Levin were standing on the edge of the lake. Levin looked down and understood the aura that Roul was referring to, but five seconds later his eyes narrowed at the white boulder on the other side. 'That's… a mermaid's tear crystal. Very rare and fabulous for dress ornaments.'