The Dragonrider Heritage Second Series, page 71
“I’ll join you,” I volunteered. Might as well. Sleep never came easy to me, even years after leaving the Ulfrangar far behind me. I could go for days before I needed to rest, and even then, it was always a fight to get my mind and senses to calm enough that I could actually drift off.
I doubted I’d win that battle here, anyway. Not with so many strange sounds and animal calls echoing through the dark of this wild, forbidding jungle. Something about this place, with its constant dimness, dense undergrowth, and thick, humid air made my skin crawl. It was that sense of being watched, as though something unknown was lurking just beyond my field of vision.
Like a predator just waiting for me to take one wrong step.
25
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Dawn brought the relief of beams of warm sunlight that broke through the canopy like streams of radiant gold that shone upon the jungle floor and lit the way ahead of us. There wasn’t time to sit around and savor a Lunthardan sunrise, however. We had work to do and ground to cover.
With her strength renewed, Isandri led us swiftly to the northeast, deeper into the jungle. It was strange to go so far without seeing any signs of settlement or civilization. Even with the Ulfrangar, we’d always stuck within a few miles of a city. Here, you could go for days on end, lost and hopeless, and never come close enough to a city for anyone to even hear you scream. It gave me a new appreciation for the Lunthardan scouts, like Reigh, who had been trained to survive here.
Hm. I might even tell him that—providing we both survived to see one another again.
As we drew close to the temple grounds, we ran into a group of young scouts running patrols a few miles outside a temporary camp they had built for the researchers and workers still excavating the site. They chatted excitedly with Isandri, who apparently had become quite fluent with the Gray elven language. I suppose Reigh had probably taught her some of that.
Isandri and the young scouts swapped greetings and information, then they stood there and gaped at Jaevid with amazement while we prepared to set off again. It made Garnett burst into a fit of giggling as soon as we started moving again, and Jaevid’s whole head flushed with embarrassment.
“You’d think after so many years, they’d be less impressed,” I taunted him a little, unable to hold back a smirk. “You’ve become old news in Maldobar, after all.”
His mouth scrunched bitterly and he flicked me an irritated, sideways glare.
Too easy.
After less than an hour, Isandri slowed her pace and began moving more cautiously through the tree boughs. Her ears stayed perked as she leapt soundlessly from one limb to another, swishing her tail and listening to the ground below. The shrikes shivered and twitched, making nervous growling, humming sounds as they sank low into their powerful shoulders and snapped their bony jaws. Something had them on edge.
Shimmering in a radiant beam of sunlight that poured down from a hole in the canopy—I finally saw what.
Bathed in the golden light, the bust of a muscular male form standing tall and straight leaned slightly to one side, as though the vines and roots that snaked up its legs had begun to pull it down. The shining white stone beneath peaked through the foliage, as though half-dressing the towering structure in drapes of leafy green cloth. With its face covered by a helmet with a sweeping feathered crest, the robust figure also held a massive sword in one hand and a round shield in the other.
Hmm. No wonder Isa had assumed this might be some sort of homage to Proleus. It certainly smacked of “war god” to me.
The more I studied the area around the bust, the more I picked out the outlines of a broad courtyard and low, rectangular buildings that had been nearly buried under the plantlife. Toppled stone columns lay in heaps, overgrown with moss and vines. Invading tree roots buckled the ground of the once-paved square, leaving hunks of white stone heaped into cracked hills.
To their credit, the workers had obviously been very busy carefully unearthing the ruins from the jungle entanglement. They had built temporary shelters and spiraling staircases in the trees around it, and there were portions of the jungle floor that were cleared away for larger artifacts to be spread out, cleaned and examined. More areas of the dark soil had also been dug away to reveal stone roadways leading away from that central square.
“We believed this temple might have been the center of a much larger settlement. But we have only just begun to learn the secrets of this place,” Isandri explained as she gracefully shifted back into her elven form and beckoned for us to follow. “This way. The entrance is not far.”
Jaevid and I swapped a wary look. I knew he had a history with ancient jungle temples—not all of them positive. I had to wonder if he also had that same, eerie feeling I did. That sense of being watched by something.
It didn’t seem like the right time to ask, though.
With my nerves drawn as taut as lute-strings, I dismounted and checked the strapping of the cross-sheath I wore to carry my two longswords strapped onto my back. I wasn’t about to take a step through this jungle without some manner of weapon. Fortunately, I’d brought along plenty.
I followed the rest of our group as we dismounted and began our descent to the jungle floor. Workers greeted Isandri and stared curiously at us as we made our way down the nearest spiraling staircase, around and around, until we reached the ground.
Standing with my boots sinking into the soft, damp soil, I stared up at the looming fern fronds, colossal trees, and flowers that were bigger than my head. The air was slightly cooler, but heavier with moisture, and water droplets sparkled on the broad leaves and curling fern fronds like scattered diamonds. Dense moss carpeted the earth between a network of tree roots as big around as my leg that snaked through the undergrowth.
