Abul led the group to a narrow gateway in the cramped crystalline hall, the torch in his hand casting a thousand reflections and refractions up and down its length. He pointed at Jamie and Victoria, bidding them to step forward.

"Inside, there are boxes on the ceiling. One has a key," he growled. "Get it before the time expires --" He pointed to a pair of massive crystals on the wall, welded together at the center to serve as an hourglass -- "you get to keep it.

"In," he said, yanking a small metal block from the joint of the crystals so that sand began pouring from the topmost crystal to the bottom.