Cimorene got a sinking feeling. “What do you mean?”

“Somebody poisoned King Tokoz this morning,” Roxim explained. “Slipped some dragonsbane in his coffee. Fast-acting; nothing to be done. Now we need a new king.”

“That’s awful!” Cimorene said. “Do you know who did it?”

“Those dratted wizards, that’s who,” Roxim said angrily. “It’s obvious. Stupid thing to do; has to be wizards, by George! But Woraug won’t listen to me.”

“Woraug? What’s Woraug got to do with it?”

“He’s in charge of the investigation,” Roxim replied. “Taking his time about it, too, if you ask me.”

“But if the King was only poisoned this morning . . .”

“What does that have to do with it?” Roxim said unreasonably. “Besides, if Woraug doesn’t hurry, he won’t have the culprit in hand by the time the trials start tomorrow.”

“Trials? You mean with Colin’s Stone, to choose the new king?” Cimorene said with some hesitation. She did not see how it could be a trial for the person who had killed the King if they hadn’t caught him yet, but she was not completely certain that the dragons didn’t have some way of getting around the problem and trying him anyway.

“That’s it,” Roxim said, pleased. “And before I leave I have to find that emerald I picked up fifty years ago. Coronation present for the new King.”

“But you haven’t got a new King yet,” Cimorene said, feeling somewhat bewildered. “And what if you’re the King?”

Roxim smiled broadly. “Knew you were a nice gal. Me, the King! I rather like the idea. I still have to find the emerald, though. Wouldn’t do to show up at the trials without a coronation present. Rum thing to do. Overconfident.”

Though she was upset and more than a little worried, Cimorene helped Roxim as best she could. After about an hour of poking through the clutter, Cimorene found the emerald, wrapped in a gold-embroidered handkerchief and stuffed into the mouth of a large brass horn. Roxim thanked her and invited her to stay to tea, but Cimorene politely declined. She was eager to get back to Kazul, to tell her what had happened and decide what to do next.

Cimorene hurried back to Kazul’s cave by the shortest route, thinking so hard about Tokoz’s death that she forgot everything else. She found Kazul sleeping and was forced to wake her, despite her worries about the dragon’s health. She knew Kazul would want to hear about the King of the Dragons as soon as possible, and she wanted to hear what Kazul made of Woraug’s involvement in the investigation.

“Back already?” Kazul said, opening her eyes. “Didn’t Roxim get you in to see King Tokoz?”

“No,” Cimorene said. She hesitated, uncertain of the best way to break the news. “It was too late.”