“I thought God did that.”
“It was myrrh. The little bit the Magi left as a gift was enough to resurrect two men, perhaps more! IMagine what I can do when I find their entire store!”
“What you can do?” She frowned. “What about the rest of your Heilig Herrschaft friends?”
“Heilig Herrschaft has its own plan for the myrrh, and it’s an idiotic one. I don’t think it would work for what they want to do and, even if it did, it’s a bad idea. It goes against what the Dominion stands for.”
“You’re nuts.” Jade meant it. She’d expected this mystery to reveal something unusual. She thought the compass stones might point toward a deposit of the stone from which they’d come, or something with at least some foundation in science, but an embalming oil that restored life?
“You had better hope I’m right.”
“What do I care if you’re right or not?” Up ahead, she spotted a sunken place about the width of a man. Cracks ran across it like cobwebs. Could this be her chance? She needed to keep him talking. “Take your oil and bring back whoever you like. Just let me go.”
Issachar laughed. “You still haven’t figured it out? I thought you were smart, Ihara.”
Ten more steps.
“I have to make sure the oil is going to work before I take it back to the Herrschaft.”
Jade missed a step. She turned and gaped at Issachar. He’d taken off his wraparound shades when they descended into the tunnel, and his scarred face was even more ghoulish in the glow of the compass stone.
“Look who finally caught up. I was going to used one of the two Herrschaft idiots, but it will be much more satisfying to choke the life out of you.” He grinned. “Look on the bright side. If it works, you’ll be the first person in two thousand years to be resurrected. Maybe you can start your own religion.” He gave her a shove to get her moving. “Then again, I might just kill you twice. Double your pleasure, double your fun.” He threw back his head and laughed.
Jade stepped as close as she dared to the edge of the depression, and then stepped across without breaking her stride. She closed her eyes and prayed. Please, please, please…
Issachar’s laughter cut off into a yelp of surprise as the limestone beneath his feet shattered.
Jade looked back, expecting to see a gaping hole in the floor, but instead she saw Issachar stuck up to his armpits in the hole. He was frantically trying to push himself up and out, but he was wedged in tight. He bellowed and thrashed about, but lapsed into silence when his movement caused him to slip a centimeter. He looked up at her, his eyes shining in bewilderment.
“Get me out of here.”
Now it was Jade’s turn to laugh. He had dropped the skull when he fell, and she scooped it up— an awkward task with her bound hands. She looked at the tunnel behind him. There was no way she could get past him, and even stuck as he was, he was strong enough to hurt her. She would have to find another way out.
“It’s been fun, Issachar, but I’ve got go. Don’t bother to write.”
“You help me, Ihara!” he cried. “Help me!”
Still too unnerved to laugh, she hurried down the passageway, his cries ringing in her ears.
Chapter 16 — Sternspitze
“They were definitely here.” Dane kicked at the chunks of ice that had been cleared away from the tunnel entrance. “Somebody’s hacked this up. You can tell by the marks.” He indicated the cuts in the frozen surface.
“Maybe it was Krampus.” Bones winked. “Relax, Maddock. We’re going to get her back.”
“I’m not tense; I’m focused.” Dane didn’t look at Bones. His friend would see the lie in his eyes. “Let’s move.”
The passageways beneath the Sternspitze icefall were just as Adler has described— a confusing, twisting, turning mess that was sure to baffle even the most skilled spelunker.
“It’s like walking through Swiss cheese,” Bones said, running his hand along the pale limestone walls.
“Well, we are in the Alps, though not in Switzerland.”
They each carried a skull and followed in the direction indicated. The stones had, so far, proved to be excellent compasses.
“Keep an eye out for holes,” Dane said. “This place doesn’t seem very solid.”
“Dude, I’m busy trying not to bash my head on the low ceiling. I can’t win.”
They picked their way through the eerie silence. Bones managed to avoid cracking his head, though he frequently complained about his sore back. Dane suspected the complaints were his friend’s way of keeping Dane’s mind off of Jade. It didn’t work but he appreciated the effort.
“Cover the stones. Quick!” Bones whispered.
The world was doused in black and Dane as Bones put their hands over the glowing compass stones. Dane looked all around, all his senses alive.
“What was it?”
“I saw a flash of light down that side passage. It’s gone now.” Bones exhaled slowly. “Think we should check it out?”
Dane frowned. He was sure Issachar had the other skull, which meant he was probably following its compass stone. He felt their best bet was to follow wherever the stones led. That was where he hoped to find Jade, and the truth behind this mystery. He explained his thinking to Bones, who grimaced.
“But what if they’ve already gotten there and are on their way back out.”
“They’d run into us, wouldn’t they?” Unless they made a wrong turn, he thought. “Fine, let’s check it out.”
They crept into the tunnel, each cupping a hand over their compass stone to permit only a minimum amount of light to come through. They moved forward like shadows, alert for any sound or sight that would alert them that someone— or something— approached.
And then Dane heard it. It was a clicking sound, like a deer skittering across pavement. They froze, dousing their lights. Dane’s heart pounded and he stood, nerves tingling, ready to draw his weapon and start shooting. The noise grew louder and then ceased. He caught a faint whiff of a musky, animal scent, and then the sound faded into the distance.
“What the hell was that?” Bones muttered.
“Maybe Adler really did see something.” Dane set his jaw. Whatever it was hadn’t tried to mess with them. That was a good sign.
“Go a little farther?” Bones asked.
“A little.” Dane glanced down at the compass stone on his skull, which was pointing back the way they had come. “Good thing this isn’t a talking GPS.”
“Make a U-turn now,” Bones mimicked. He looked like he was about to continue, but his features froze.
Footsteps were coming their way and moving fast. They covered their lights and drew their pistols. Up ahead, the bend in the passageway began to glow with a faint light that grew brighter as the sound of someone moving grew louder. Now Dane could hear the person breathing, like a runner at the end of a race. He tensed.
“Make sure Jade’s with him,” he whispered to Bones. If Issachar was alone, they’d have to try to overcome him without killing him— at least until they found out what happened to Jade.
But it was not Issachar.
“Jade!” Dane called out when she turned the corner.
Jade screamed and dropped the skull she was carrying. The bronze crown clanked when it hit the floor. She recovered her wits instantly.
“Maddock?” she breathed.
“And his better-looking amigo.” Bones uncovered his compass stone as Dane rushed forward and clutched Jade in a tight embrace.
“Are you all right?”
“Fine. Just banged up and worn out.” She pressed her cheek to his chest and he stroked her hair.
“Where’s Issachar?”