Reluctant Prince (25 page)

Kiara and Sadie were gone.

Ryleigh froze.

Jackson had specifically told her they would follow the tunnel. Yet the tunnel continued on, straight ahead of them.

Elijah’s urgent whisper kicked up her fear. “You have to hurry.”

Ryleigh pushed Mia behind her as she inched her way forward. “Where are you taking us?”

“This chamber leads to the royal family tunnels. No one else knows about them, so they should be the safest way.” He gestured again for them to hurry.

As she approached the door, Ryleigh tried to peek around the corner, hesitant to get within striking distance of Elijah. Darkness stared back at her. An intense battle raged in her mind.

Jackson trusted this man completely, had sent her and Mia with him, had sent Kiara and Sadie with him. Surely, he wouldn’t have sent such a young child with someone he wasn’t completely confident in.

She edged closer. A large locking mechanism loomed in the center of the door.

Elijah waited quietly, offering no further encouragement.

Ryleigh blew out a breath. She looked over her shoulder, back down the tunnel they’d come through. She peered past Elijah to see where this tunnel led. It turned a few feet away, leaving no view of what lay ahead.

She breathed in deeply, filling her lungs with the damp, heavy air. The scent of dirt and mold invaded her senses, weighing heavily, crushing, suffocating. “Come on.” She took Mia’s hand and pulled her forward. She approached cautiously, pushing Mia ahead of her where she could keep an eye on her. With one more deep breath of the stagnant air, Ryleigh plunged into the blackness.

Elijah followed her into the dark space. He let the door fall shut, surprisingly gently.

The lock clicked into place, sealing her fate. The mere hint of sound reverberated through Ryleigh’s head. She flinched.

Elijah brushed against her as he moved past.

Mia clutched her hand, squeezed tightly. A second door opened in front of them. Treasure spilled over every available surface. Ryleigh gasped.

Mia’s hold on her hand loosened as they moved into the cavernous space. “Oh…my…”

Elijah turned to them. When he spotted their expressions, a laugh bubbled out. “Come on in.” He gestured ahead of him with a flourish and a slight bow.

Ryleigh tried. No use, her feet were glued to the floor. “What is this?” She forced the words past lips that had gone dry.

Elijah laughed harder. “Come in, come in. Please. We should be safe from here on. The double door was designed so no one could be followed in here. Only members of the royal family can open the doors.”

Mia recovered first. “How come you could open it?”

“I am actually related to the royal family, though distantly.”

Sensing the immediate danger and tension had passed, Sadie lifted her head from Kiara’s shoulder. She squealed loudly.

Ryleigh jumped.

“Sparkly.” Sadie reached forward, squirmed to get out of her mother’s arms. “I want.”

“Let her go. We’re going to walk most of the way through the cavern and then turn right. The next tunnel entrance is hidden toward the back of the chamber. She can have a few minutes to explore before we go.”

Kiara let the little girl down.

She ran straight for an open chest filled with what appeared to be multi-colored jewels.

Mia followed closely on her heels.

Sadie lifted a long gold chain.

“Don’t touch anything, Sadie.”

“She’s okay, honestly.” Elijah waved a hand toward the piles. “Let her play for a few minutes. After this, we have a long walk through a fairly dark, damp tunnel. Sit. Rest now, while you can.”

Kiara massaged her lower back as she sat by Sadie and Mia.

Mia placed what looked like a diamond tiara on the little girl’s blond curls.

Sadie spun around. Laughter lit both of their eyes.

Ryleigh’s heart stuttered. Such a normal, happy moment amid a sea of chaos and confusion. If you could call playing in a mound of treasure normal.

“What is this place?” Ryleigh finally moved forward.

“The family vault. The tunnel leads here from the castle then continues out the back. Presumably, no one else knows about it, though they may suspect.”

“Are you saying all this stuff is real?” Ryleigh’s mouth fell open. She snapped it shut. “Mia, don’t play with that stuff.”

Mia stopped, a thick red chain sparkling in the dim lantern light held half-way over her head. Her gaze shot to Ryleigh.

Elijah let out a deep belly laugh. “She’s fine, Ryleigh. Let them have some fun.” His wide smile touched his eyes.

“Sorry. Go ahead and play.”

Mia searched the room with Sadie following closely behind her. Mia filled all of her fingers with rings.

