We spent the rest of the day traveling through the caves. No one spoke. It seemed that if we did, the tunnel’s spell would be broken.
The tunnel branched, and the princess took the path to the left without hesitation.
“How do you know which way to go?” I asked quietly.
“I’ve studied the maps.”
She must have memorized the maps. How did she navigate with such certainty? It almost seemed as if she’d been here before.
“We’re almost there,” she said as we rounded a bend. Up ahead, the tunnel widened and the ground leveled off.
Evening sunlight brightened the tunnel, surprising me. Had we spent all night and a day in the dragon’s mountain? Amber rays reflected off the giant crystals growing along our path. It was only then I noticed the crystals were cracked. Deep fissures ran the length of the beryl-shaped stones. The loss of magic must have been affecting the crystals as well as the creatures.
The princess replaced the pendant around her neck as we walked out of the cave and onto a lifeless, volcanic plain. The bloated orange sun sank below the flat horizon. Pumice stones crumbled underfoot as we walked.
There were no trees, no lakes, no ponds, not even weeds. The air grew cold as the sun set and the wind picked up. I used my cloak to shield my nose and mouth from the sand cloud.
Every now and then, Kull glanced behind us and then straight ahead, as if searching for something. The farther we walked, the more agitated he became. Darkness encroached, so we made the decision to set up camp.
No one spoke as we rolled out our blankets and lay to rest on the rocky ground. When I closed my eyes, sleep wouldn’t come—there was a chill in the air that I couldn’t shake. After finally drifting off, I was soon awoken by Kull kneeling over me. When I sat up, I saw that it was still dark.
“How long did we sleep?” I asked.
“A few hours. The princess got anxious, as did I. We cannot afford to rest any longer.”
He helped me stand up and pack what little we had, and then we continued our journey in the darkness, the sound of the howling wind loud in our ears.
After hours of traveling, with sunrise approaching, I spotted a large mass huddled under the glowing moonlight. When we got closer, I recognized the mass as a large building. Crumbling pillars rose into the sky. Tall, gaunt sculptures of hooded skeletons stood watch over a rusted iron gateway. Chills prickled my skin. We’d found the temple.
Kull glanced back, his eyes drawn with worry.
“Is something wrong?” I asked.
He hesitated. “Yes, I believe so.”
“What’s the matter? Are we being followed?”
“No,” he said, and then pointed to a dark spot on the ground.
“What is it?” I asked.
“A partial footprint,” he answered after the princess was out of earshot. “We are not being followed, but rather, we are following someone.”
“Who?”
He shook his head. “I cannot say. Whoever it is has taken great precautions to hide their identity.”
“Do you think the princess knows?”
“I am sure of it. She knew her way through the tunnels too easily.”
“But, who are we following?”
“It is impossible to say. Although, if I am correct, the infiltrator seems to be one step ahead of us. This path we take is one of grave danger.”
Chapter 33
As Kull, the princess, and I approached the labyrinth’s gates, the wind howled with a low moan that rose in pitch until it became a wail. We walked beneath a towering portcullis, the stones of its frame black and crumbling, and then stepped into a cobbled courtyard.
The wind stopped. Overhead, the sky was still dark and flecked with stars. Why had the wind suddenly died down? I detected no magic here. Peering around the courtyard, I hoped to find some reason for the odd shift in weather. Three arched doorways stood before us, but beyond them, I saw only darkness.
“Which one should we go through?” I asked.
“My crystals will show us the way.” She walked across the courtyard, the open space making her footfalls echo. She stopped at a crumbling fountain carved in the shape of a ball. A crescent-shaped symbol rose from the fountain’s centermost point. I followed the princess to the fountain. On closer inspection, I found a hole on top, just below the moon-shaped symbol, from which I assumed water would have spouted, but now only an empty cavity remained.
Princess Euralysia looked up at me, her shadowed blue eyes intense. “These structures are called silvergates. Their purpose is to preserve the temple and all knowledge contained within. They protect the fortress from storms, armies, and anything else that might harm it.”
“Then how are we to destroy them?”
“It will not be easy. I will need both of you to aid me.” She pulled off her necklace and removed one crystal from the chain. Holding it carefully, she handed the crystal to Kull.
“Kull,” she said, “only a non-magic user can place the stone into the silvergate. Olive, your Earth magic and the magic of the Everblossom are necessary to activate the spell once the stone is positioned correctly. Once it is activated, a light will appear from this shaft and point in the direction of the second silvergate, and it, in turn, will guide us to the final gate. Once we have activated all three gates, the fortress will be destroyed.”
I wanted to go along with her, but how could I be sure this was the right thing to do? She wanted me to use the Everblossom’s powers for destruction. I wouldn’t destroy anything unless I positively knew I was doing the right thing.
“Are you sure about this?” I asked. “How can you be certain that destroying the temple will help
