“Excellent.” I tried not to sound surprised that there was a tunnel.
The tunnel led under the palace wall and opened into a cave. It must have been where Viktor had surfaced.
My heart ached at the thought of him, but I pushed it aside, using the pain to fuel my determination. Jacque helped me down from the horse, and I observed the cave. I saw the tunnel Viktor had mentioned with the false wall.
“Jacque, I have to leave you here.”
“No, Princess. The Prince said to see you safely back to the palace!”
“And are we not in the palace, Jacque?”
He looked to his feet and then back up at me. “Yes, Princess, but I am to guard you with my life.”
This was going to be harder than I thought.
“Fine. You can come, but clearly we can’t leave the horse here. Is there somewhere you can hide him?”
“I could take him back into the forest and tie him there.”
“Yes, but then you would have to walk all the way back and I would have to wait here. I tell you what. You go back to my brother. He needs help fighting, and he will want to know I was returned to the palace safely.”
He looked like he wanted to argue but was unsure of his argument.
“Jacque. Don’t displease me. I am the Princess, and I do not require an armed escort. After all, I’m not the one in danger; the Prince is, and you were only to get me to the palace because I requested you, as I didn’t know the way. Now if you could be so gracious as to light me a torch, I’ll make my way back to my chambers.”
He looked at me, still hesitant.
“Quickly now!”
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
I watched him leave and then headed to the wall. I pushed against it. Just as Viktor promised, the wall moved. I needed to get to the inner sanctum. The passageway twisted and turned once again, like a maze, and soon I was lost. To make matters worse, I tripped and dropped my torch. I quickly scooped it back up, but the floor of the tunnel was wet, and as the last flicker went out, I rounded a corner. I realized I was outside of the sliding panel behind Sapphira’s armoire. No wonder I’d been lost. I’d never come this way before. My heart pounded with relief. I could grab the lantern from inside the Princess’s bedroom and head back out. I knew how to get to the jewel room through the fireplace.
I placed my ear to the door. Hearing nothing, I slipped back into Sapphira’s room. My skin prickled with foreboding, images nudging my brain, as I looked around the room. Something was wrong. I could see the glow of candlelight spilling from the balcony door. I balled my fingers into tight fists and readied myself for confrontation. The hairs at the nape of my neck stood on end, just as they had in my vision, and there was a chill in the air. I felt him. I knew who was here amidst the howling wind and driving rain even before he stepped back inside the room.
Henri.
He stood there gloating. There was no denying I knew where the jewel was hidden.
“There you are, my darling.” A smug smile spread across his lips.
A ripple of déjà vu passed across my skin as he said it.
For a heartbeat we regarded each other. He was utterly still, dark eyes probing my body. I was happy and concerned all at once at having left the jewel in the case. He couldn’t steal it from me if it wasn’t on me, but I couldn’t use it against him either. The map, on the other hand, was still in my pocket.
He stood in a relaxed pose, studying me. “So, my darling, where are you returning from?”
“How’d you know I’d be here?” I demanded.
He cocked one eyebrow. “How’d I know you’d be in the room I locked you in?” He shrugged.
“What do you want?” My voice sounded rough. I was stalling, I knew what he wanted.
His eyes narrowed. I eased sideways, putting more distance between me and him, but he stepped forward, his stance rowing bolder. “I simply want to have a chat.”
“Cut the bullshit, Henri.”
All humour dropped from his face.
“Doing away with the niceties? That’s fine by me.” Rage flamed in his eyes as he captured my wrist, his fingers digging hard enough to make fire shoot to my elbow. “Where’s the Purple Delhi Sapphire? Tell me, or die.”
I screamed and pulled away. “Where’s Nico? He’ll put an end to this.” I ran for the door shouting Nico’s name.
Henri chuckled.
Had he hurt Nico? I ran out the door, smack into the chest of a large man.
“What in the devil’s name is all this shouting?”
“Nico. We were just talking about you,” Henri said.
“Nico,” I said, shaking uncontrollably. “Thank God. Help me. This man… Henri is trying to kill me.”
I took a step back as Nico crossed the room, closing in on the Comte. He was big, but not as big as… My heart ached as I thought of Viktor lying on the ground. I shook it off. It wasn’t meant to be. You’re here to stop the assassination attempt on the Prince and prevent the Comte from getting his hands on the Purple Delhi Sapphire’s magic.
