Dreama carefully set the platter down and closed her eyes. At once, the cone opened, spreading its silvery shimmers into the dark recesses of her mind and Lieutenant Clawson's voice came through loud and clear.
"Captain?"
"Yes. I'm in."
"I've found the gate." Everything stopped and she jerked her eyes open, waved her fingers across the landscape, commanding time to stop. In every room of the palace, life came to a standstill, the blood skating to a skittering halt in the hundreds of hearts that beat within her circle of coercion. "Captain?"
"Yes. You can go on now."
"It's still closed."
"Look to the left. There should be an obelisk ... "
"Yes, Captain. Part of it seems to be buried."
"Uncover it and do it very carefully."
"I will, Captain."
"And make sure you're very discreet about it."
"I came alone, Captain. Just as you told me to do."
"Fantastic, Lieutenant. When you've finished unearthing it, take digitals and send them over. They'll have to be translated if we're going to get it open."
"Yes, Captain. Will do."
Captain Dreama Thurin released her lieutenant and dissipated her will to allow the others to move about freely. She was lucky in this instance; no one had seen her use her magic and if she had her druthers, no one ever would. It was extremely important that no one know of her abilities. At least not yet. She picked up the platter, tugged at the hem of her servant dress and moved quickly down the hallway toward the royal suite.
She heard a noise and nearly stumbled when she realized that it was coming from the bedroom. A quick glance on either side told her that she was alone in the long, marble hallway and she quickened her steps, switching into warrior mode and employing light steps as she approached the portal, noticing that one door was slightly cracked open. She set the platter onto the side table and edged closer. A deep voice reached her ears and she recognized it as that of Maxy, Princess Coleta's official scholar.