Heart Stone

by J. A. Culican

  "There, did that help take your mind off some of your discomfort?" I was uncomfortably warm now, even though it was a cool night.

  She nodded mutely, biting her bottom lip as she looked at me intently before finally answering. "I can't wait for this trip to be over. I’d love to have a nice, warm bed and hot bath."

  I swallowed hard at the images that came to mind when her eyelids drooped lazily and leaned back for another kiss. Of course, it was the exact moment the camel shifted. Losing my balance, I gripped her thighs and righted myself, heart pounding from exhilaration and fear.

  Our eyes met, wide and full of desire and in unison, we burst into laughter.

  "I agree. I want to be alone with you in a quiet place, preferably one which doesn't move. I think I’m ready to take our relationship to the next level."

  She nodded, the stars in the sky pale in comparison to the stars in her eyes. We may have been in the desert, but right then I felt like I was in the most beautiful rain forest in the world.

  "I see it!" Sel’s excited shouting interrupted us.

  I turned, still breathless from our interlude.

  There, rising out of the desert like a phoenix, was the temple.

  At first, I could almost convince myself it was another set of caves, like the ones we’d slept in the first day. But after only a few seconds it was obvious the building had been specifically placed there for worship at some point in time.

  One peak rose over the sand above the rest of the building. The closer we came, the more I could see of the architecture. Even though the color of the sandstone blended with the desert around it, as though deliberate hands had constructed it. I turned to smile at Gwen once more and turned to face the temple.

  Would we find what we were looking for? And what else would we find inside?

  Our dismount from the camels proved awkward, painful, and hilarious. I managed to keep myself from falling by half-sliding, half jumping. To my surprise and amusement, Will was the one who landed face first in the sand. It may have had something to do with Sel attempting to get off the camel at the same time, but it provided a welcome distraction from the feeling someone had decided to sever all the muscles in my inner thighs. It was the worst pain I could remember, and the first few steps felt as if somebody was trying to make sure I was unable to run ever again.

  We hobbled toward the half-buried entrance, the large stone blocks which made up the walls and the archway worn by the sand and time, yet still fitting perfectly together. It looked as if someone had scooped out an area near the door, and to my surprise, it stood wide open. I exchanged cautious looks with the others as Nyalla began to venture inside.

  Putting a hand out, I stopped her. "If the temple is anything like other places housing objects of immense value, this door should have been locked. There should be traps, ways to keep out the unworthy." I shook my head and narrowed my eyes as I looked around the empty entryway. "I think someone's been here. Look."

  The others followed my finger to the footprints visible just inside the doorway. With the light from Will’s torch, I looked at the walls and ceiling, noting darts lying nearby on the ground. My heart sank.

  "What do you think that means?" Will pointed to the opposite end of the room, where another door hung ajar, a piece of wood appearing to be keeping it open.

  "I think it means we’re too late." Gwen’s voice was resigned, and she patted my shoulder. Nyalla looked furious. "How is this possible? No one passed us."

  I shook my head, hardly registering her uncharacteristic anger as I cautiously moved through the room to the other door, sliding between the makeshift lever and the door.

  The inner sanctum was right there, with a pedestal directly beneath the sunlight. The sun was just rising, so it wasn’t brightly lit, but I knew at midday the sun would shine directly onto the empty pedestal beneath it.

  Chapter 19

  I waved a hand at the pedestal, then allowed it to slap against my thigh. "Well, that answers that question."

  I glared at the empty spot for moment before shifting my gaze to the rest of the room. Gwen looked as upset as I felt, and Will and Sel appeared disappointed. I allowed myself a glance at Nyalla, but her initial fury had given way to a speculative look.

  "I can't believe it!" I growled at the room, clenching my fists, and banging them on the sides of my legs hard enough I could feel it. "This has been a complete waste of time. It's gone. Someone beat us here."

  Gwen looked at me, a commiserating expression on her face, but I was having none of it. Everything we’d gone through—being kidnapped, thrown into a dungeon, escaping, days of walking in the desert. All a complete waste.

  "We had no proof it was going to be here in the first place," Will said, keeping his voice mild.

  I turned to him with a snarl. "Of course, we did! It was all there in the books. Granted, the landscape looks different now, but it was supposed to be here!"

  My frustration echoed loudly through the chamber, increased by the fact none of my friends appeared to understand the depth of my emotion. I'd reached the end of the journey where the prize was supposed to be waiting, and instead had been rewarded with nothing. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. Why would the Library send us here for nothing?

  "Look,” he gestured around the room. “There's more here than just the stone, which I assume was supposed to be on the pedestal? Look at the rest of the room."

  In my singled-minded focus, he’d noticed what I hadn’t. He was right. Although less stocked than the Library by far, the room had its own variety of books, parchments, and scrolls. None of which appeared to have the Heart Stone, unfortunately.

  "Yeah, that's great. But if scavengers beat us here and took the stone, all of this is useless. There's no way to find out where the stone went by reading anything here."

  Even as frustration threatened to burn me up from inside, curiosity stirred in my soul. I ruthlessly tried to shut it down. I knew I sounded like a spoilt child to the others present, but my complaint was valid.