“A long way from the tavern, aren’t we?” Roxus chuckled as he ambled over to stand beside me. “You know they’ve got carnivorous trees here? Trees that eat people! Can’t swing a cat in here without hitting something that wants to squeeze the life out of you like a cream-filled pastry and swallow you whole.”
I flicked him an exasperated glare. “Thank you for that mental image.”
He laughed dryly. “I’ll be glad when we get our feet on civilized ground.”
Well, no argument there.
We followed Isandri in a single-file line, navigating the cut paths through the foliage, into the ruins. Even Isa stopped for a moment to stare up at the huge, leaning bust in the middle of the courtyard. It towered at around twenty feet to the top of its crested helmet, and the style of the engraving was sharp, angular, and almost primitive with very few fine features cut into the stone. Interesting. No wonder Isa believed it wasn’t Lunthardan in make.
Navigating the uneven stones and rubble, Isandri brought us to a place where a grove of willow-like trees with long, blossoming fronds veiled an even larger structure. A large, square stone building stood at the top of a broad, steep staircase that led nearly straight up. There must have been more than two hundred steps, and it appeared that the excavation workers had already cleared a path up them through the overgrowth of dirt, moss, plants, and fallen leaves.
At the very top, where the building perched on a wide, solid stone base, the workers had also erected tents and temporary shacks on either side of the single, dark entryway that led into the structure.
The ominous doorway stood open, like the entrance to a cave, and just the sight of it made my stomach drop and every muscle in my body tense. Something about it felt … off. I couldn’t put my finger on why. Caves and caverns had never bothered me before, and saying anything about it felt stupid. It was an old ruin. Not a trap.
Even if every instinct in my brain screamed that it felt exactly like one.
“Lady Isandri, you’ve returned! And just in time!” A Gray elven man in long, deep purple scholar’s robes rushed out of a nearby tent. He tripped all over himself as he ran out to meet us, breathless and grinning from one pointed ear to the other. “It’s marvelous—we’ve just made the most spectacular discovery!”
“What is it?” she faced him with a calm, almost relieved smile.
“Oh, well, we’re not altogether sure, my lady. But—but we have theories, of course! I was hoping you would come and see for yourself. Perhaps you can offer some of that expert insight?” He laughed nervously, his multihued eyes darting to the rest of us like he’d just realized we were there. “Oh! I-I do apologize. I did not realize you had brought guests. I am Filoran, lead historian for the queen’s court. And you are?”
“In a hurry,” Roxus grumbled.
We all glared at him—except for Filoran, who just blinked in confused surprise.
“They are my friends,” Isa assured him, and then motioned to where Jaevid stood near the back of our group. “I thought they might provide some additional insight. I believe you may have heard of some of them.”
Leaning in closer, the historian squinted at Jae for an instant. Then he jerked back, eyes going wide, and face flooding with embarrassed rosy color. “I-I see! I had no idea! Welcome, esteemed Lord Jaevid. We are honored by your presence! If there’s anything we can do to—”
Jaevid waved a hand and bowed his head, as though to dismiss any notion that he wanted special treatment. “Not at all. Please, carry on with your work as before. We will do our best not to get in your way.”
The historian rambled on, as frantic and flustered as a wet hen, before he finally seemed to remember himself and got back on topic. He explained that while they had been exploring the interior of the temple before us, they had found many mysterious chambers. Most, he described, were living quarters, baths, and even what seemed to be a kitchen for preparing food. Others had held stockpiles of ancient weapons—namely shields and curved blades much like the Gray elven kafki that Reigh used.
“Initially, we assumed this was simply a temple,” Filoran said excitedly. “But based on this most recent discovery, I think it is far more than that. I believe this was, in fact, a monastery of sorts. A place where a few chosen individuals who served this god not only worshipped, but lived and trained.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Trained for what?”
“Battle? Potential invaders? Who knows! That’s the beauty of discovery, my friend! One great mystery begets another!” Filoran was practically vibrating with excitement, and something about it sort of made me want to hit him. Maybe he’d calm down a little before he gave himself a heart attack. “But I think this most recent chamber has the potential to be the answer to so many of our questions. It is truly an enigma all its own. You must come see it firsthand!”
“Lead on, then,” Isandri said, somehow managing to maintain that calm, patient smile. Admirable. But, then again, she was used to putting up with Reigh. Perhaps saintly patience was her finest virtue.
Filoran didn’t need any more encouragement. He jabbered like a sparrow that had just found a bread crust, and practically skipped all the way to the huge opening that led into the temple.
Gazing up at the building, there was nothing elaborate or decorated about it. No engravings in the stonework or exterior of the building. It was sleek, perfectly squared, and efficient. Built strictly for function rather than beautiful aesthetic.
And beyond that massive doorway? Nothing but pitch darkness, as far as I could see.
Filoran wasted no time handing a torch to Isandri while he lit another one for himself. He demonstrated their system of tying the ends of long spools of colored rope to our belts before entering—an easy way to keep from getting lost as you explored the tunnels and chambers below. Clever. A scholar sitting by the ends of the spools scribbled our names onto each respective color, to keep track of who came back and who didn’t.
“Now then, follow me, and do be sure to stay close together,” he said after fixing the end of a yellow rope to the back of his own belt. “We wouldn’t want anyone to get lost in a maze of ancient ruins now, would we?”
