CHAPTER 3:
The following morning while everyone was eating sliced fruit, seaweed, and dragonflies stirred together in a large pot over open flames, whispers about leaving the island on lifeboats began to spread throughout the camp. However, when someone mentioned giant sea snakes, the whispers faded. “There must be a way…?” said another.
Moments before the sun pierced the sky, Kyhawn was dropping his empty dish into the wash barrow when Zeal and Arbra, a heavyset, red-skinned wealthy female passenger with long graying hair came back to camp from their overnight bonfire duties. Arbra held in her hand an unusual dagger that she claimed to have found on the beach. Excited about her discovery, she showed everyone. The camp was filled with amazement as they admired the mysterious weapon.
With almost everyone’s eyes and ears focused on her, Arbra told them how she came upon it. “I was near those shallow cliffs over from our bonfire.” She picked up a half-burnt twig from one of the fire-pits, made sure it wasn’t hot, then started to chew on it. “There it was, lying smack on top the spot where some of these kids made sandcastles yesterday. I went down the hill and claimed it.” The elongated dagger was handed around like a classroom show-and-tell.
“Most interesting,” passenger Kyltic commented. “The notches in this blade indicate it might very well be some sort of key. And this handle, or this hilt I should say, is striking. Look at the way it’s decorated with carvings and inlaid jewels.” He paused. “You know, this could be a dagger, a cross, and a key all in one. See these two pieces attached to the sides—they could very well pass for wings.” He pointed his elbow at the notches cut into the wings which protruded out from the sides. “They also could pass for keys. But considering the small stones attached to their tips, they’re probably only for decoration. However, the jewels themselves are most interesting, especially this mighty fine large one in the center.”
“The wings, if you want to call them that,” Arbra expressed as she chewed on her twig, “are small compared to the blade.”
“An extraordinary key.” Gerit was thinking about the hole in the cave wall.
Arbra pointed at the hilt. “This jewel in the center’s worth a fortune. What a key! When we get home, I think I’ll mount it and put it over my fireplace.”
“I’ve never seen a key so big,” Tobben observed. “With all this rust, it’s obviously old.”
When the dagger came around to Kyhawn, he held it admiringly. “A dagger that’s not a dagger but possible a key. A dagger-key,” he said as Arbra approached.
“I’ll take that.” Arbra held it in her hand, admiring its uniqueness. “A dagger-key. I like the sound of that,” she smiled.
After the excitement of Arbra finding the strange dagger, everyone settled back. Washburrn, Kyhawn, Alil, Professor Romeous, and Arbra along with Gerit and his two sons joined the group going to the waterfall lake to pick more zuetia leaves. However, once Gerit showed them where the zuetia plants grew, he whispered to Arbra about their other plans. Considering how farfetched their idea sounded, they kept it to themselves and slipped away along with the two youngsters.
“Where did you say this cave was?” Arbra asked.
“Over there.” Gerit pointed. “Only about three miles, four at most. All we need to do is follow the base of the mountain. We’ve already made a path from there to here, so it shouldn’t take long.”
They were hiking along the bottom of the mountain, crossing over creeks with small cliffs to their left and tall trees to their right, when they came upon a white flower tree. They carefully went around it and pressed on.
Arbra stopped for a moment to tie a scarf around her head. “With all this trouble we’re going through to get there, I hope this darn… dagger-key fits that hole.” Her expression brightened. “Hopefully there’s something good on the other side. I’ve read stories of Zacs finding lost treasures. The truth is, that’s how my family originally became wealthy.”
The Dagger-Key and The Lost Treasures of Kebadon Page 15
