But there was a difference this time. The guard had been about to take out a letter from Sirius (with memories), but Derek was about to take out a dagger. Still…
“Klifford, I trust Lord Derek.”
His indigo eyes widened a bit. I sensed him grip his sword hilt just a bit tighter—the wreven feather tassel shook ever so slightly from the momentum.
Ever since our talk in the Great Corridor, I thought I’d made it clear that I didn’t take my trust in Derek lightly…and rightly so? I knew Derek wouldn’t hurt me, and even if he did, I would take responsibility for it.
“As you wish, Your Highness.”
Finally, Klifford’s hand left his sword hilt. Seeing this, Derek slid his hand inside his jacket lapel. As promised, he retrieved a dagger. It was in its sheath, and it was quite small. The sheath had gemstones on it, and there was a unique design pressed into it.
“This is actually a key, though it can also be used as a dagger.” Derek slid the weapon halfway out of its sheath, exposing the blade. It looked quite sharp. Then, with a metallic ring, the dagger was immediately re-sheathed.
But…did he say “key”?
“In this villa, there is a room Sirius and I refer to as the Impossible Room. The day I found the portrait of young Kihlgren, I was snooping around the villa, trying to find a way into that room. Once I got in, I found that there was nothing but junk in that room—it looked like only servants ever went in there. The painting was covered in a cloth, and it was covered in dust.”
“Did this happen before Duke Kihlgren died, or after?”
“After he died.”
“And the painting is no longer in there?”
Derek tucked his chin against his chest. “It isn’t.”
“But it is in the Impossible Room?”
“Very likely, yes.”
The moment I saw the door, the memory came back to me.
The Impossible Room—I know this place.
A conversation I had with Uncle Dearest long ago revisited me. I had been looking for him and found him standing here, so I called out to him.
“Uncle Dearest, aren’t you going inside?”
“I can’t go in.”
“Isn’t there a key?”
“You need two keys to get in here. And now I only—” He looked down at me…then with a curt nod, he said, “I have one key.”
“Where’s the other key?”
“With the royal…”
And he told me part of the way to enter the room. There was a single-swinging door on the northern end of the first floor of the villa. Its design was the same as the other doors in the villa, except its keyhole was a bit larger.
“So…this is The Impossible Room?” I asked Derek.
“Yes. That isn’t its official name, but it is impossible to open. Only the master of the house—at the moment, my father—can enter it. And this is the key.” Derek held up the dagger in his right hand.
Only the master of the house… So that means…
“How did you get that key? Did Uncle Dearest give it to you?”
“Hardly,” Derek smiled proudly. “I just borrowed it for a short time since I figured out where the location was. As luck would have it, my father happens to be out today.”
“So…you made a point to invite me over on a day you knew your father wouldn’t be home?”
His smile was all the answer I needed. “I won’t get in trouble when he finds out I’ve already gone in the room, but I couldn’t get into the room in the first place if he stopped me.”
Derek faced the door, slid the sheathed dagger into the keyhole, and turned it. Then, with just a little push, the door opened inward…
…only to reveal a narrow passageway followed by another door. That was all the room contained. This must be why Uncle Dearest had told me there were two keys.
Derek walked into the tiny room and approached the second door. It looked exactly the same as the first. At a glance, it seemed like it would also open from the same dagger.
Let’s get that door open!
“Lord Derek?”
But Derek didn’t budge.
“This is it… This is as far as I ever got.”
“Huh?”
“Do you honestly think devious little me would have given up on the Impossible Room? At the time, I thought that this little guy—” Derek skillfully twirled the dagger in one hand and caught it, “—was the only key. But I was wrong.” He pointed at the second door with the dagger. “This thing stood in my way.”
So he had already tried to conquer the Impossible Room…and failed.
“And that’s where you come in, Princess. Do you know how to open this door?”
No, I do not— No, wait a minute. Didn’t Uncle Dearest tell me?
“With the royal…”
The royal…what? I’m drawing a blank…! I! Can’t! Re! Mem! Ber!
“Lord Derek…what makes you think I know?”
Any hints, Derek?
“I don’t have any definitive proof that the painting is even in here. I just deduced it from my father’s behavior. It’s the same with the key. I got the sense that my father told you something about the second key. Well, did he?”
Well, did he? Yes, he did! He did, but…my stupid brain deleted the most important part of what he said. The royal…something?
Uncle Dearest! HALP! I squeezed my eyes shut and raced through my memories.
“—if you do, then the dagger will transform.”
Aha! I think I remember what happens after we open the first door?
O-okay, first things first.
“Klifford.”
I gave Blackfeather to Klifford to free up both hands. Then I held out my right hand to Derek. He handed me the dagger.
Right. Judging by the keyhole, this dagger has to go in.
No, wait. This keyhole—it’s a bit different from the first? Maybe it won’t go in with its sheath…if I unsheathe the dagger, it should be a perfect fit.
But I’m sure that’s not enough. It can’t be… I’m missing something.