(Thanks for the compliments.
Also, I
thought you might guess that...)
Having finally worked out the trick to playing Witch's Chess, the Human Side made a series of quick guesses, each one drawing them closer to the answer. Finally, after a bit of teamwork, Intense Degree put forward a guess:
1-9-8-6.
In response to this guess, the letters on the page moved about, ink shifting and rippling, until they read:
NIneTeEN eigHttY six
"Almost perfect," said Miss Knox. "But not quite. In this particular magic, spelling counts."