Page 141 of Thief of Hearts

That would explain why no Epirian would have ever been able to get past this point. It was a clever fail-safe, to set up a challenge that only an Epirian’s enemy could pass.

“Why didn’t Invara release you?”

She is bound.

“Bound by who?”

The goddess of discord.

Graarvin said this as if I should already know the answer.

I stepped closer to the dragon. “I am going to release you since we have already established that you won’t eat me.”

He snort laughed again.

Graarvin moved his giant claws out of the way and lifted his head slightly so that I could get to the lock and key. The end of the key was as big as my head. I attempted to turn it but it stuck. Like it had been rusted over.

“I don’t want to break it,” I said. “Let me see if Zain has something that will help lubricate the lock.”

Wait, Child of Invara. I have something for you.

The dragon lifted up and moved the scales in the middle of his chest with one paw and reached in with the other.

“What—”

He had something small in his grasp. He leaned down and opened his claw.

It was a red crystal shard that seemed to be pulsating.

This is yours.

I took it. “What is it?”

He didn’t answer my question.

I was instructed to give it to you if you released me.

“But I haven’t released you yet.”

You will.

I put the crystal into one of my bags and turned to look for Zain.

He had used the rope to get himself over on the island.

“Impressive!” I called out.

“Thank you. The caduceus, illora—would you say it belongs to you?”

“To me?” What an odd question. I looked back at Graarvin. “If anything it’s his, but I guess it is mine until we give it back to Actos. It’s my quest. Why would you ask me that?”

Zain reached into his tunic and pulled Dagger out. He set the dog on the ground next to him.

Then a moment later he undid the clasp on Dagger’s collar.

Something happened that I didn’t understand. Dagger growled and began to change his appearance. He grew in size, almost doubling. His features changed, his snout was longer, his teeth sharper, his eyes changed to a golden color.

Small silver horns sprouted out of his head, and that same color created stripes on his body.