“That can’t be right,” said Enrique.
He moved to take a step forward when Séverin caught his hand. “Careful.”
Slowly, Enrique crouched on the ground. He pulled out a pair of gloves from his pocket and drew out the plaque before walking back to them.
“It still readsForgive me,” he said, tilting his head and examining the marble. He turned around. “But how could the skeleton have vanished already? There’s no signs of rockfall that would have disturbed its place. And the lake must have been covered up until now.”
“Something could have taken it deeper into the lake,” said Séverin, eyeing the water.
“What, like a… creature?” asked Hypnos.
Beside him, Laila looked uneasy. Her gaze darted around the cave.
“We can’t be sure, but wecantry to run some experiments from here, without disturbing anything else. It could be that parts of the chamber require activation before they reveal themselves to us,” Séverin said. “The best thing we can do is unload our belongings, evaluate our surroundings, and perhaps test the lake for reactions?”
Zofia nodded alongside Laila, Hypnos, and Enrique. Séverin dropped his rucksack and began rummaging through its contents.
“Secure the surroundings and check for any sign of recording activity. We can’t afford to rush anything at this stage, so move as slowly as you have to,” said Séverin. “Hypnos and Enrique, examine the shoreline. Laila, see if you can’t source anything un-Forged that can tell us more about what to expect. Zofia, use your nautical devices and measure the depths of the lake. Also, Enrique—”
Séverin paused, looking up.
“Enrique, what are you doing?”
Enrique was poking something into his uninjured ear. “Giving myself some added protection in case there are any sirens.”
Zofia frowned. “Sirens are not real.”
“But they could be a symbolic stand-in for something,” said Enrique. “Sonic blasts or earsplitting Forging devices, or what have you.”
“How does disturbing your earwax assist in that endeavor?” asked Hypnos.
“BEESWAX IS WHAT WORKED FOR ODYSSEUS WHEN HE FACED THE SIRENS,” said Enrique, far louder than he needed to.
Laila winced. “We heard you.”
“WHAT?”
“We heard—” started Laila, then she shook her head. “Forget it!”
“WHAT?”
Séverin motioned for him to take out the beeswax, which Enrique did before looking curiously at everyone.
“I brought enough for everyone?” he said.
“How are you going to hear us if you’ve got that in your ear?”
“Just wave your hands and I’ll see it. I can hear a little through my bandages, but not much,” said Enrique, shoving the wax back in.
“Say nothing if you agree that I am the most handsome man alive,” said Hypnos quietly.
Enrique, who was preoccupied with his research notes, said nothing.
“Hurrah!” said Hypnos.
Zofia was about to say that was not a real victory when Laila called, “Come see!” She gestured to one of the dark boulders separating the shore from the water. “I almost didn’t notice it. It’s definitely Forged.”
Zofia followed her. Near the water’s edge stood a large gray boulder with a hollow, conical protrusion. Zofia touched it lightly. It had been bronze once, but was now mottled green and gray. The metal whispered the will that had long ago been Forged into its structure:
