The end was shorter than they expected. They came to a pool. It was where all the rain gathered in the water-table of the Square Mile. It was raised up so that at one end the excess could flow down a natural incline and enter one of the many closed off underground tributaries that eventually led to the Thames. To be honest, there seemed nothing particularly special about this place and Edie was disappointed.
"Now what?" said George.
"I don't know," said Nick pulling out the piece of paper which had the riddle on it. "Defeat is part thrice. Three parts, right? If releasing the lion was one and coming here was the second, that leaves one more, and I think that will point us to another place."
"Then what are we doing here?"
"This place must be special otherwise why would they bother building all those wells? What if that makes the water special as well?"
"I thought it had something to do with the ley lines. That's what Smith said. They connect sacred places of worship like the churches and the wells," the Gunner piped up.
"Well what if they were all meant for the same purpose. I've seen a map of the ley lines, it creates a pentacle, just like the one which was drawn above our heads in the congruence. They are lines of extreme power. A lot older and stronger than the Stone. This water could have passed along those lines, feeding it with the same supremacy."
"So what are we suppose to do, drink it?" said George, looking at the fairly murky composition of the water which ran down the slope. The water in the pool however was crystal clear.
"Not we, George, Edie."
"Edie?" he said shaking his head. "Not this again. Why does everything have to be about Edie?"
Edie looked at Nick and knew now must be the time to tell him. George grunted at the hesitancy between them.
"Only Edie can awaken the lion. Oh, only Edie can drop the ruby down the burrow, now only Edie should drink the water. Please, someone tell me what's going on!"
He was heated up now. Battle quarters were being drawn up as they spoke but he didn't understand the side he was playing on.
"Are you jealous, George?" Edie smirked.
His anger could not hold with her, and his face cracked into a tired smile.
"I just wanna know."
"I think Nick tells it better than me," Edie said turning to her.
"Well if you must insist," Nick glared at Edie who looked abashed. Nevertheless Nick nodded. "Edie is special. She's The Key. Well rather, a Key. Key's are girls who have been born to a mother Glint and a father Master Maker."
The Gunner looked confused already but Nick couldn't explain it any simpler.
"What!" he snapped.
"There's an old law that says only a Key will have the power to ultimately defeat the Stone."
"Yes yes, I know that."
"You do?" Nick sounded shocked.
"Well, yeah..." the Gunner replied a little out of his depth, "but I know it as an old known phrase said in old spit folklaw. How does it go again? 'The angels have rose, and called now by Stags and Does, their Key's vanquish of foes.' Some rubbish like that. I didn't know it meant people like Edie!"
"And Nick..." interjected Edie.
"Say what?" said the Gunner.
"I used to be a Key, before I was cursed. Not anymore," Nick sighed. "It doesn't mean Edie is 'The One' or anything." Nick mocked bunny ears with her fingers. "There may be other Key's out there, but the chances are slim. You know how rare Glints are..."
She said the last part quietly, not wanting to get into another discussion about the Walker.
"And if they are out there they probably won't know how important they are. There's no time. The Stone wants an uprising. If it succeeds then that's that. We won't be able to stop it then."
"Well when you put it like that…" George said with raised eyebrows. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't want to worry you," said Edie "If the Stone finds out about me…"
"That law must have come from the Book of the City. How come you knew about it and I only knew it as some fairytale?" said the Gunner quizzically.
"You're forgetting I've been around a lot longer than you have," said Nick. "And I know the wrong sorts of people. The reason it's unknown now is because the Stone has done a good job of covering it up. An awfully good job. Awful in every sense of the word."
"When I heard what Edie was, I didn't think that had ever happened before, a Glint and a Master Maker…"
"Well it happened at least once," Nick's mouth angled up but her eyes showed signs of pain.
"Well then," said the Gunner, poofing out his cheeks at looking at Edie. "Drink up."
Edie noticed the natural raised pool had a circular ledge around one side. It was almost as if the ground had constructed itself for the purpose of the Key. She stepped down to the ledge into the water and something happened. The water started sparkling. The light shimmered in Edie's eye as she bent down and with cupped hands, took a handful of water. She looked at George who gave her a look of encouragement. She raised her hands to her mouth and drank. She paused for a moment, expecting something to happen. When it didn't, she looked at Nick and shrugged her shoulders. Edie took a few more sips just to make sure. That and because she was thirsty and the water was nice and cool.
"Feel any different?" George asked.
"I dunno."
"Well maybe things will become clearer with time," said Nick. "We still have the third clue to solve, it might connect to- what's that?"
Nobody had noticed it before but Nick just had. Above their heads a jade coloured ladder was descending. It snaked down unrolling almost as if by magic as it floated to hang besides Edie. They all stared at it in silence, mouths wide open. Looking up at the cieling of the cavern rock they saw a small hole which they'd not seen before. Nick felt the first numbing sensation of darkness in her stomach start up again.
"I guess that's our way out," she pointed.