As she explored the space, she noticed niches in the walls holding figurines, much like the ones they’d seen in the museum. All of them people-shaped and featuring some kind of cat characteristic.
Interesting. Obviously related to the harimau. However, they weren’t a map to lead them to someone with answers, nor a message to explain his condition.
Phoenix sighed as he came to the same realization as Nadirah. “Guess we came here for nothing.”
“Not entirely nothing. We found an ancient temple.”
“I’ll admit that part is cool,” he offered a wan smile. “Blame my dumb ass for thinking we’d find a clue. Then again, given how long this place has been hidden away, doubtful it would have been useful. I would imagine the tiger shifters in your country have long since abandoned their original homes and melded into the mainstream population.”
He slumped onto the bench, and she sat beside him, not knowing what to say other than, “Don’t give up.”
“I won’t, but I’m at a loss to know where to go next.”
“We could try and find that village you told me about. The one mentioned in that traveler’s account.”
“Not sure there’s a point. The author claimed it was already abandoned when he discovered it.”
“We still have the clues in that poem,” she reminded.
“Clues that are too generic. Where would we even start?”
It took effort to not smack him. Sure, he was disappointed, but that didn’t mean he should give up.
She stared at the altar, noticing the back side had a tiger head carved on it, but unlike the others, this one had been put together upside down and sideways. As if someone twisted its features.
She sprang to her feet and fumbled for the box she’d shoved in her pocket.
“What are you doing?” he asked as she knelt by the altar.
“Possibly nothing,” Nadirah mumbled as she placed the box on the carved eyes, currently offset from where the chin should be. She slid the block, and a ring of stone moved. When the eyes were in their proper spot, she heard a faintclick.
“Holy shit,” he muttered, crouching alongside.
She did the ears next, putting them in their place.
Click.
Next, the upside-down nose.
Click.
Mouth.
Click.
Then nothing. The tiger face appeared as it should, but nothing happened. Her turn to sigh. “Sorry. I was hoping I found something.”
“You tried.” He stood and gave her a hand, helping her rise, keeping her close.
She stared at him, fixated by his good looks, wanting to kiss him.
Shocked at the thought, she turned her head to the side, and something caught her eye.
“Um, Phoenix…”
“What?” His gaze followed hers to the top of the altar, where a knob—with a carved tiger’s head atop—protruded.
He grabbed hold and pulled, popping off a lid that revealed a hidden cubby and, inside, a stone tablet with many carved symbols.
