Kronisphere refused to release Douxie, even as he fought to look away.

Jim let go of Kronisphere and took Douxie's arm. He waved everyone else back. "Let it show you. It might be the hardest thing you'll ever watch, but it's important."

Without taking his eyes from Kronisphere, Douxie said, "For Nari." His posture didn't ease, but he accepted the vision. When it was over, he surrendered the sphere to NotEnrique, who still perched on the worktable.

"I saw Merlin's last moments," Douxie said. "Before he died in my arms and his body turned to ash."

"Did he say anything?" Claire said.

"Not a word. Just gave me that odd look of his—like I'd missed something obvious."

NotEnrique eyed the sphere. "Don't know if I wanna take a peek or not. Got a fifty-fifty chance a bawlin' my eyes out."

Everyone scowled at him.

"All right, all right. Don't get your socks in a knot." NotEnrique faced Kronisphere, eyes shut. He eased one lid open, then both eyes locked onto the sphere. "It's my mum and dad!" He pointed to the sphere and bounced up and down. "Haven't seen them in ages. Not since the Janus Order took me. And that's my birthstone. I was a cute one." He ruffed his scruff as the vision ended. "Well, that was a nice surprise. Here ya go." He handed Jim the Chronosphere. "Now, I think it's time the two a you Tight-Lipped-Tillys tell us what ya saw."

Barbara spoke first. "I was… in the hospital."

"You're always at the hospital," said Jim.

"Not at. In."

"And you didn't want to stop watching that because…?" Jim stowed the sphere in his bag.

"I was in the maternity wing."

Jim's jaw dropped, and he thought he might pass out. "You're pregnant?"

Barbara laughed. "Not even close, kiddo. It must have been when I had you, because I certainly don't look that young now. I thought I remembered my nurses—they were real life savers—but my memory must be shot, because I don't remember the two I saw just now."

"Was anybody else with you?" said Douxie.

"The door had just opened when I stopped watching, but all I caught was dark hair. Probably the doctor."

NotEnrique faced Jim expectantly, as did everyone else.

"For me, it was like last time. Everyone was there—Claire, me, Mom and Mr. Strickler, Tobes and Darci, Nomura. You name 'em, and they were there, including a few I didn't recognize. And there was this blue glow." He left out the details.

"Could've been Akiridion tech," said Douxie. "What about pulling Aja or Krel in on this?"

"They're looking after everyone in town. I can't drag them away for a handful of mismatched images we don't even know will lead anywhere." Jim laid a hand over Kronisphere's eye.

Barbara's lips creased into a hard line, and her blue eyes flashed. "That sphere showed me The Book of Ga-Huel. In it we found a message only I see. Even if we discover nothing else because of this, I want to know what that message means."

"And I'm not letting this go until I find out why I saw Morgana," said Claire.

Douxie slipped one hand into the pocket containing Nari's heart. "Merlin could be infuriatingly obscure, but he always had a reason for everything he did. So did Nari. I'm in this until we've solved it."

NotEnrique crouched on the table. "I'm as curious as the next guy. What've we got ta lose? Bring in the blue brothers—well, brother and sister."

Claire pressed a palm to Kronisphere. "Aja, Krel, and Varvatos were there when you claimed Excalibur. They should be here now too. So should Blinky and AAARRRGGHH!, and Eli."

Barbara added her hand to the Chronosphere, followed by Douxie and NotEnrique.

They weren't the nine who'd surrounded him once, but they were the four here for him now. If they were willing to pursue this, so was he.

Jim took out the Akiridion communicator. "It's almost three. We've got a few hours until sundown. If Newberry comes back before we get everyone together, we'll need a plan."

"Legend Seekers find truth for a living," said Douxie. "Fooling one will be harder than you think."

"You said Merlin's hired seekers before," Jim said.

Douxie stepped out of the circle and disappeared into another room. A few minutes later he returned, ancient ledger in hand. "It's a good thing I can read Sumerian." He pointed to an entry in the book. "That's one he hired during his centuries-long battle with the Arcane Order. Sent them to find the Holy Grail. No record of whether the venture succeeded."

"Any other entries?" Jim said.

Douxie scanned each ledger page, beginning at the earliest. "Couple long before I met him. Another just after we left past Camelot. Looking for…" his finger trailed across the page, "The Water of Life. Again, no record of success—or failure. It wasn't long after that Merlin went to sleep in his tomb."

"Did you ever meet a seeker?" said Jim.

"Once. He was a strange, wiry man, no taller than Claire. Could have passed for a squire back in Camelot. Nothing remarkable about his appearance, which helped him get around sans notice. He could even sneak up on me if I wasn't careful. Oh, and here's another entry. It's for Living Earth. Still no note on whether the seeker found it."

Jim bagged Kronisphere and The Book of Ga-Huel. "If Newberry's looking for a legend," he hefted Excalibur, "why don't we give her one? If she comes back, we'll keep her on a long wild goose chase."

"But who's going to haul Excalibur all over Arcadia Oaks? Who even knows the town well enough to do that without being caught two minutes in?" said Claire.

Jim tapped the Akiridion communicator. "I have just the person."