“To a troll slug, perhaps,” Elayra countered just before Ghent looked back to the gate, a satisfied smile on her face at his reaction to her initial insult. Not that she had much to brag about herself at the moment, appearance-wise, her clothes still wet, damp hair a tangled mess, and dark circles forming under her eyes.
	When Ghent moved to safety behind her, the amusement of their banter lost with Drust’s mood hanging over them in touchy threat, she only had a shrug to offer to his quiet question. Thankfully, Drust had an answer to it, despite not having heard Ghent.
	Elayra scowled at Ghent’s response to Drust’s order, while Drust’s head twitched, irritation flashing in his eyes.
	“Yes, you, boy!” Drust growled, then took a forceful deep breath.
	Elayra glanced to Ghent when he stepped around her toward the gate. Her gaze moved between him and Drust as she followed Ghent. She stayed a pace behind, but kept close enough to him that she could counter any attacks in time if Drust lost his internal battle.
	“You [i]had[/i] a focus word, Featherhead,” Elayra reminded him with a smirk.
	Drust’s brow furrowed in confused curiosity at Ghent’s comment. He glanced to Elayra for clarification.
	She shrugged. “Long story short, we found out he can use magic. But he lacks control.”
	The corner of his mouth twitched upward at this first bit of good news he had gotten in a while.
	“Good.” Drust looked back to Ghent. “Earth’s magic is young. Wonderland’s is ancient. It won’t be as eager, and far less forgiving. But, hopefully, it’ll work for you. For a spell, as you put it…”
	He paused, looking to the gate in contemplation. “Try [i]conrare[/i]. It’s commonly for unlocking doors, enchanted or otherwise. But don’t just [i]say[/i] it. [i]Feel[/i] it. See what you want the magic to do. Magic’s not guided by words alone. A single stray thought could turn a harmless act into a disastrous whim.”
	“Basically,” Elayra tried to summarize, “imagine enough magic flowing into the gate to make it unlock and open.”
	Drust nodded stiffly in confirmation of her simplification. “Contact with the object may help you.” He nodded to the gate.