“Or perhaps we’ll know the third word when we get the first two,” Cyril said.
Lady Imogen harrumphed a bit.“I think that’s silly.”
Lady Anthea patted her arm.“Let’s take it in pieces anyway.Repeat the first hint, Harriet.”
Harriet gave her a quelling look.“Repeat the first hint, Harriet,please.”
Anthea rolled her eyes.“Oh, for goodness’ sake.Pleasegive us the first hint of this undoubtedly scandalous riddle again so you can watch us grapple together.”
“That’s better,” Harriet said pertly.“Just because you’re a lady now, Anthea, doesn’t mean you needn’t abide by rules of politeness.”
“Are you really chiding Anthea on politeness?”Roger asked.“Given what you’re making us do right now?”
Harriet didn’t respond to that, instead repeating the first part of the riddle.
“The point of a sword?”Keelan repeated.“Isn’t that just…the point?”
“The blade perhaps?”Cyril offered.
“But you wouldn’t call a blade something you pour on the floor,” Sage argued.
“I don’t think the second hint is the thing we’re pouring onto the floor,” Conrad said, bringing his hand to Sage’s lap.“I think it’s another word for pouring something.”
“Yes,Sage,” Emrys said.
Sage narrowed his eyes.“Don’t pretend you knew that.”
Torquil laughed and patted Emrys’ knee.“Right, so we need to find a word that fits both, yes?”
“A blade and to pour?”Cyril asked, frowning.“There’s no such word.”
“Let’s get away fromblade,” Wyndham said.“It clearly isn’t that.”
“A…prick?”Fern asked hopefully.Harriet threw back her head and laughed.“That would be a no then,” they said cheerfully.
“Oh, but it was worth it to hear you say that,” Harriet said, wiping fake tears from her eyes.
“To stab!”Cyril shouted.
“No, no,” Roger said, “you don’t stab something onto the floor.”
“Well,” Torquil drawled, “you do sometimes.”
“I can stab you onto the floor tonight, if you’d like,” Emrys said with a waggle of his eyebrows.
Wyndham groaned.
“Sounds messy,” Cyril said with distaste.
Silas snorted into Keelan’s shoulder.
“I think we should focus on the next part,” Sage said.
“Agreed.The two hints are confusing us too much,” Conrad said, smiling at him.
“Our champions have spoken,” Wyndham intoned.“Please read the last hint again, Harriet.”
“With pleasure, Wyndham.”
