Then a wet trickle seeped down the wall, ran across the basin, and touched the crystal. Upon contact with the water, the stone shimmered—at first softly, then brightening quickly.
“Something’s happening,” Tag said, his voice awed.
Sharyn remembered Duncan’s words from a moment ago. “It’s like the water christened it.”
The crystal flared brilliantly—then lifted from its stone cradle. It slowly spun in place. Its radiant facets cast an iridescent shine across the inside of the alcove.
Duncan named the science behind this magic. “Magnetic levitation. Like what lifts some bullet trains off their tracks.”
Sharyn slowly nodded, remembering Moira Kelly’s scoffing at the more fanciful claims about Saint-Germain, one of which included the man’s supposed ability to levitate.
Maybe something like this was the basis for such tales.
Before she could consider it further, a familiar ringing chime sounded, followed by a heavy grinding. They all backed up another step. As lines formed in the stone around the watery alcove, the entire slab sank into the floor.
This time, Sharyn didn’t need Archie to warn her. She hurried forward and grabbed the floating crystal from the niche. Its glow faded, but it remained warm in her palm, like a cooling coal from a fire.
She watched the door fully sink away.
They all drew closer.
Tag blew out his breath. “At least there aren’t any stairs.”
Past the door, a straight tunnel cut deeper into the hill.
Sharyn got them moving along it. She also passed on a warning, remembering the mistake Laurent had made. “Watch your step.”
They dared not trip any boobytraps. She hoped—like with the magnetic rods—that they were finished with all that, too.
But when it came to Saint-Germain, one thing was certain:
More than his secrets, he loves his surprises.
80
12:18 p.m.
Beyond the doorway, the tunnel widened enough for them to walk side by side. Sharyn reached back and took Duncan’s hand. Naomi and Tag trailed them, while Archie held up the rear. As a precaution, they all carried flashlights. Wary of each step, they proceeded slowly.
As they delved deeper, the air grew both drier and colder. The smell of salt faded into something less stringent, nearly smoky, but pleasantly so.
Something familiar about—
“What treasures do you think are hidden here?” Archie called up to them, breaking the silence, maybe in an attempt to break the tension, too.
Sharyn had pondered this same question and could only come up with one answer.
No clue.
But after several yards, it was clear they were about to find out. Ahead, the tunnel emptied into a cavernous space, perfectly circular, easily forty yards across. The roof, while high, was unadorned and flat. No gold reflected their lights as they searched.
“Nothing’s here,” Archie said, his voice heavy with disappointment.
Sharyn frowned, not with regret, but curiosity.
What is this place?
Tag headed deeper inside, leading with his flashlight. “It’s not totally empty. There’s a fence or something out there.”