  The Library wanted me to find the Heart Stone, which meant at best these books were a distraction, and at worst, they may keep me from finding what I needed.

  "True, they won't tell you where the stone is now. But I bet something in here could still be useful." He smiled brightly.

  His words were irritating, but I could tell he was trying to lighten my mood. Sadly, it wasn't helping. I sat down on the floor knees splayed as I rested my head on my palms. The ground beneath my feet had a brown stain which looked suspiciously like blood.

  Far too much for it to have been a minor injury.

  Sadness for others who had lost their lives looking for the stone suddenly filled me with a wave of hopeless despair. I had no idea what to do next.

  A gentle hand patted my shoulder and I looked up, expecting Gwen. I blinked when I saw Nyalla’s smooth expression.

  "I can see you're upset," she began.

  I snorted at the obviousness of her statement, but she ignored my rudeness.

  "It’s easy to see you have trust issues, but I’m hopeful we can find the stone. I know the people of this desert and I know this land. We would've been here days earlier had I realized this is where you meant to go."

  "Maybe we would've beat whoever took it," Will muttered, earning another glare from me. He pressed his lips together tightly and fell silent.

  Nyalla shot him a half-smile before crouching next to me. “I don't think you’re right, based on the amount of dust here."

  Nyalla gestured to the area around the pedestal. She was right. Whoever had taken the Heart Stone had taken it long ago, months, or even longer, well before I’d had any sign from the Library I needed to search for it. Nyalla’s casual observation made me feel far better than any of Will’s comments had so far.

  "You're right," I agreed, giving her a tentative smile. "I was so upset to not see the stone I didn't realize the sand and dust is too thick for someone to have beaten us by only days. Although it doe
sn't help us find it, it does make me feel a little better about our journey not being a waste."

  Nyalla nodded, accepting the unspoken apology. "Exactly. Which means someone was looking for the stone prior to the start of your travels." She paused, looking at me intently. "I know you don't trust me, but I promise I can help you find the stone. You just have to believe me. Give me a chance."

  I looked into her earnest face, wondering again why I was having so much trouble with her. Even as the key pulsed gently, reminding me of its cautious presence, I couldn’t think of a single occasion where she had done anything to harm us.

  Hadn't she fed us, kept us safe, and kept us from getting lost? She’d even found camels for the trip, which granted, could fall into either the harm or help category.

  It was a tough choice. The guys had fallen under her spell, if they weren’t madly in love with her. Even Gwen had softened. Except for the one night where Nyalla had referred to herself as Y’serra, I had nothing tangible to base my worries on.

  Not to mention we still had no better way to find the stone.

  "I do trust you, Nyalla. It's just, well, I'm not used to telling people what I'm thinking. Even my friends." I shrugged, giving her an apologetic look as I caught nods of agreement from the guys.

  Gwen looked thoughtful but didn't agree or disagree.

  Nyalla opened her eyes wide, hope radiating out of her. "Does that mean you'll trust me from now on? I need to know everything you do if we hope to find the stone. I may know the people and the land here, but you're the one with the information. If you think something might be important to help find its location, you'll have to let me know from now on. Can you promise me you’ll keep me updated?"

  I took a deep breath. The key pulsed and even as I outwardly promised to Nyalla I would trust her, I promised the key I would tell her as little as possible to make sure the Heart Stone didn't fall into the wrong hands.

  Whether or not those hands were Nyalla's, I had no idea. The key calmed slightly but didn't return to the same cool surface it normally possessed.

  I could feel it was waiting, still cautious, and although I smiled for the sake of the others, I knew there was no way I’d ever trust Nyalla fully. Not so long as I remembered her connection to Y’serra.

  "Great!" Her face broke into a triumphant smile.

  Will and Sel looked similarly excited, but Gwen maintained the thoughtful, intent expression she’d worn earlier.

  “So now what?" I stood, brushing the dirt off my pants.

  As everyone turned to Nyalla, she looked around the room, then strode across to the wall behind the empty podium. “Here,” she pointed at a map I hadn’t noticed earlier. “I was hoping to see something like this."

  I squinted at it, but it wasn’t one I recognized. It hadn’t been in the books or papers I’d found on the region.

  "How is it helpful?" Gwen moved closer to get a better look.

  Nyalla pointed at the lines on the paper. "Even if the landscape has changed, the topography remains mostly the same. Take away the trees and the rivers, and you’ll always be left with solid ground underneath."

  When she nodded her understanding, Nyalla continued.

  "There are several towns where the Oubliee live, and they are all arranged around this temple. Even though many are within an easy day’s distance, no one comes here anymore, as nothing of value remains."

  When I looked at the books and frowned, Nyalla shook her head.

  "Those may be of value to you, or to another scholar or Librarian, but when people live in the desert, things such as books and parchment are useless except for wiping yourself once you've had a bowel movement or to start a fire on a cold night. While it is surprising so many remain, my guess is it was likely too much work for too little reward."

