37All three dropped to their knees and routed along the grooves Chione directed them to follow.
Clifford checked a few other areas across the Hall then returned to the first. “ 'By Jove, I think she's got it,' ” he said. He blew dust from a groove, spat, and rubbed a small area clean. “My word, those ancient stone carvers did miraculous work.”
Aaron studied his doodling. He followed one groove away from the north wall to the center pillar, then over to where Chione knelt near the first pillar closest to the doorway.
“The same area you darkened on the tic-tac-toe game,” she said. “And where I put my X.”
“But wait,” Clifford said. “Let's check the floor, all of it. If there are seams anywhere else in the grid, maybe that's the way it was made.” He chose a section to examine at a far corn
