Then Argo said, "Close the door."
Urson closed it. Snake still held Geo and the jewel.
"Well," she said. "It is too late now."
"What do you mean?" asked Geo.
"That had you not come blundering in, one more of Aptor's spies would have yielded up his secrets and then been reduced to ashes." She breathed deeply. "But he has his jewel now, and I have mine. Well, little thief, there's a stalemate. The forces are balanced now." She looked at Geo. "How do you think he came so easily by the jewel? How do you think he knew when I would be at the shore? Oh, he's a clever one, with all the intelligence of Aptor working behind him. He probably even had you planted without your knowing it to interrupt us at just that time."
"No, he ..." began Urson.
"We were walking by your door," Geo interrupted, "when we heard a noise and thought there might be trouble."
"Your concern may have cost us all our lives."
"If he's a spy, I gather that means he knows how this thing works," said Geo. "Let Urson and I take him ..."
"Take him anywhere you wish!" hissed Argo. "Get out!"