“Yes!” Riyan exclaimed. It was just like what Bart and Kevik had found deep beneath the Ruins of Algoth. Back then, Bart had placed one of the key segments within one of the indented spaces which had caused a secret door to open revealing the hiding place of another key segment.
“Take it easy,” cautioned Bart. He could tell his friend was barely able to restrain the urge to rush forward. “Let me have a look around, first.”
Aside from the murals and coat of arms adorning the walls, the floor was littered with the shattered remains of over a score of chests. Whatever treasures they once contained were long gone.
“Kevik, cast your detect magic spell if you would,” Bart said before entering the room. Behind him he heard Kevik mutter the magical words, then the wall bearing the coat of arms began to glow blue, indicating that there was magic present.
“Thanks,” Bart said as he moved into the room and slowly crossed over to the glowing wall. When he drew closer, he discovered indications that someone had tried breaking through the wall bearing the coat of arms. Hundreds of nicks scored the wall in the area of the four indented spaces, but none had caused much damage.
Raising his voice so it would carry to where the others still stood in the passage, he said, “Looks like they tried to break their way through here and failed.”
“So it should still be there?” asked an excited Riyan.
Bart glanced back to him and nodded. Then he waved for the others to join him. “I think it’s safe,” he told them.
Riyan was the first out of the passage and practically ran across the room. Before he was halfway there, he had his pack off and was digging through it for one of the three segments wrapped in cloth at the bottom. As he reached Bart’s side, he pulled forth one of the segments and dropped his pack to the floor. With hands almost shaking from excitement, he removed the cloth covering it.
“Which one should I put it in?” he asked.
Bart shrugged. “Pick one,” he replied. “If nothing happens, try another.”
“Alright,” said Riyan. Then kneeling down before the indented spaces comprising the broken circle, he chose the bottom one. As he brought it forward, his hands were shaking so badly he couldn’t get the segment lined up with the indented space. It was only through a sheer force of will did he quiet his trembling hands and insert the segment within the indented space. No sooner had he inserted it in as far as it would go than a rumbling sound was heard coming from the other side of the wall. A half second later, a section of the floor to his right began dropping out of sight. When the rumbling finally came to a stop, where the floor had dropped, were now steps leading down.
“Just like on the island,” breathed Chyfe.
Riyan nodded and came to his feet. Moving quickly, he was the first to the top of the steps. The steps descended toward, and then passed beneath, the wall bearing the coat of arms. Turning to Bart, he said, “This is it!”
Coming to stand beside him, Bart clapped him on the back. “Let’s go get it,” he said. Then he stepped onto the top step and together, they began making their way down. Kevik came next with staff aglow. Chyfe and Chad brought up the rear.
Twelve steps in all, they came to an end at a small room. In the center of the room was a four foot high marble pedestal. But when Kevik’s light came and filled the room revealing all, the excitement that had filled Riyan since first seeing the mural upstairs, died. For dirt and broken pieces of stone filled the left side of the room. A hole gaped in the ceiling. Someone had beaten them to it. The segment was gone!
Chapter Twenty-Four
It had been over a week since they left their homes in Terix. As soon as the storm broke and the roads cleared to a manageable level, Raestin decided to make a visit to Quillim to see the woman who so captivated him. He made a brief stop at a friend’s home in Wardean and now was on the road making his way through the forested hills a few hours south of the woman he loved.
Being away from her so long had been almost more than he could bear. And as soon as he felt the time was right, he would propose. But for them to marry so soon after meeting would be deemed improper to some. So in difference to her reputation and society’s conventions, he must wait.
Beside him on a pale chestnut stallion rode Paul, the ‘Captain’ of his guards. Or so he liked to think of himself. He had been protecting Raestin’s caravans since Raestin was but a green trader. Now, fifteen years later, they had a friendship that was much more than that of employer and hired guard.
As they rode through the wintry countryside, signs of the coming of spring were everywhere and Paul knew what was on his friend’s mind. “Conventions be damned,” he said for the hundredth time. “Ask her to marry when we arrive.” When Raestin glanced toward him, Paul added, “You two love each other. It’s been months since you first began courting her. You’re getting too old to be playing these foolish games.”
“I know,” the trader replied. Then what Paul had said actually registered. “Old?” Glancing sidelong to his friend, he saw him break into a grin. “But I could no more rush our union than the blossoming of a budding rose.” He heard his friend sigh in resignation. This wasn’t the first time they had discussed his and Kaitlyn Borenson’s future life together. “All I can say is, we’ll see when we get there.” In truth, this waiting was beginning to wear on him. If she gave even the slightest indication, he would propose on the spot and as Paul said, conventions be damned!
Riding behind the pair were another half dozen guards. Some had been with Raestin almost as long as Paul. These were the men he refused to cut loose during the winter months while his caravan wintered. Each had families and desperately needed the coins he paid them. To be cut loose until spring would bring them undue hardship, and that was something he simply couldn’t allow. He knew their wives and children almost as well as he knew his own. Besides, he had the coins to spare and knew they wouldn’t take charity. They were proud men.
“Riders to the south,” Kern, a five foot six inch guard with neatly trimmed dark brown hair announced from the rear. He was a five year veteran with Raestin and good in a fight. A fact he has proven on more than one occasion.
Two riders were gradually overtaking them. From the looks of them, they were a seedy pair.
“Trouble do you think?” asked Paul.
“I wish,” replied Sterret in a bored tone. All six foot five inches spoke the warrior. Why he never joined the Guild was something he hadn’t ever felt the need to share with the others. Raestin wondered at times why he was happy being just a caravan guard when there was so much more he could experience. But as he was honest and one who Raestin could trust with his life, Raestin never pursued the matter.
Raestin kept them at their present pace, all the while the riders continued to draw closer. When they finally came abreast and began to pass, Raestin nodded to them and said, “Good day to you.”
One man, who was missing part of his left ear and had the look of one whom never smiled, glanced toward him but didn’t return the salutation.
“On your way to Quillim?” asked Paul in a friendly manner.
The riders came to an abrupt halt and took a good look at the eight riders. “Are you traveling to Quillim too?” asked the man with the partial ear. Beside him, his companion who was a great deal shorter had his hand on the hilt of his sword and looked for all the world like he was about to attack. Whatever response Paul had expected, it wasn’t this.