They entered a small ceremonial chamber where Father Ling stood behind an intricate wood carving of Leaudor’s national symbol, the sun. The other monks were assembled and stood in two rows on either side of Father Ling.
He motioned her forward, and she knelt on the silk pillow in front of him. She watched as he retrieved a medallion from the monk beside him and slipped it around her neck.
“This is the medallion your father wore in his quest as did every other Leaudorian king or queen before him. I offer my blessing on it. May it keep you safe on your journey.”
Her hand curled around the heavy bronze circlet making her feel a little bit closer to her father.
“May you go with God, Princess Isabella, and return as queen.”
He took her hand and pulled her to stand before him. The monks began to chant softly then louder. Though she didn’t understand the words, she knew what they said from her father’s translations. They offered their prayers and invoked God’s protection over her. Requested the four sacred elements of nature to be one with her and offer her haven.
She closed her eyes as the hum grew softer once more and let the beauty of the ceremony wash over her. When she opened them again, she felt invigorated, powerful and ready to fulfill her destiny.
Father Ling laid a hand on her shoulder. “You will need patience, courage, faith and wisdom to be successful in your quest. I pray that you find all four.” He then handed her a small pouch. “Keep the map in this. It will protect it from the water.”
He walked beyond her to offer blessing on Merrick. Merrick bowed his head respectfully before Father Ling as the monk performed a similar ritual over him.
When he had finished, he returned to Isabella. “Father Gregori will take you through the underground tunnel to the beach. You will have but one hour before the tide reaches its height.”
Quickly transforming back to the practical Isabella who held the fate of a nation in her hands, she felt for the dagger in her boot, reassured that she had easy access to it. With a deep breath, she looked at Merrick and said, “Let’s go.”
* * *
Simon squinted when they stepped out of the dirt tunnel into the sun. Shading his eyes, he did a quick perusal of their surroundings. They were on a small stretch of beach between two large cliffs, one of which they had just emerged from.
“God be with you,” the monk said and bowed before Isabella. He then disappeared back into the tunnel opening that was barely visible behind the rock outcropping.
“Where to now?” he asked. From where he stood they only had one option and that was to the other cliff.
“We go for a swim,” she said with a grimace, setting out into the water.
He followed her into the ankle-deep water. “Where are we going?”
“According to the map, the entrance to the cave is on the outermost edge of the cliff. To get there we have to wade through the surf, and we must get there before high tide.”
“What happens at high tide?” he asked, but she didn’t reply, already several yards ahead of him.
He hurried to catch up with her, the frigid water edging up to his hips. She cut a diagonal line toward the opposing cliff. When they had gone far enough out in the water to see down the edge, she turned abruptly right and began slicing through the water toward the rock surface.
The water was now chest-deep on her and getting deeper. If the water got high enough that she was unable to touch bottom, it would spell disaster for her. The current was strong and would dash her against the cliff. Add to that the icy temperature was fast numbing his extremities. They would have to get out of the water soon or freeze.
“There! There it is,” she said excitedly, pointing toward the wall.
He followed the direction of her hand and saw a small opening in the rock. She struggled to hurry to the entrance. Wanting to hurry as much as she did, he scooped her up against him and dug into the sand beneath his feet, propelling them forward.
They reached the entrance, and Isabella put a hand out to him. “We will have to swim a short distance through the tunnel but it opens up quickly.” Her eyes flashed anxiously, and her hand shook discernibly. “At least I think it does.”
“I’m ready when you are,” he said calmly, trying to infuse a measure of confidence into his voice.
She drew in a deep breath and quickly ducked under the water shooting forward into the cave. He gave her but a moment’s head start before plunging below the icy surface and swimming through the passageway.
The passage seemed to close around him as his hands skated along the walls. He fought the panic that swelled in his chest and concentrated on making it through.
Just when he felt he couldn’t hold his breath a second longer, the walls disappeared under his hands, and he pulled himself upward with powerful strokes. A few seconds later, he bobbed to the surface and saw Isabella come up for air a few feet away.
He glanced around the large cavern, amazed at its vastness. The diameter wasn’t overly large, but the height was immense, stretching nearly as tall as the cliff itself. He could find no apparent way out of the area and hoped it didn’t mean another long swim into the unknown.
“Where to now?” he asked.
