“Just hold our hands,” she snapped.
Caleb sighed and held up his hands. Orlando took his left, Phoebe his right.
“No caressing,” Phoebe hissed, a smile breaking free. Then lower, “At least make this look good for prying eyes.”
Renée glowered at them. “Hurry.”
Phoebe closed her eyes, squeezing both hands, just as Orlando gasped. But it was Caleb who jerked as if electrocuted, snatching his hands away.
“Holy crap,” Orlando said, still holding onto Phoebe. “What was that?”
Caleb frowned, staring at his hands as if expecting them to be covered with second-degree burns. “I don’t know. I saw something, though.”
“What?” Phoebe asked, leaning over.
“Lydia. It was like she was here. In our circle, holding both my hands. Like she had taken your places.”
“How the hell does that help us?” Renée asked.
“It doesn’t,” Caleb said. “But it might help me.”
“I don’t understand.”
Orlando coughed. “Wait! I saw something. Honestly I did. A trail. Glowing, weaving through the soldiers.”
Renée cocked her head. Chang moved in, listening intently.
Phoebe gave Orlando a subtle look to ask if this was just a ploy, but he didn’t even look at her. He stood, releasing her hand, and headed through the Chinese soldiers to the front of the shore. Nodding, he pointed ahead. “I saw it in my vision, a glowing pathway, highlighting the trail we need to take.”
“How wide?” Chang asked.
“Four or five feet.”
“Can you still see it?”
Orlando rubbed his temples, stuck his neck out and stared. Nodded. “I can lead you, just like Caleb led us before on the mosaic floor. I see it.”
“Okay,” Renée said. “Let’s go.”
“I don’t know,” said Caleb. “Why would there be something such as a trail? The clue was that the way past these soldiers must in some way mirror what we did to find the entrance above.”
“I’m not into riddles,” Renée said. “Let’s just test it out. Your boy here thinks he’s seen the way. Let him go a few steps. See how far he can get. If he makes it, then who cares what the clue means? You’re psychics. You don’t need logic.”
Orlando stopped. His gaze swept over the first five rows of warriors lurking in the shadows. He turned and met Phoebe’s eyes. “Um, maybe not. Maybe we should think this through a little more.”
“Did you see it, or didn’t you?” Renée waved him on with her gun.
“No, Orlando!” Phoebe reached out, but two soldiers blocked her way.
“Go,” said Chang, more than happy he wasn’t risking his own men.
Orlando swallowed hard, his raw throat burning with the effort. A dozen flashlights led the way. He tried to look back and catch Phoebe’s eyes, but could only see a swarm of bright lights, blinding him. “Can I get one of those bullet proof jacket things?”
Renée laughed and her voice came back. “Didn’t you say that they won’t help?”
It took a minute for the blind spots to wear off, and then he started to move forward. Lifted his foot and set it ahead, between two infantry men, the hilts of their swords gripped in both hands, the points directed up and inwards, making an inverted V that Orlando had to walk beneath.
His foot touched the ground and he closed his eyes, praying before he put weight on it. He could see it again — the aurora-like trail misting under the feet of the warriors, starting here and then twisting left, then extending forward, around a great bend and then circling up again around the chariots, through the horsemen and in between two largest catapults.
Please work.
“Orlando,” Phoebe called out. “Please be careful.”
A deep, clear breath filled his lungs. And with renewed confidence and trust, he bent under the swords and took one step, then another, following the trail, approaching another warrior, this one with a curved sword over its shoulder, poised as if preparing for a decapitating swing.
His right foot touched down, he put all his weight on it, moved his left foot ahead. But before he picked up his right foot again, the statue moved. Its head swiveled, blank white eyes fixing him with a deadly stare.
“No,” Caleb whispered. Then, “NO! Orlando, don’t move!”
All the flashlights converged on Orlando, dancing around, then hitting the statue, the one that had twisted, the sword rising, trembling.
“Don’t lift your feet!”
Orlando turned his head, trying to balance on the bridge of this foot. His hands were outstretched, reflexively reaching for something to hold until he managed to pull himself back without grabbing another statue, one holding two daggers at the ready. “I think I’m on a pressure plate.”
The lights danced on his face, bringing out tears in his eyes as he refused to close them, hoping to get one last look at Phoebe.
“Sorry,” he said glumly. “I screwed up. I don’t know how, but I must have. I know this is right, I see the trail, but—”
“You didn’t screw up,” Caleb said. “I did.”
“What?” Phoebe was at his side, clutching his arm.
Renée turned toward him. “How is this your fault? Other than not seeing it for yourself and trusting this crucial task to a junior member.”
“Nothing junior about him,” Caleb said. “And he’s seeing the right trail.”
“I am?” Orlando asked, his voice cracking. He looked down at his feet, even as his knees started wobbling.
“It’s the right trail,” Caleb continued, “just at the wrong altitude.”
“Huh?”
“The riddle,” he said. “I figured it out. Unfortunately, a little late.”
“The way past,” Renée intoned. “Same as the way in?”
“Yeah. The secret of the entrance. Remember?”
Phoebe slapped her hand against her forehead. “They moved the river!”
“Exactly.” Caleb pointed down. “I’m guessing there’s an entrance or a tunnel back here somewhere, where the river we just came down continues under this section in another subterranean tunnel. Weaving its way under the warriors.”
“Damn it!” Orlando hissed. “I should’ve figured that out. I even saw what looked like water, glowing water, but I thought it was just part of the vision.”
“Don’t worry, you did good.” Caleb sighed. “Now we’ve got to get you out of there.”
“Impossible,” Renée said. “He takes his chances. Just duck, roll and run back. With any luck, he’ll make it.”
The other soldiers had taken wary steps back, and were spreading out, ducking their heads.
“Get some cover if you can,” Renée barked. “I suspect the arrows might be flying any second.” She turned to Phoebe. “Sorry about your boyfriend, but at least we don’t have to worry about his untrustworthy visions anymore.”
Caleb had to hold Phoebe back as she squirmed. “You bitch!”
“Stop,” he said. “Just wait. We need to think.”
“No time. Chang, find that entrance. Check the walls and the ground back by the water.”
As Chang busied himself with that task, Caleb moved ahead, scanning around. He put his hands down, then slipped off his backpack. Turned around. “Get supplies off that dead man. The heaviest things he’s carrying.” He dropped to his knees and began digging, prying out rocks and chunks of earth and stuffing them in the pack.
Phoebe knelt beside him and started helping. “Good idea.” Her eyes were red and heavy.
“We’ll save him,” Caleb whispered.
Phoebe tried to smile. “I’m not so sure.”