Page 72 of Queen's Griffon

“To this day, I’m not sure what came over me,” he admitted. “While she slept, I found myself out on that ice, measuring and observing. I chiseled it in spots, melting it to see if it was simply water or a mixture of something else.”

“You melted it?” Avera shook her head. “That was a mistake. Zhos has somehow imbued that ice with its presence and can act through it.”

“Act how?” Basil asked with a frown.

Avera explained what she’d seen firsthand, and wonder of wonders, Lenno and Frisk didn’t interrupt. By the time she finished, Basil looked even older than before.

“Your experience explains so much. Zhos must have influenced me. Until now, I never understood my driving need to take the stones. Never understood how I could betray your mother. In the years after, a part of me wanted to return, to apologize, to make things right, but a stronger part couldn’t stop experimenting with the stones.”

“Doing what?”

“Everything. I tried shattering them open and broke every tool I used. I heated them. Cooled them. Submerged the stones in fresh water and salt. Poured acid. Nothing I did made so much as a scratch.”

“You claimed earlier you might have caused the volcano to blow. How?” she asked.

“One of the stones ended up falling into the magma lake.”

“Hold on, are you saying one of the rocks is missing?” Lenno interrupted, showing he’d been listening.

“I’m afraid so. Only four of them remain.”

“Emperor’s gonna be peeved,” Frisk muttered.

“Not our fault this idiot got rid of one,” Lenno blustered. “And four is still better than none.”

“I never realized it would be so easy to make a volcano erupt,” Avera remarked, ignoring Frisk and Lenno.

“It’s not. I’ve thrown all manner of things into the lava in the past as it’s great for getting rid of garbage, especially the dangerous stuff. Even explosive items never did more than make the magma burp.”

A theory began forming in Avera’s mind, but mindful Lenno and Frisk listened, she didn’t speak it aloud.

Basil tucked his hands behind his back. “Most likely the stone wasn’t the cause, and the volcano was simply due to blow. They go through cycles, you see. Active and inactive. Its decision to suddenly erupt took us all by surprise. We assumed we’d have warning.”

“How much further?” Lenno interposed.

“It’s a way still,” Basil curtly replied. “The more secret and dangerous the experiment, the deeper the lab.”

They’d moved from the smooth walls of the building and entered a corridor chiseled right into the rock, the space lit at intervals by globes set into the wall with a metallic tube running between them.

Avera pointed to the light. “I don’t see a flame. How does it work?”

“Gas. See that metal piping? It carries gas inside and allows the lamps to glow when ignited.”

“Isn’t that dangerous?”

“Only if you shatter the globe and release the gas. I don’t recommend that,” was Basil’s wry reply.

“Are we almost there?” Lenno interrupted.

“We’re getting close,” Basil announced, “But I must warn you again, this isn’t a place you want to go at night.”

“Why?” Avera inquired. “What threat is guarding the stones?”

“Not guarding. However, the cavern where they are being kept has acquired some residents.”

“So long as it ain’t the dragon, we can handle it,” Lenno boasted.

“Doubtful.” Basil didn’t sound hopeful. He pointed to a barricade ahead of them blocking the end of the tunnel. “Thestones are beyond that, but I really would urge caution. The residents of the cave will be awake and hungry.”

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