“Without revealing too much about myself, I am one of the world’s foremost experts on Pythian prophecies,” the professor said. He had warmed considerably and was no longer outwardly hostile. “I wrote my doctoral thesis on her prophecies. She’s no traveling market flimflam. She predicted a great deal more than a date in the far-off future; I can attest to that.”
The professor flipped the ring over in his hand. “I feel like we’re missing something. Tell us again, what exactly did your grandmother say to you?”
“She told me to find the necklace, find the words.”
He examined the necklace. He shook his head and said to himself, “Why send a Merric to do this? This girl… finding a cure could mean no consequences for the Merrics. How can we be certain that this will not make the curse better for the Merrics and doom all of mankind?”
“I have faith in Waverly,” Greer said. “I believe in her.”
“Not that I don’t trust you,” the professor said to him, “but there’s more at work here than you’ve noticed. Pythia has brought the two of you together to my beach house. Think, Waverly, is there anything else? No matter how unimportant it may seem to you. It could make a huge difference.”
I remembered Grandma in her rocking chair, her closet. Her prince on the Rhone.
“The fortune teller said I’d understand, although I don’t,” I said.
“Then you will. Not yet, but you will. Pythia only tells the truth, cryptic but true.”
I remembered a detail I had forgotten. I hadn’t even told Greer this one. “There was one more thing, this phrase which I thought was odd and I still don’t entirely understand. She said, ‘Don’t make shadows and death will die again.’”
The professor’s and Greer’s eyes went huge as the weight of the words processed through them. Both faces erupted into large, toothy smiles that reminded me of a person receiving a huge tax return or winning the lottery.
“My, my. This would please Lothaire,” the professor said, and he slid his fingernail along the side of the necklace. “I’ve got it.”
Greer rushed over quickly. “What?”
“They found the prophecy of Oasis and Wonder by Shepard in the heart of a ruby. The prophecy was in the jewel’s center.” The professor held the necklace up with the tip of his fingernails. “There’s a secret compartment between the gem’s facets.”
We waited, both of us holding our breath as he continued examining the emerald. He stopped and gave me the necklace. “Like I suspected. There is an inkwell.” He pointed to a faint, nearly impossible to see blue dot near the setting. With as much as I had played with and stared at the necklace, I couldn’t believe I had missed it.
He continued, “Don’t force it open or the ink will cover the prophecy.”
“So how do we open it?” I asked.
“Of the few I’ve seen? Some are dependent on DNA. Others have an encoded word or set of words that will open them.”
“What do you mean words?”
“I mean those things you speak,” he said.
“So are you telling me that in order for us to find the words, we will have to find more words?”
“Yes. Exactly.”
“Can you help me find the words to find the words?” Because, hello!
“I cannot. She means for you to find it, Waverly, and for whatever reason...” The professor turned to Greer. “I believe she wants this young girl to be the instrument for this cure.”
“Me? An instrument? I don’t understand.”
“She sent you on this quest. Once you find it, please send word. I am sure you will need my help once more. This is sadly all I can tell you.”
There had to be more. “But what do you think the words say? Do you think it is medicine?”
“It won’t be a recipe of instructions, I can tell you that. It will be another prophecy. Cryptic. Revealed in time.”
“I was hoping it might tell us how to find a cure.”
“For the Tennabris? That should be simple enough. Just don’t—”
Greer cleared his throat. “She doesn’t know the extent of her powers.”
“Why not, man? If she is as noble as you say, she could truly help the cause. Her powers could change everything—no more of the tit for tat but real progress—and we would finally have a weapon to rival the Merrics.”
“She hasn’t had her trial. If she dabbles in these powers, they won’t approve her.”
“So? At least you should tell her. With your name and her abilities, you wouldn’t even have to run from the Merrics. They’d run from you.”
“No,” Greer protested. “I won’t endanger her unnecessarily.”
“Ah, so I see.”
A door opened downstairs, and Greer and I jumped.
“You must go. Take the outdoor stairs.”
“Thank you.” Greer shook his hand.
The professor gave me a side glance. “You know she’s ensnared you.”
“What?” I asked, perplexed. “What did I do?”
Greer nodded solemnly. “Worse.”
The professor shook his head. “That’s what I was afraid of.”
“Goodbye, Professor.”
“Goodbye, Greer.”
We hurried along the shoreline until we hit the wild beaches about three miles down the coast. We were quiet, even for us, as Greer set camp on the wild beach. We didn’t have a tent this time (Greer couldn’t risk having it in his bag) but rather a campfire, plenty of bug repellent, and four oversized beach towels.
I picked up a small piece of driftwood. “So that was a disappointment.”
“Not entirely.”
“I guess it was fine if you weren’t looking for answers.”
Greer put another log on the fire. “He confirmed the words are in the necklace. We didn’t know it for sure until today.”
“Now we’ve got to find the words to find the words which will be a riddle, anyway.” I threw my driftwood in the fire. It sparked. “No problem, really. Where should we start? My name? Grandma’s? English or French?”
Greer wiped his sandy hands on his pants. “The professor believes Pythia means for you to find it. If that is true, then you will find it.”
He stood up, and I grabbed his hand. “She might have meant you too. We’re here together.”
“But—” He looked
