Riyan nodded and took the gem. In a second, the gem sprang to life with a red glow. He then set it on a burnt patch of Kevik’s chest, making sure it was in contact with his skin. When he let go, the glow remained. “We can leave it here to go about its work,” he said.
“We aren’t going to leave Kevik here are we?” asked Chad.
Again, Riyan nodded. “No sense in moving him until he’s healed,” he explained. Then he nodded over to where Soth sat with Seth. “If he should awaken, they’ll be nearby.”
Bart lent him a hand back to his feet. “Now, let’s go see what was on the other side of that wall.”
Knowing that his friends were healing and wouldn’t expire, Riyan said, “Alright.” Then to Haran he asked, “Care to come with us?”
Haran grinned. “I wouldn’t miss this for anything.”
As they headed down the passage back to the room, Riyan paused when he neared the twins. “Is he better?” he asked Soth.
“He’s asleep right now,” Soth replied. “No coughing and the wound on his chest is beginning to heal over. I think he’ll be fine.”
“Good,” said Riyan. “We’re going to see what’s in the Horde. Stay here and keep an eye on him, Kevik too.”
Soth nodded and grinned. “Is he going to make it?”
“He’s burned real bad,” Riyan explained. Glancing back to the magic user, he saw the glow of the gem. “The gem is working to heal him as we speak.”
“That’s good to hear,” replied Soth. As Riyan made to continue on toward the Horde, Soth said, “Save some for the rest of us.”
Riyan chuckled and said, “Maybe a little.” Turning to Bart he said, “Let’s go.”
Haran came and walked beside him. Riyan glanced to him as they left the passage and entered the room. Haran saw the questioning look Riyan cast him. “I cared for my uncle once,” he explained. “But of late, he has done many things which went against everything our people held sacred.”
“What do you plan to do now?” asked Riyan.
“First of all, repair our relations with Byrdlon,” he replied. “The recent attacks including the one on your Yerith Keep, were simply a ploy by my uncle to keep Byrdlon’s forces looking to that area so he could sneak across the border and come here.” Haran turned his attention to Lord Hurrin. “I understand you had no small part to play in that fiasco?”
“I simply did as Lord Kueryn bid,” he explained.
“Yes,” Haran said. “We’ll look more into your part once we return home.”
Lord Hurrin bowed his head and said, “Yes my lord.”
They passed the bodies of Lord Geop and Lord Kueryn on the way to the now opened sigil inscribed wall. Haran didn’t even cast a glance toward their bodies as he walked by.
Beyond the wall, there was a short passage leading away. One of Haran’s men held a torch and something at the other end of the passage was reflecting its light. Haran paused before stepping upon the first step leading to the dais. Turning to Bart, he asked, “Is it safe?”
“Allow me to lead the way, my lord,” Bart replied. “There is a way through that I’m certain is safe.”
Haran nodded for him to proceed.
Taking the lead as he often does, Bart led them up the steps and across the dais. As they entered the passage they began making out details of the room at the other end. Situated in the center was a thin, five foot iron stand. Atop the stand was the source of what had been reflecting the torch’s light. It was a massive diamond, easily the size of a man’s fist.
As they came to the edge of the room, they paused in awe. The room was octagonal in shape with four of the sides being walls, another three were openings to alcoves and the last opened onto the passage in which they stood. The four walls of the room were constructed of black marble and each bore one of the four coats of arms inlaid with silver.
The floor of the room was of black marble as well. A circular band of darker black formed a circle with a ten foot diameter around the iron stand. Within the band were more arcane symbols inlaid in silver. The ceiling was domed and constructed of unadorned black marble.
“Look!” Chad said as he pointed to one of the alcoves. Within sat a single chest. The other two alcoves also bore but a single chest.
“Is that it?” asked Chyfe. “I would have thought there would be more to it than this.”
Riyan turned to Bart. “Do you think it’s safe to enter?” he asked.
“Probably,” he replied. “After having to use the key to gain access, I doubt if there would be any traps here. So far the places that we’ve come across that were hidden in a similar manner didn’t have any traps.”
“Good enough for me,” Riyan said. Stepping into the room, he walked toward the large diamond in the center of the room. “This must be worth a fortune!”
“It’s the largest diamond I have ever seen,” commented Bart coming up behind him. He reached out to take it then paused before his hand touched it.
“What?” asked Riyan.
Bart shook his head. “Nothing,” he said then reached out and grabbed hold of the diamond. Lifting it off the iron stand, he brought it close and examined its facets. “This is incredible.” Glancing to Riyan, he grinned and then put it in his belt pouch for safe keeping.
“Bart,” Chad hollered from where he stood within one of the alcoves, “this chest is locked.”
Taking out his picks, he headed to the chest and quickly had it opened. Within, were a dozen large gems.
“What?” asked Chad. “That’s it?”
“There could be more in the other chests,” suggested Riyan.
“There was more than this in Algoth!” he exclaimed. “Where are the piles of gold and silver?”
“Algoth?” asked Haran.
As Bart went to the next alcove to open that chest, Riyan replied, “It was one of the places where we found a part of the key.”
“Ah,” Haran said.
Chad busied himself in gathering the gems at the bottom of the chest. Despite his misgivings at there being so few, he had to admit that each were incredibly valuable. Perhaps on their own worth more than a pile of gold and silver. They also had the added benefit of being easier to transport.
“More gems,” Bart hollered from the next alcove.
The others hurried over and found there to be the exact same number as was in the first one. This time, Chyfe and Riyan gathered them while Bart went to the third and final chest.
Riyan emerged from the alcove and saw Haran watching him. Reaching into his pack, he offered him two of the gems. “We each get a share,” he replied.
But to his astonishment, Haran declined the offer. “Thank you, but no,” Haran said. “Taking from the dead is not our way.”
“Ha!” Chyfe said as he came to stand with Riyan. “We’ve seen how you treat the dead.”
When Haran looked confused, Riyan explained about what they had seen near the Wrath of Hennon.
Anger suffused Haran. “I had not heard about that!” he exclaimed. Turning to Lord Hurrin, he asked, “Did you know of this?”
Lord Hurrin hung his head and failed to meet Haran’s eyes, which was all the answer needed.
“How could you have allowed such an abomination?” he demanded.
Turning pained eyes to Haran, Lord Hurrin replied, “I did speak out against it but your uncle wouldn’t listen.”
“It will take much to set this right,” Haran said. “And you shall be the one to do it!”
“Yes my lord,” he said.
Haran glared at the lord for a few more moments then returned his gaze to Riyan and Chyfe. “Such is not our way, truly,” he said. “We will set to right as best we can what travesties my uncle has wrought.”
“I hope so,” Chyfe said.
Just then, Chad emerged from the third alcove. “More gems,” he told them as he held up his pack. “With these we’ll not have to worry about coins for the rest of our lives.” Crossing the room to his friend, he added, “Still, not what one would call a Horde.”