"HOW DO YOU HAVE THIS??" Gror roared, his hands grabbing the front of Riku's battle-mage robes. His face, which had been pale with shock, was now flushed a deep red. His eyes were wide with a manic, obsessive fire.
Hestra smacked her husband's arm with the back of her hand. "Gror! Get a hold of yourself! What has gotten into you? You're scaring the girl! Let go of the young man!"
"But Hestra, this eye... this eye!" Gror stammered, his grip not loosening. He stared at the orb in Riku's palm, a look of pure, unadulterated awe on his face. "The Unblinking Eye! The Heart of the Wilds! It's not supposed to exist!"
Riku remained calm. He gently peeled the old man's fingers from his robes. "Elder Gror," he said, his voice steady. "It seems you recognize this artifact."