  Will pursed his lips. "They probably thought the temple was haunted or cursed. Or more likely, it wasn't worth risking booby-traps just to get enough kindling to last a few hours."

  “Exactly. Someone did trip them at some point, likely when the valuables and possibly the Heart Stone were taken."

  Although my distrust lingered, everything she said made sense. "Where would you recommend we head from here? Is there any place you can think of which would be more likely to harbor the stone?"

  I heard the hope in my voice. Was I was being naïve? Here I was, unable to trust my guide yet still hoping the answers would drop into my lap.

  "Not exactly,” she shook her head. “I think we should take the camels to the nearest town and rest there before we make plans. With any luck, the scavengers won't have made it to the town we're going. I have some friends who can shelter us there for the day, and if they haven’t heard anything, we’ll travel by night to the next town."

  I looked up at the skylight dubiously. The room was now much brighter. "How far is it? Surely it will be too hot for us to make it all the way there now."

  Nyalla followed my gaze. “With the camels? About an hour. Without, usually two or three. If we leave now, I think we can make it before it becomes unbearably hot. I recommend completely covering your faces though, as even the morning sun can burn strong men in minutes."

  As I looked around the room, I wasn’t sure why we couldn't stay, but it was already becoming uncomfortably warm as the sun moved higher in the sky. The temple may provide partial shelter from the elements, but if it was only an hour to the nearest town it would be best to leave now, especially if we wanted to keep the camels healthy.

  "I'm game if you guys are." Will spoke first, while Sel nodded in response.

  I looked at Gwen, who inclined her head. Exhaling, I added my agreement. "Okay, I'll trust you. Let’s go."

  Nyalla clapped her hands, taking on a brisk air. "Excellent! If there's anything you want, take it now. It will likely go the way of whatever else was in the rooms we passed through. Otherwise, get back to the camels. This will be a most uncomfortable trip."

  We carefully searched the room but found nothing of value as expected. disappointed at coming all this way for nothing, I mounted the camel with more difficulty than at the oasis due to protesting muscles.

  As the camels plodded on and the temple faded into the desert behind us, I peered through the narrow slits in my scarf which allowed me to see. Even though it was nearly suffocating me, I was thankful for the thick material.

  In moments, the temple was swallowed by the desert and I turned to face what lay ahead.

  What was I was getting us into by trusting Nyalla with our lives? Would I live long enough to find out?

  Chapter 20

  Nyalla had been accurate at estimating the time it would take, but when we arrived at the first town, I swiftly realized town meant a small outpost.

  There couldn’t have been more than forty houses in front of us, made from the same material the ones in the scavenger's village had been. The size of the community made sense when I looked at the sparse housing closely nestled together near a rocky outcropping with a tiny creek. The area could probably only support a few families at a time.

  When Nyalla caught my concern, she chuckled. "Don't worry, people here have adapted to their conditions. Each of the towns I know of are at most a few hours walk apart. Close enough to trade and marry outside of immediate families, but far enough they don’t drain place the other group’s subsistence level industries."

  "What kind of things do they trade?" Gwen was looking at the houses with interest. I could tell she was intrigued by a lifestyle so different from hers in the forest. I had always thought of her as a loner and couldn’t picture her living so close to anyone other than her wolves, which gave my heart a strange twinge of pain.

  "It depends on the location. Some of the villages mine coal, which can be burnt for heat and light, others on the river, such as this one harvest fish, and a few have hillside terraces which have been painstakingly cultivated for growing food. Each has developed a niche, but they are all interdependent."

  I bit my lip, considering her words. "So, doe
s you think that because they are so interdependent the Heart Stone may have made its way along the trading route?"

  She smiled, pleased at my guess. "Exactly my suspicions. The man I know here, in what they call Johnstown, is someone who’d know if anything out of the ordinary has come through the market lately." She leaned over, lowering her voice. "Legal and illegal, if you know what I mean."

  I nodded my head but had no idea what she meant. I looked at Will, who raised and lowered his eyebrows quickly a few times. I'd have to ask him what kind of things went on in an illegal market when we weren’t in such an unsecured area.

  Nyalla showed us where to tie up the camels, and once they were secure, knocked on a small hut beside the hitching post.

  "I'm coming, I'm coming! Don't you know it's rude to wake someone up?" The voice was grumpy and gruff, but the person who opened the door was human and friendly looking. His eyes had been drawn together in a frown which quickly changed to a smile, complete with twinkling eyes and a dimple in his left cheek.

  "Nyalla! I didn't know you were coming through here! Why didn't you tell us?"

  "I didn't know I was, John, or I would have. Besides, you know I would've reached here prior to any word of my trip."

  "True. So, how long are you staying this time?" He opened the door wide and ushered us in. He barely seemed to register the fact we were strangers. It seemed as if any friend of Nyalla's was a friend of his.

  "Any relation to the John this town is named after?" Will tilted his head as he looked at the other man.

  John burst out in a belly laugh so hard it caused tears to spring to his eyes and he wiped them as he shut the door behind us. The temperature dropped a good five to ten degrees, a pleasant change from the heat I felt was baking my thick robes into my skin.