The Phynx answered Ragnis' question and the young man saw no reason to doubt the creature's answer, but he was still confused.
Ragnis wondered what the Phynx meant by 'here'. He darted his eyes around in see if by any chance he could catch a glimpse of Neel, but all failed. She was nowhere in the temple.
The temple was not a complex structure and as such Ragnis could see all corners of it. If he did not see his sister within the temple then she was indeed not here.
"What do you mean 'here'?" he asked the Phynx, his face wearing a disappointed look.
"Oops, young Ragnis!" the Phynx remarked with a grin on his face.
It donned on Ragnis at that moment that he had broken one of the four rules of the Phynx's game.
"Rule number one: all questions must be merited except the first."
"You have broken the first rule of the game, young Ragnis," the Phynx reminded him.
"Punishment follows."