I turned my thoughts back outward, surveying the two men. Nico had a good two inches on the Comte, and that made me feel better. But the grace of his movements caused the hair on the back of my neck to rise. Something about Nico seemed very familiar, from his silken blond hair down to the way he held his cane.
“Henri, my boy. You just cannot help yourself from fouling up, can you?” His eyes narrowed, the line of his jaw shifting into a grimace.
“I’m sorry, sir,” Henri answered.
“He’s looking for the Purple Delhi Sapphire. Charles told me to find you.”
“Charles? You’ve seen Charles? My, my, you’ve been busy. Come here, Henri. I need to speak with you in private.”
Alarm bells continued to go off in the back of my mind.
As he led the Comte to the balcony, I crossed my arms protectively and looked at the open door. Something about this situation felt wrong. Should I run? Curiosity got the better of me.
His cane.
That was it. Nico was the man I’d seen outside Rochus’s cottage. Hadn’t I seen him bribing the apothecary owner for information? Had I misread the situation?
I inched closer to the balcony to hear what they were saying. The whispered voices and hushed tones reminded me of the conversation I’d overheard before.
The Snake and Enzo.
Suddenly one of them screamed. I ran to the door just as Henri slumped to the ground, his eyes rolling backward permanently. One last expression crossed his face, one of surprise and confusion.
Cloth in hand, Nico walked toward me, wiping the blood from his dagger. The sudden change in his demeanour left me suspicious. I looked again at the dagger; the design of a serpent wrapped down its length.
“There, he won’t be bothering you anymore.”
“Y-you stabbed him,” I stuttered.
“Yes, I know. Didn’t you want him to leave you alone?”
I stood there, shaking, as he approached. His cheeks curved up in amusement as he reached out to run his thumb over my lower lip. “Princess Sapphira, you’re so naïve,” he crooned. “Where’s the Purple Delhi Sapphire?”
“What? But I thought…” Confusion scrambled my mind.
“You thought… Henri was the bad man? Oh, my dear, naïve Sapphira. Henri was only a pawn in my game. Now I want control over that jewel and its magic.”
“I don’t care what you threaten to do to me. I’ll never let you touch it,” I bluffed, knowing I was in trouble if I couldn’t get back to the hidden chamber to get the jewel.
“Oh but I already have… Touched it, that is.” He paused to rub his chin. “Right before I murdered your father.”
“You murdered Sapp—my father?” My heart twisted; I felt her anger and sadness well at once within me.
I rubbed
my hands up and down my arms, trying to warm them. I needed to get him talking, stall him while I thought of a plan.
“How?” I sputtered.
“How do you think? His Serene Highness heard of the magical jewel and desired to purchase it, as he did all rare gems. He loved to covet all that was beautiful, never giving me what was mine. I was there when he met with William Ferris Sr., but he refused it. The fool said he would not bring such a cursed stone under our roof.”
“You murdered Prince Florestan for protecting his family?”
“Of course. I saw him eyeing me warily as I held it. I knew he could hear the stone speaking to me. He didn’t want me to possess that magic, and I knew he was bluffing. He bought the Purple Delhi Sapphire, and he hid it in this very palace. When he refused to admit it, I killed him.”
“But he didn’t buy that gem. Charles did, from Will Ferris’s son, as a gift for me. You killed him for nothing.”
“That’s surprising, but not for nothing. He refused to give me your hand in marriage.”
“That’s treason! Regicide, as a matter of fact,” I retorted. “I’ll be sure everyone knows.”
“You won’t live long enough to tell a soul.” Fury flared once again in his dark eyes. “You can join your brother in the grave tonight.”
“Don’t count on that. I’ve alerted him and his guards, and you’re going to fail.” Sapphira and Viktor may die, but so do you. “That’s why you want the jewel, isn’t it? Because time travelling is the only way you can go back and fix your mistakes.”
“Time travel? My, my, my, aren’t you the clever girl.” Nico smirked. “And if you’re correct?” His eyes glittered with amusement. “You think I’d give up? I’ll never give up.”
I didn’t dignify the remark with a response.
He closed in and circled me, his feet barely making a sound across the floor. “I think I feel the magic emanating from you right now. Do you have the stone on you? No, you can’t. It’s much too weak, but its close by, isn’t it? You know, I’d much rather team up with you than fight you. If you’d only be more agreeable.”
