Hereafter (The Lost Princesses Book 3) Page 18

  Emmeline. He wanted me to sacrifice Emmeline as the ultimate proof of my loyalty to him. Something akin to hatred burned in my veins, but I was helpless to act on it.

  His tight smile only taunted me. “Shall we move on, Princess? I have a feeling you will be extra careful where you guide us, now that your husband has joined us.”

  Not only was he manipulating me, but he was manipulating Emmeline to do his bidding by making me the bait.

  For a long second, I could only stare at the king and see myself reflected in all his tactics. What made me any different? After all, I’d manipulated Emmeline into doing my will too. I’d coerced, forced, threatened, and even demanded she do whatever I asked without thought to what she would have to give up or suffer as a result.

  “Let us be on our way.” The king waved Emmeline ahead of him. “I have no doubt the usurper will learn of our treasure hunt and will attempt to stop us before long.”

  I agreed with him on that account. The queen’s forces would try to stop us. But maybe that would be for the best.

  As Emmeline began to call out directions once more, the king took the spot closest to her—likely to ensure her cooperation as well as his own safety. He commanded me and my men to lead, putting me ahead of Emmeline, which only stirred my anger since I wanted to be as near to her as possible to protect her from danger.

  We crept cautiously onward. I consulted the map at every turn in order to keep my bearing. And Emmeline continued to call out instructions and warnings.

  When the corners grew more frequent, the tunnels shorter, and the cobwebs thicker, I guessed we were getting closer to the center. The roar of a beast, this time much louder, confirmed my suspicion.

  I had a feeling the creature had smelled the blood of the men who’d perished, and that the scent had stirred and awakened it to our presence. Even now, Alaric’s bloody foot injury was probably drawing the creature. While I prayed we could locate the treasure and leave before encountering the beast, I doubted we’d be so lucky.

  “Section double D,” Emmeline called out. “Wait just a moment.”

  We halted at a bend in the passageway as we had on several occasions while she muttered under her breath and tried to piece together the clue with the section letter.

  “‘Dash, dash, as fast as a deer.’” Her whisper echoed against the stone walls. “We need to run through tunnel D,” she finally said. “Run as fast as we can.”

  I lifted my torch to light the passageway, surprised at the length of it—one of the longest yet.

  “Can you run?” I asked Alaric. So far, he’d hobbled along, our pace slow enough that he hadn’t held us back.

  “I’ll try, Your Highness.” His breathing was labored, his face pale, and his brow dotted with perspiration. Worst of all, black streaks ran up the veins in his neck.

  Poison. The knife had been coated with poison. Even if the blade had been in his flesh only for a minute, the contact was long enough to expose him to the deadly toxin.

  The resignation in his eyes told me he knew it too.

  “Can you remember the way and the clues so that you can make your way out of the maze on your own?”

  “Yes, Your Highness.”

  “Then retreat, and when you get to the surface start the blood-letting.”

  He bowed and began to sidle past the others, backtracking carefully. I could only pray in his weakened condition he’d have the strength to make the return journey as well as the keenness of mind to navigate the traps.

  Whatever happened, he’d have a greater chance of survival if he went back rather than remaining with us.

  Once Alaric was gone, we took turns sprinting across the long tunnel. Even though I knew Emmeline was fast, my pulse thundered when she had to run. Only when she was safely out of the passage did I start to breathe easy again. But only for a moment . . .

  As we rounded the last corner and entered a circular room at the center of the labyrinth, a vicious roar filled the air, causing us to recoil. There, straight ahead, stood a large reptile-like creature that was taller than any of the elite guards present.

  It crawled on four stout legs, each foot containing claws as long and sharp as knives. Its body was coated in red and black scales like shields stacked in perfect symmetry. And its tail was thick, tapering into a thin whip covered in sharp spikes.

  With a hiss that revealed a forked tongue, the creature swung its tail directly at us.

