A Bedside Ember

I pulled the glass marble from my pack and set it right on the cedar nightstand beside my bed. In the dark, its fiery amber core was hard to see, so I rolled a stubby brass candle base close and angled the warm wick glow straight through the sphere. Instant magic! Fiery swirls and red sparks projected across the rough timber wall, dancing like quiet embers in a campfire. I sat back on the edge of the wood with my sword propped between my knees, watching the warm patterns flicker. A warrior needs to guard his treasures, and this fiery light makes the whole room feel safe and invincible.