"I doubt that will make much difference against those," Connie said dryly, eyes firmly on the sharp claws crowning the end of the sphinx's powerful paws. She was in no doubt that those things could kill all of them if the sphinx decreed that they had failed, but despite the fear that invoked the logical part of Connie's brain couldn't help but agree with the notion that if the sphinx was here then it seemed too much of a coincidence that what they were looking for wouldn't be far behind. Besides, she couldn't for the life of her think where the sphinx might have roamed from, as the young man put it, given that to the best of her knowledge they were native to Egypt and nowhere else.

Carmelina would certainly know, but in the midst of her clear excitement her eyes had started to glow and Connie hadn't wanted to interrupt her. They were meant to be here, she was sure of it. The Ministry had sent them to the church so it was their duty to deal with whatever was here and that just happened to be a sphinx.

"So, what we need to know really is whether we can answer as a group and how long we will have to do so?" She glanced between the members of their group that supported answering the riddle and noted happily that they outnumbered the naysayers. "And whether that group has to include everybody."

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MJ made me beautiful