Page 49 of Crown and Dragon

“That has to be it, right?” Tahlia asked. “Or is this another ruse?”

“We won’t know unless we try it. Can you still communicate with Lija? She may know something about such a lock.”

“Because of its shape.”

“Aye.”

“I can’t talk to her anymore, I don’t think. She said the herbwitch ran out of the rare plant that allowed us that link. I’ll try though just in case.”

Marius nodded, and from the small bag at his belt, he removed the key the contact had given them at the warehouse.

“Lija? Fara? Can you hear me?” Tahlia closed her eyes to focus, listening for any sound, any whisper.

Sighing, she opened her eyes and shook her head. “No go.”

Marius jerked his chin in understanding. “Tell me immediately if you notice anything amiss when I put the key in place.”

“Do you think that’s the right key?”

Chewing his lip, Marius lifted his eyebrows. “There’s a solid chance it is. That contact has worked in Spycraft since he was a child. It’s in his family.”

“You know them?” Tahlia asked.

“I’ve heard of them.”

Glancing around the room once more, he lifted the key to the seashell lock. His shoulders moved in a breath and he inserted the key. The lock clicked, the sound loud in the small and silent chamber. The walls had to be incredibly thick because not even the sea’s crashing was audible here. The seashell fell open and the corner of Marius’s lips tilted up in a half grin. He removed the lock and Tahlia took it from him, tucking it into her pocket. He lifted the box’s lid…

Another box sat inside with another lock, this one in the shape of a fist.

“Think the little key will help us one more time?” Tahlia removed it from her pocket and stuck it into the fist. “It fits!” She tried to turn it, but the lock didn’t give. “Damn. I was hoping it would be that easy.”

“Easy?” Marius stared at her, wide-eyed. “A collapsing floor, a bespelled darkness, a minotaur, and a siren, and you call thateasy?”

“We made our way through it all, didn’t we? I only have some sore ribs and an angry ankle.”

“Maybe you have a terrible concussion. I don’t think you’re clearheaded at the moment.”

Tahlia grinned and smacked his arm. “Shut it, you big lug.”

Marius pursed his lips and lifted the box carefully. “Maybe it’s time for a blunt approach.”

He slammed the box onto the floor. Tahlia gasped as the wood splintered as the door had. There was nothing inside the box. But then again, the crown was invisible.

Marius took the concoction the Witch had given them from his pouch, uncorked it, and sprinkled the floral-scented blend over the mess of what had been the second box. The air glimmered as if it was under water with the sun shining on ripples of seawater.

“Is it not working or is the crown not in here?” Tahlia fisted her hands.

Durniad would be here soon, if their information was accurate. Sweat beaded on her upper lip and she swallowed while Marius bent to squint at the sparkling area.

“Look.” He pointed near a broken corner of the box.

Fingers of a dark metal appeared out of the Witch’s shimmering magic. The tines came together with sapphire circles and bronze leaves, and soon, the crown showed itself in full.

“Can you just pick it up?” Tahlia asked. “Is the crown’s power only activated if you put it on?”

Marius exhaled. “That’s what King Lysanael said.”

A shuffling sounded behind them. “Is that so?”

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