  Chapter

  20

  Emmeline

  The creature was beyond terrifying, a beast found only in nightmares. Though I’d read about such animals in a few historical accounts and fables, none of the stories or Maribel’s description had prepared me for the reality.

  Or its deadliness.

  Before I could voice my protest, Rex had positioned himself at the forefront, weapons in both hands, a mace already rotating in a lethal arc. His knights moved just as quickly next to him, their weapons at the ready.

  The tail rent the air with a sharp whir. Rex and his men sliced at it, but it was too fast and struck several unprepared soldiers with lightning speed, carving into one man’s neck, another’s stomach, and a third soldier’s legs. In the same moment, another of King Ethelwulf’s guards backed into the tunnel to avoid the attack only to be riddled with jagged spikes dropping from the tunnel ceiling.

  The agonized screams of the injured men rose up along with Rex’s sharp orders.

  I stared in frozen horror. Just as I’d feared, I’d brought Rex and the others this far only to lead them to the worst yet.

  “My men and I shall distract the beast!” Rex shouted at his father. “Take Emmeline and find safety!”

  King Ethelwulf grabbed my arm and tugged me away from the carnage to another one of a dozen entrances spaced evenly around the circular room. I was too terrified to resist and could only stare at Rex as he charged closer to the beast, yelling at it and swinging his mace.

  Why had I ever thought I could be brave down here? Maybe I’d been able to mask my fears for a short while, but I couldn’t keep my panic at bay any longer.

  The walls seemed to close in and the ceiling drop, pressing hard, tightening my chest, forcing the air from my lungs. What had I gotten myself into?

  As more cries of agony rose around us and echoed off the walls, I closed my eyes and stumbled blindly behind the king. I was proving to be the weakling I’d believed of myself.

  What had Adelaide said? Courage is not the absence of fear but the determination to persevere when circumstances are at their worst.

  In the midst of all my fears and insecurities, could I still display courage?

  “Oh, God,” I whispered, swallowing my rising bile. “I need your gift of the highest form of courage for today. I want to persevere and not give in to my circumstances.”

  A glance at Rex over my shoulder showed him and several other elite guards wielding their weapons fiercely while attempting to dodge the creature’s tail.

  I didn’t know what my purpose was yet in this battle between the king and Adelaide. I didn’t even know which side I was on—my husband’s or my sister’s. But there was one thing I wanted: peace within the kingdom. Running from the battle might bring temporary relief. But I had to resist the urge and instead push forward and do whatever it took to bring about lasting peace.

  Though I cared nothing for the hidden treasure, what if the ancient prophecy was true and the treasure could open the way for the peace I sought? Now that I was at the heart of the labyrinth, didn’t I owe it to myself, to my sisters, even to Rex and the king, to see if I could usher it in? If I retreated with the king, I might never get another chance.

  “Which tunnel is safe?” King Ethelwulf stopped in a part of the room farthest from the creature at another of the arches that framed long, dark passages—all as deadly as the one we’d just left. “I command you to lead the way to safety.”

  I scanned the room, taking in the details for the first time. I’d expected some kind of vault
in the middle or another locked door that led to a treasure chamber. But the spacious room was empty apart from a scattering of what appeared to be bones. The walls were just as plain and gray as the rest of the labyrinth. The ceiling mirrored the floor—flat and smooth. Except for one thing . . .

  My focus locked on a circular engraving on the floor directly at the center of the room near the beast. I didn’t see any keyholes and couldn’t make out what was on the engraving, but I couldn’t leave without getting a closer look.

  “There,” I said above the cries of the wounded and the shouts of battle. “At the center of the room. An engraving. It could be what we’re looking for.”

  King Ethelwulf studied the spot. Then he motioned to several of his knights. “Escort the princess and stand guard around her as she examines the engraving.”

  My legs shook at the prospect of going so near the beast, but I pressed my knees together beneath my gown. Before doubts could assail me, I forced myself to walk directly toward the creature, keeping my unwavering gaze upon it. I let one thought drum through my head: Be courageous. Be courageous. Be courageous.

