“The feeling is mutual.” Through the door, I heard Fernando blowing raspberries and Silas chuckling. I needed to get back before those two got too chummy. “Tell me why you called. What have you discovered?”
“Okay, well two things. One—I have a theory about the demonic sheep. What if there’s an evil witch in Inorog? She could be summoning them for some kind of uprising, to take control.”
She thought there was going to be a sheep uprising?
“Not what’s happening,” I said. “Next theory.”
“That was my only theory,” Imogen said. “The other point is from this book Madison and I found about keys.”
Imogen had convinced Madison not only to let her use her phone, but to assist her in research? All by saying please? I couldn’t believe it was that easy.
“We found this passage about a key that’s also an amulet, and it’s from Roldaria,” Imogen said. “The amulet in the book has a fat tree on it that looks like your mom’s house.”
That certainly sounded like the Trai Amulet.“What is it a key to?”
“That part isn’t clear. We’re still working on it, but I wanted to make sure I shared with you ASAP.”
“Thank you, Imogen. You’re doing good work.”
“You’re welcome, friend.”
“Is there anything else?” I asked.
“Not yet.”
“Call when there is,” I said. Then, because she’d said it was magic, I added, “Please.”
“Will do. Catch you later, pal.”
“Bye, Imogen.” I hung up, tucked my telephone back into my pocket, and leaned on the bathroom counter.
Was it possible that the Trai Amulet both made objects larger and acted as some sort of key? Certainly. Or perhaps Cornelius Kurnbottom was wrong about the amulet making things bigger, since he hadn’t seen the act performed with his own eyes. Edwina Aldea could have told him the amulet “magnifies” like she told me, and he’d misunderstood. Could magnification be connected to unlocking whatever door or chest the amulet belonged to?
Speculating would offer no answers. I stepped out of the bathroom feeling ready to crush my mission. Grateful the phone call had acted as a reset, I decided to proceed like I hadn’t almost broken down ten minutes prior.
“Come.” Silas grabbed his keys. “I’ll provide you a ride. We can work together, can’t we? Just like old times.”
“Bylike old times,do you mean showing you up and proving once again I am the superior librarian? Because if so, that doesn’t sound so bad.” After all of my recent setbacks, I could use a pick-me-up. Also, I really needed a ride.
“Tell yourself whatever you need to,” he said.
I rolled my eyes and said, “First, I didn’t say I needed a ride. Nor did I say whereFernando and Iwere going.”
“You think Noah Darie stole the amulet, just like he stole your luggage. I’ve been listening, Lily.”
I frowned. It seemed he had been paying attention to my theory—how un-Silas-like.
I said, “Without Noah coming to us, we’ll need to ask around to find out where he lives. Unless you’ve noticed a yellow pages lying around.”
Silas pulled his cellular telephone from his pocket, poked the screen a few times with his thumbs, then shot me his smuggest scowl.
“All set,” he said.
“What do you mean, all set?”
“I have his address, see.” He showed me the screen. There was, in fact, an address.
I wanted to ask how he’d done it. I also didn’t want to admit to not knowing.