"Looks like you've solved your problem..."
"No, not entirely. Your timing is perfect." Seeing Mr. Azik arrive, Abner smiled and said, "There's something I'd like to ask you to help with."
Mr. Azik looked over. He had a good impression of the detective who had helped him recall his past, so he chuckled. "Help? You mean the Sealed Artifact inside?"
He seemed to sense something, then continued, "The aura on it is a little troublesome, but the artifact itself is alive, so communicating with it shouldn't be difficult."
Abner wasn't surprised that the Tudor Badge was alive. After all, if it weren't, how could such a simple ritual have sealed it? And why would it favor members of the Sauron family?
Only something alive could have favorites.
"Exactly. I'd like you to negotiate with it and have it relax the conditions for carrying it..." Abner nodded.
"I'll try." Mr. Azik gave a quiet hum, walked up to the altar, and placed his hand directly on the badge.
Judy sidled up to Abner and asked furtively, "Is that Silica's father?"
"How did you know?" Abner asked in surprise.
"Karen is our companion—the captain's and mine. We trust him with our lives, so of course he wouldn't hide anything from us..." Judy said solemnly. Then she broke into a wicked grin and winked. "Though the first time he came to see Karen, he scared Karen half to death. Karen was in a daze for days..."
So by trusting him with your lives, you mean trusting him not to embarrass you to death? Abner thought. Judy really was Closia's daughter. That wicked grin had been exactly the same.
Even the airhead has a talent for becoming a troublemaker!
Nearby, Karen, who had just finished comforting Silica, heard them and said helplessly, "Could you