Once again, Jaevid and I exchanged a knowing stare from across our group. Lost in there? No. But we had come to potentially awaken the ancient god residing there to barter with it for power. No big deal. Not even worth mentioning.
Our chatty tour guide babbled all the way to the edge of that doorway. There, however, he seemed to sober up some at the sight of the inky darkness beyond it. One by one, we followed him through it.
Or—the others did.
I hesitated at the threshold, staring into the dark, as cool air flowed from within. It rustled in my hair and rekindled that prickly sense of unease that still swam in the pit of my stomach. Nothing about this felt right. Something in the aura of the entire temple made my pulse kick harder in my chest. That oppressive sense of being watched, as though some unseen presence was leaning right over my shoulder, intensified. I just wasn’t sure how I could express that to the others without sounding paranoid and irrational.
Arrrrgh. I had to pull myself together. I shut my eyes tightly and bit a curse through my teeth. We might only be a few steps away from a solution to helping Reigh and the others.
So why did it feel like I was only a few steps away from hell, instead?
26
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Nearly a mile beneath the surface, lost amidst a network of tunnels and chambers I knew I’d never be able to reverse-navigate on my own, apprehension started to turn my stomach sour. I didn’t have a great history when it came to traveling underground, but at least this place didn’t seem to have switchbeast infestation. A small blessing.
During our subterranean hike, I’d come to fully appreciate the scholars’ rope tether system that kept us linked to the outside world. Our colored ropes had run out of length long ago, stopping at another station manned by another young elven man, with more giant spools. We tied off our current tethers to the new spools, then attached the new ropes to our belts, and kept going. We had repeated that process twice before we finally stopped, and Filoran announced, “Here it is.”
Holding his torch aloft, our jittery guide revealed another passage directly before us. This one, however, was the first doorway we had encountered that had some detail work engraved around the outside of it. Sharp, angular designs led up to the top of the doorway, where a shield had been carved into the rock.
A shield … with the head of a wolf on it.
“Proleus,” Isandri whispered in quiet reverence.
“Precisely,” Filoran agreed. “It is the first time we have found any sort of defining mark of whom this temple might be dedicated to. We suspected, of course. Now, we can be certain.”
“But why here? Why this door?” Garnett asked. “If the whole complex was his, why not have his emblem elsewhere?”
Filoran took a step back out of the way, motioning for the rest of us to come in closer to take a look. “It’s just a theory, of course, but we suspect it is because the rest of the settlement here might have been open to visitors and members outside the sacred order that dwelled here. This, however, is a barrier. Beyond this point, we are on holy ground. Perhaps, in order to pass through, one was required to complete some sacred rite? We may never know. But the real treat lies just inside. Our tethers won’t reach to the far edge of the chamber, but it is safe to untie them. Just be careful to leave the ropes well organized and remember the color of yours.”
No one dared to say a word as we quickly untied the ropes from our belts and walked through that doorway. My breath caught as I passed into the chamber beyond. Every rustle and footstep echoed through the vast space like the interior of a cave. But true to the historian’s word—this was anything but a common cavern. Every surface of the wide, circular room had been meticulously carved from the rock. The ceiling stood, tall and domed, more than forty feet overhead, overshadowing a room that must have been nearly a hundred feet across. A series of huge, square-cut columns stood around the perimeter of the room, each one holding a bronze brazier affixed to the side in the shape of a bronze wolf’s head holding a lamp in its teeth.
And the floor … Gods and Fates.
In the very center of the room, roughly sixty feet in diameter, a massive circular relief had been cut straight into the stone floor like a medallion. It depicted rings upon rings of symbols of boars, tigrex, bears, serpents, and men locked in combat with swords and shields—all surrounding the central figure of a wolf’s head made from pure obsidian glass. The black wolf. They symbol of Proleus.
As soon as I saw it, a knot of heat sparked to life in the middle of my chest—a heat I knew all too well. It sent energy like a shiver through my body, making my hands clench into fists at my side. My heartbeat slowed. My mind went quiet. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from it.
“This is as far as we have dared to go,” Filoran explained as he stepped cautiously to the edge of that massive, round engraving. “We need to do a great deal more research, first.”
“Why?” Jaevid asked as he hedged over to join him, staring out across the room.
“Ah, well, you see …” Filoran scooted one of his feet, shifting a few tiny pebbles on the floor to the edge of the engraved medallion. The pebbles rattled and clinked across the ground until, right on the outermost ring, they plummeted down into a crack about an inch wide.
We waited in tense silence, listening to see if they ever hit the bottom of a chamber or tunnel below.
Nothing.
“We suspect that this entire structure is built to move independently of the rest of the room. It is not simply a decorative engraving; it is some sort of device. We just aren’t sure what it’s for, or what might happen if someone were to put their whole weight on it,” Filoran continued. “I have my theories, of course, but until someone actually—”
“We’ll do it,” Jaevid spoke up suddenly, fixing me with one of his signature steely, determined glares. “It’s what we came here for.”
I set my jaw and nodded.