I lashed out with a fist, only to have his forearm block my punch.
He picked up my struggling body and tossed me onto the bed. I landed with a thump and rolled over just as he came down on top of me. “Well, if you insist,” he murmured.
I lifted my hand, preparing to slap him.
“What’s this?” he said, picking up my wrist. “This is what I’m feeling. What is it? It’s not the stone, but it gives off a faint hum of its power.”
Gigi’s bracelet. I won’t lose it too, not like the ring. Fear bubbled just under the surface, not that I’d give him the satisfaction of seeing it.
I jabbed him hard in the nose, at the same time kicking out and catching him just below the knee. I grinned as he stumbled off me, catching himself on the desk.
“Gutsy little wench. And what is that in your pocket?”
I stood up, placing my hand protectively over the diary and map; I ran for the balcony, narrowly avoiding the dead body. I had to make it to the lantern to burn the map. He followed slowly. Toying with me like a cat with a mouse. A slight shift in the air alerted me to his movement seconds before he leapt for my throat.
His grip was steely around my neck; stars danced before my eyes, and a strange sound gurgled in my ears. My energy was depleted. I couldn’t breathe, and then he let up.
“You really don’t understand, do you?”
“Understand what?” I gasped, taking in gulp after gulp of air.
He loosened his grip further, almost incredulous at my comment.
“The power of the Purple Delhi Sapphire’s magic!” There was a note of disbelief in his voice, and his expression suggested he wasn’t just toying with me.
“No, but neither do you. This stone is cursed. You’re cursed,” I said, my eyes probing the sky as if I could probe my own brain. “And you’ve cursed me along with you.”
“If we’re already cursed, then give me what I want and I’ll let you live.” His voice was intense.
My eyelids dropped.
Madam Brun had warned me that he’d killed me in every life.
He fixed his odd, black eyes on me once more. “I want the Purple Delhi Sapphire,” he said smugly. “And only you know how to give it to me.”
“Then go find it. Why kill me?”
“Even if I knew where it was, I can’t just take it from you because the magic won’t transfer. You have to give it to me,” he whispered in my ear.
“I don’t know how.”
“Your friend Rochus does. He wrote it down in that promising little book of his. He can’t hold out forever. As a matter of fact, I hear he’s close to breaking. Soon he’ll tell me where he’s hidden it, and you’ll have to hand over the sapphire and, with it, all its magic, because if you don’t…”
I thrust my hand toward his face and pressed my thumb deep into his eye, no longer interested in his threats. He stumbled backward, releasing his grasp on my neck. He reached out for me. I couldn’t keep this up for much longer. He was so strong. Panic squeezed my chest. I felt the heat that burned at my back.
I needed to trap him in the jewel he so loved or face him following me in every life, but I’d naively left the glittering purple stone in its case.
With the last of my strength, I struggled to reach for the oil lantern, managing to grasp it and smash it at his feet.
Like a human torch, he caught the flame and fell back over the balcony. Happiness flooded my body.
Then I realized that he still hung there. He’d managed to grasp the ledge and also the hem of my skirt. Flames now danced poetically up my dress.
Left to right. Right to left.
I stepped back at the same time he tugged, letting go of the ledge, the only thing keeping him suspended. The force on my hem was too much, and I tumbled over the railing, joining him in his plight.
Vertigo twirled in my stomach. I’m going to die. Suddenly lights flashed around me. I was mesmerized.
I was once again being heaved toward something. Something bigger and far more important—another chance to break the curse. Time slowed. My body tingled and buzzed, and then it all stopped. I opened my eyes.
EPILOGUE
Toronto, 1920
Marjorie emerged out of a dream, aware even as she floated toward consciousness that she had momentarily dozed off. Something had pulled her to the surface. Not a sound but a sense of intuitive caution stirred her awake. She sleepily raised her lids.
The first thing she saw was another pair of familiar eyes, so steely grey-blue they startled her. The sight of them caused an echo in her soul; something about her eldest daughter haunted her. Something was amiss. She appeared very small standing there. Very serious too; a little frown creased her brow. She straightened herself and reached out for her daughter.
“What is it, Zafira? You don’t seem like yourself today.”
The Temple of Indra’s Jewel: Page 24