Sadie did the same.

Laughter echoed through the chamber.

Chests of jewels and mounds of gold filled the entire cavern. A path cut through the center of the glittering heaps of gems, trinkets, armor, weapons. Endless piles of treasure. No obvious pattern or organization existed. Some of the gems were familiar to Ryleigh, diamonds, rubies, emeralds. But some she’d never seen before. A black stone the size of her fist glittered with some sort of white powdery sparkles.

Another stone shifted from one color to another, white, pink, red, pink, white…the constant color changes hypnotic. It sat atop a frosted glass pedestal.

It called to her, drawing her closer.

Etchings filled the glass, small images, reminiscent of ancient hieroglyphics. The changing light cast flickers of color over the pictures, making them come alive with light.

She couldn’t help herself, couldn’t resist the temptation. She reached out to touch the strange stone, mesmerized. She lifted it in her hand, surprised by the weight.

It warmed as she held it, turned a deep shade of blood red.

Shadows swirled deep within the stone. Black wisps shifting in its center. They began to form shapes. Took on the forms of men. Three men. Two of them moving toward her. Side by side. One man slung over another’s shoulder.

She squinted. Tried to focus, make the vision more clear.

The stone heated.

She tried desperately to bring the image into focus.

The gemstone burned her hand.

“Ouch.” She opened her hand and the stone fell to the ground.

It burned brightly, casting a deep red glow against the glass of the pedestal. An image formed in the glass. A blood red outline of three men.

Ryleigh gasped. She dropped her gaze to the stone, as it once again shifted through a rainbow of colors. Blue, green, yellow, blue…the black image gone from its center. When she glanced back at the glass, the exact vision she’d witnessed within the stone was etched deeply into the frosted background. It no longer glowed red, and appeared as if it had been there forever. She looked up to find Elijah staring at her.

“Have you seen something in the stone?” His brows drew together. He vibrated with anxious curiosity. Excitement ignited in his eyes.

“I don’t know.” She hesitated. Had the vision been real? What had she actually seen? Her gaze met his, pleading with him for answers to questions she didn’t dare voice. Ryleigh turned away from the intensity of his stare. She ran her fingers over the cool, smooth glass of the pedestal. Over the image of the three men she’d seen in the stone.

“The stone has been passed from queen to queen.” He lifted the stone and placed it reverently onto its pedestal.

It glowed deep, midnight blue.

“It offers visions, prophecy, guidance…” His voice trailed off as he gazed wistfully at the gem, captivated by the changing colors. “We should go.” He walked away with no further comment. “Come on, Sadie and Mia. We must go.” He approached Kiara and spoke quietly.

So many images filled the glass pedestal. One showed two men locked in battle. Another, two figures, one of them holding an infant. Were these images the former Queens of Cymmera had witnessed? Had any of them come to pass?

She stared at the image she’d seen in the stone, at the man being carried. A chill ran through her, raising goose bumps. She shivered, tore her gaze away, and followed Elijah.

“Why can’t we just stay here?” Mia was on the verge of whining.

“There’s no food or water here.” Elijah spoke softly, patiently. “I’m going to take you to a safe house. It has plenty of food and water, toys for Sadie and it’s easily defensible. Besides, it has furniture, beds, a couch. You’ll be more comfortable.”

Ryleigh appreciated him trying to ease Mia’s fears.

“Are there books?”

“A whole library full.” Elijah smiled warmly.

Mia relented. “Come on, Sadie. When we get to the house, I’ll read you a story.” Mia and Sadie were becoming fast friends. “Want a piggy back ride?”

“Yay!” Kiara helped Sadie onto Mia’s back.

A flicker of concern clouded Kiara’s expression. “Are you sure you feel strong enough to carry her?”

“Sure. I feel great, but if I get tired I’ll put her down.”

Ryleigh finally recovered enough to join them.

“Ready?” Elijah held her gaze, searching for any sign of lingering distress.

“I’m fine.” Was she? Who knew? The chaos she’d been thrown into overwhelmed her to the point of numbness.

The image from the stone jumped to the front of her mind.

She quickly forced it back down. “Let’s go.”

Elijah led them through the maze of treasure to the back corner of the chamber. “We’ll have to go through single file, but it will open up a little farther down.” He gestured for Ryleigh to lead.

