Summary

In Chapter 29, Darkstalker says Qibli's refusal “leads to bad, bad, bad futures” (273). Qibli counters, saying he cannot trust Darkstalker and does not want to become like him. Darkstalker says Qibli can help him be good. Qibli says the fact that Darkstalker needs someone to help him is the problem. He predicts Darkstalker will not listen. They are interrupted by a whirring sound, and Qibli discovers the hourglass on the contraption he found at the palace is spinning. Darkstalker says it is a soul reader and he created it to reassure his friend that they were not becoming evil by using their magic. The device is pointed at Darkstalker. When it stops turning, the bottom of the hourglass is filled almost completely with black sand. In this device, white sand stands for evil and black sand represents good, and this reading indicates Darkstalker's soul...