  “Emmeline!” Rex shouted, catching sight of me as he ducked out of the tail’s path. “What are you doing?”

  I didn’t slow my stride or the litany in my head but stayed focused on the creature. I couldn’t worry about Rex. I couldn’t worry about the outcome of this moment. I couldn’t worry about what the creature might do to me.

  The only thing that mattered was remaining strong and showing this beast it couldn’t scare me.

  Finally, as though sensing my approach, the reptile swiveled its head, lifted its snout, and sniffed the air. Its glassy eyes searched for me, and it released a low, menacing growl.

  “Emmeline, no!” Rex’s voice rose with desperation.

  Even as he rushed toward me, likely intending to toss me over his shoulder and carry me away, I held out my hand to stop him. In the same moment, the creature ceased its thrashing and dropped its tail.

  Rex reached for me, but I sidestepped his grasp.

  The soldiers who were still alive and uninjured rushed upon the now quiet beast, causing it to thrash again.

  “Cease your attack upon the creature!” I shouted at the men.

  Rex hesitated only a moment before issuing a command for his men to halt. As the soldiers obeyed, the beast stilled, returned its attention to me, and sniffed the air again.

  I continued until I stood directly over the engraving at the very center of the labyrinth, only a foot from the beast. A strange peace had settled over me, sweeping away my trembling fears. My blood pulsed with new energy and confidence and determination.

  As the creature hissed and sent its forked tongue toward me, I watched in fascination.

  Next to me with weapons still drawn, Rex tensed, his fierceness palpable.

  I laid my hand on his arm in both caution and reassurance and at the same time held my head high as the tongue flicked my cheek. The touch stung but then was gone in an instant. The beast hissed again, bared its sharp fangs, then lowered its snout until it almost touched my face.

  At the sight of a scar near its eye, I realized this was likely the same creature Maribel had saved while she and Edmund had been in the labyrinth. Did the beast recognize me as Maribel’s twin in some primal way?

  Rex’s muscles flexed, and I sensed his desire to plunge his weapon into the unprotected spot on the creature’s neck. I squeezed his arm, hoping he understood he’d do more harm than good if he attacked now.

  With a final sniff, the beast jerked away and roared so that its breath hit me full in the face. Not only was it hot and damp, but the stench was unbearable. I guessed it was making one last attempt to intimidate me, but I refused to back down. Instead, I stiffened my shoulders and lifted my chin, glaring at it and daring it to hurt me.

  After releasing its terrifying roar, it watched me for another moment before turning and lumbering away toward the arch to the far north. I wasn’t sure it would be able to squeeze through the opening, but it shook itself so that its scales overlapped, diminishing its size until it resembled an enormous lizard—one that could easily traverse the tunnels and withstand its dangers.

  As its spiked tail disappeared into the black corridor, I wasted no time and dropped to the floor to examine the engraving. I doubted the beast would stay away for long, and we’d need every second of reprieve to find the treasure.

  Rex knelt next to me. His expression contained an awe mirrored in the faces of the soldiers surrounding us.

  “We need to hurry,” I said. “The creature will be back.”

  Rex rapidly focused on the spot on the floor, his muscles radiating with urgency.

  I smoothed my fingers over the engravings. One was a replica of the wild boar from my key. Another was the tree of life, and the final was a pomegranate with seeds spilling out. The symbols on the keys. I traced them—courage, healing, and wisdom.

  Adelaide’s words pushed to the front of my mind: Perhaps real treasure lies not in the wealth deep in the labyrinth, but in the gifts God has bestowed upon us—gifts we can use for the greater good of the kingdom and the people.

  Long ago, King Solomon had understood the same thing—that his purpose and strength as a ruler wasn’t found in earthly treasures. He’d believed true wealth resided inside us by using the gifts God bestows.

