ANTORELL LOOKED PAST CIMORENE AND ALIANORA as if they were not there and spoke directly to the stone prince. “I told Father someone was listening. He won’t be happy when he finds out I was right, but he’ll feel better when I tell him I’ve taken care of things. He might even let me have the first look in the King’s Crystal, once Woraug gives it to us.”

“So that’s what you’re after!” Cimorene said.

Antorell favored her with a superior smile. “Quite right, Princess Cimorene. The King’s Crystal will show us the whereabouts of every piece of useful and interesting magic in the world. All we’ll have to do is go out and pick them up.”

“Somehow I don’t think it will be that easy,” Cim­orene murmured.

“We knew Tokoz would never give it to us, but Woraug will, as soon as he’s King of the Dragons. He’ll have to, or we’ll tell everyone how we were the ones who made sure he was the new king. Of course, we can’t afford to have anybody around who might make . . . awkward revelations. I doubt that dragons will listen to a couple of hysterical princesses, but he”—Antorell pointed at the stone prince—“will have to go.”

“What are you going to do?” Alianora demanded. She was plainly frightened, and Cimorene could see that her knuckles were white with the force of her grip on the handle of the scrub bucket.

“Oh, gravel seems appropriate, don’t you think?” Antorell said. “No one will notice a few more rocks around here.”

“Ought I to be taking this person seriously?” the stone prince said in a rather doubtful tone.

“You’d better if you don’t want to end up as a lot of little pebbles,” Alianora answered. She still sounded frightened, but she seemed to be getting a grip on herself. “He’s a wizard.”

“You wouldn’t be talking about gravel if you were the one who had to sweep the floor,” Cimorene said to Antorell. She stepped forward as she spoke, hoping to get between Antorell and the stone prince before Antorell noticed what she was doing. She didn’t think Antorell was a good enough wizard to do any real harm, but there was no point in taking chances.

“Stay where you are, Princess Cimorene,” Antorell commanded. “I’ll deal with you in a moment.”

“Must you be so theatrical?” Cimorene said.

“Theatrical? You think I’m being theatrical?” Antorell said furiously. “I am simply showing a proper respect for the importance of this moment!”

“You’re showing off,” Cimorene said flatly. “And you’re not doing it very well.”

“He doesn’t sound much like a wizard to me,” the stone prince said. “Is he always like this?”