Sphinx oculus

  "Let me share my news," the duplicate said. "I'll feel better once it isn't just in my head anymore. The Sphinx used the Oculus. He had trouble, but he survived. "

  "What does he know?" Grandma asked.

  The duplicate blinked at Grandma. "It's so strange to see you outside of my memories. Um, he was trying to find the location of the key to an artifact called the Translocator. He had previously purchased information from a member of the family that manages the Obsidian Waste preserve in Australia. Apparently Patton took the key from the preserve and hid it. "

  "Did the Sphinx find out where?" Kendra asked.

  Dale unlocked the gate. The duplicate had been supporting her weight against it. Wincing, she leaned forward so Dale could pull it open. "Yes. The key is at a dragon sanctuary called Wyrmroost, north of Montana. He plans to send in somebody named Navarog to retrieve it. "

  Grandma raised a hand to her lips. "The demon prince. The dark dragon. "

  "The person you guys let out of the Quiet Box," the duplicate said. "Anyhow, using the Oculus exhausted the Sphinx. If he wasn't weak and in a rush, I doubt I would have escaped. "

  "How did you get away?" Grandma asked.

  "I jumped out of a moving car," the duplicate responded. "But let me tell it in order. The Sphinx used the Oculus at Torina's house the morning after Kendra escaped. They had no idea we'd switched places. Nobody even noticed that Cody was missing. The Sphinx was excited because he thought he'd had a breakthrough on how to use the Oculus without losing his mind. He postponed their departure so he could try. They had me in the room while he did it.

  "He succeeded, although it seemed touch and go at the end. Once free of the Oculus, he was groggy but excited, and started making plans about recovering the key from Wyrmroost.

Chapter 11