  I’d always struggled with fear and never believed I was courageous, but perhaps courage had been building inside me through the tiny steps I’d been taking all this time by doing things even when I was terrified. Now, in the face of the biggest challenges yet, God was helping to unleash the gift.

  While I might never know if the keys my sisters and I had each guarded for so many years had played a role in which gift we’d received, I did know courage had surged through me when I’d most needed it.

  I fingered the circular outline of the engraving, noting that tiny pieces of the chinking had come loose and had broken away in some places. I reached for my knife wedged in Rex’s belt. He relinquished it, and I wasted no time prying it into the thin rim and chipping away the rest of the remaining mortar. Rex followed my lead, and within seconds we’d separated the center engraving from the stone floor surrounding it.

  Rex jabbed his sword into the space, straining and lifting in the same motion. Another of his men aided him in pressing up from the bottom while a third hoisted from the top. After hefting for long moments, the round stone with the engraving scraped upward and came free.

  By now, everyone had gathered near us, and one of the men held a torch over the hole. At the sight of three key ports, I blinked back stinging tears of relief. “We did it,” I said, catching Rex’s gaze.

  He nodded solemnly, studying my face as though trying to make sense of who I was.

  I wanted to smile and reassure him everything would be fine. But untold dangers still lay ahead. Though I may have earned us a window of safety, we wouldn’t truly be out of harm’s way until we left the labyrinth far behind.

  King Ethelwulf had come forward and was now kneeling next to Rex, peering into the hole. Rex dug into the pouch under his chain mail and pulled out the three ancient keys now hanging together on a golden key ring. They clanked together as he placed them into the king’s outstretched hand. The king eagerly lowered the keys to the hole.

  “Your Majesty,” I said. “We should take care which key we insert into which port.”

  The king halted. “Which do you suggest first?”

  I glanced at the engraving, hoping it held a clue, but was unable to decipher what it was. “My guess is that the pomegranate—wisdom’s key—comes first since that’s what King Solomon asked for first.”

  “Very well.” The king found the key with the pomegranate, inserted it, and turned.

  I held my breath, listened, and waited.

  When nothing adverse happened, all eyes focused upon me. I mulled over the account of Solomon from the Holy Scriptures. When the young king had asked for wisdom,
God had been so pleased with his request that He’d granted him the things he hadn’t asked for—riches and honor. Finally, God had promised long life if Solomon obeyed his commands.

  Honor. Courage brought honor. Was my key second? And healing. It was linked with a long life. Was Maribel’s key third?

  We had no choice but to try them and see what happened. I couldn’t let fear hold me back and forsake my courage now. “Insert the boar key second and the tree of life third.”

  The king lowered his hand back into the hole and twisted the keys into each of the ports. Then we all stared and waited. I wasn’t sure what we were looking for next. If we’d inserted the keys in the wrong order, I suspected we’d find ourselves in greater danger than before.

  A moment later, the floor began to rumble, quake, and then give way beneath our feet.

  Chapter

  21

  Rex

  “Everyone back away!” I shouted. “Move to the wall.”

  Entranced by the crumbling floor, Emmeline didn’t budge. I grabbed her around the waist and hauled her back with me. When I reached the smooth, circular wall, I pressed against it, wrapping my arms around her and securing her against me.

  The crashing and cracking continued, so loud that for a moment we could only stand and watch and pray we wouldn’t be swept down with the rubble.

  Finally, after long minutes, the rumbling stopped, leaving a cloud of dust in the air. But even with the haze, we could see the original hole had crumbled away so that the diameter was now several feet wide.

  Did we dare cross the floor and return to the chasm? What if our weight caused another avalanche? What if more dangers arose from the depths?

  My embrace around Emmeline tightened as I pictured her face-to-face with the beast, so near to death and yet so calm. The very thought of how close she’d come sent chills up my backbone. And yet, how could I be angry with her for putting herself at such risk when her daring challenge had likely saved all of us?