Apprehension beat at her, but she turned her back on the seer and entered the dark tunnel.

“It’s so dark in here.” A tremor shook Mia’s voice.

“This is an emergency escape route. It’s only meant to be used in the direst of circumstances. That’s why it’s hidden at the back of the chamber and kept dark. Theoretically, if someone had followed you in here the dark passage would not cast any light into the chamber and give away your whereabouts as you attempted to flee.”

The catch in Mia’s breath helped calm Ryleigh’s fear of plunging into the darkness. “It’ll be okay, Mia. No one followed us in. We’ve been here a while now, we’d know if we were followed.”

“It’s only a short walk before the tunnel turns. Once you pass the curve, I can light the torches.”

Ryleigh sucked in a breath of the damp air. “Come on.” She took Mia’s hand.

Kiara followed immediately behind with her hand on Sadie’s back.

Elijah closed the door behind him as he entered, cutting off even the faintest glow from the vault.

Ryleigh trailed the fingers of her free hand along the dirt wall, trying to keep her bearings. Bits of dirt and pebbles rained onto the ground, a faint patter in the deafening silence. The weight of the walls threatened to suffocate her. She choked. Panic assailed her, crushing her chest. She couldn’t breathe. She had to get out of there.

“Almost there. Take it easy.” Elijah’s soothing voice slid over her.

“Sadie.” Mia’s strangled whisper cut through the darkness. “You’re choking me.”

“Oops. Sowwy.” Childish laughter chased away some of the terror.

Though it remained pitch black, the space opened up just as her hand reached the edge of the dirt wall. She rounded the corner and fell against the wood planking, concentrating on getting air in and out of her desperate lungs. She pulled Mia against her.

Sadie whimpered quietly.

A small ball of light formed, illuminating the new tunnel as Elijah held it cupped in his hand. He tossed it toward the wall, and a torch lit. Then another, and another.

Sadie lifted her head from where she’d had it pressed against Mia’s back. She giggled.

“Wow.” Mia’s awe filled voice grounded Ryleigh. “That is so cool.”

Elijah’s smile lit the tunnel even more. “Is everyone okay?”

“A lot better now that there’s some light.” Ryleigh pushed away from the wall.

Elijah placed a hand on her shoulder. “That was the worst of it. The tunnel stays like this until we reach the shore.”

All right. She could do this. The wood planking on the ceiling and walls made the space feel less claustrophobic than the dirt had, less like being buried alive. The torch flames cast enough light to see what lie ahead. She nodded to Elijah.

He squeezed and released her shoulder. “Are you okay Mia? You look a little tired.”

Mia shrugged. “I’m good.” The dark circles around her eyes contradicted the statement.

Ryleigh let it drop. Best to get somewhere safe where she could rest.

“Come on, then.” Ryleigh and Kiara walked on either side of Mia and Sadie.

Elijah kept pace behind them.

The silence was getting to Ryleigh, a constant reminder that they were underground. “You said the shore? Is the safe house on the beach?”

“It is. It sits on a bluff beside the ocean. It’s quite stunning. But extremely safe.”

Safe sounded good.

“Is the ocean here the same as it is where we live?” Wonder had returned to Mia’s voice.

“I don’t know, I’ve never actually seen—”

A black hole ripped open directly in their path.

Mia screamed.

Cold wind tore through the tunnel.

Ryleigh shoved Mia and Sadie toward Elijah.

Kiara pulled Sadie from Mia’s back, clutching the little girl tightly to her chest then grabbed Mia by the arm and dragged her back as they retreated.

Elijah pushed the others behind him as he struggled to pass them and get to Ryleigh.

An arm snaked around her neck, pulled her back against a massive body.

The stench of something rotten assailed her.

She choked.

The arm tightened its hold, strangling her.

Ryleigh fought viciously. She punched. She kicked. She tried to scream but couldn’t drag enough air into her lungs to fuel it.

Elijah reached toward her with one hand even as he drew his sword with the other.

Ryleigh swung blindly behind her and connected with soft flesh.

A grunt sounded in her ear. The grip on her throat loosened. Slightly. Teeth clamped down on her forearm. Hard.

She finally sucked in enough air. Rage, fear, and pain, dragged the scream forcefully from her lungs.