In truth, everything within sight was a piece of the puzzle, and everything in the past had quietly become part of his present goal. Those pieces simply did not stand out enough.
For instance, there was the reflection and meditation he had never stopped practicing. When he was alone on the isolated island, Ruger would try to let himself fall into a truly deep sleep after a stretch of work. Even after becoming a wizard, an occasional deep sleep was still a pleasure. Sometimes, though, he did not force it. If he entered a dream, for example, he would naturally sit beneath the two Dream Trees standing together and continue his unfinished contemplation.
Every encounter, every change, every bit of progress was a foundation stone of the present puzzle.
And the shape he wanted that puzzle to take was constantly changing too. The Monster Wolf, for instance, or the second-ring spell Invisible Constraint. As he pondered and pursued a particular direction, whatever he encountered would prompt subtle adjustments. He would incorporate it, and incorporating one thing would lead him to think of another.
It was like a rolling ball of mud, taking shape as it rolled.
Ruger let out a long breath. Rather than looking at his notes, he picked up the last spellbook.
Book of Resentment, a second-ring spell.
The beautifully embossed lettering came into view. Come to think of it, this was the first time Ruger had owned a spellbook of his own. It was brand-new, no longer the sort of spellbook that carried someone else's scent, nor did it bear all kinds of wear and tear.
He stroked the cover.
This was a spell born of an attempt at salvation. Some spells arose from curiosity, some were meant to crush enemies through sheer force, and others were