The Survivor (Eve Duncan #30)

10:20 A.M.

The waterfall was over forty feet high and beautifully picturesque, Riley thought. It looked like an integral part of the jungle surrounding it, and the mountains they’d so recently left appeared distant and far away from this vantage point.

“Ready?” Cade asked as he came back from talking to Kirby. “The area appears as safe as the proverbial church. Maya’s Captain Galdar has had his men out here since daybreak and no intruders of any kind. They’ll remain on guard until we return whether or not we’re successful. Kirby’s gone behind the waterfall to locate that sliding false door Maya told us about. He and Donal Wilson will be going up ahead of us until we reach the midpoint where we’ll have to put on the oxygen equipment. Then we’ll take the lead until we get to the tower.” He paused. “Or you could sit this one out.”

She should have known Cade would make one last attempt. She shook her head and smiled. “And miss finding the great lady herself? Silvana is waiting for me. Even Maya realized that, or she wouldn’t have called me at Cambry House that night.”

His lips tightened. “This isn’t going to be like the time we found Helen. That was a magic night for you. Maya said that breathing was starting to hurt by the time she got halfway up the mountain.”

Only that wasn’t how Maya had referred to that point, Riley remembered.

“But we’ll have protective gear. We’ll just move fast and get in and then out.” She added quietly, “Maya would have loved to be here, but she’s leaving it to me. I can’t let her down. No suicide missions, but we’re going to try our damnedest. Okay?”

He stared at her for a frustrated minute. Then he muttered, “What the hell. It’s good you wore those combat boots. You’re probably going to be stepping on a lot of spiders while we’re still down in that cave.”

“Spiders?” She gave a mock shiver. “Oh, well, last time it was snakes.”

“You have to take what you get,” Cade said. “They’ll probably scamper away when the temperature goes down.” He took her hand. “It’s time for us to get inside. Let’s go find Kirby.”

INSIDE THE CAVE

HOURS LATER

“How are you doing?” Cade asked as he stepped closer so that his head flashlight shone on her face. “You look fine.”

Darkness. Freezing cold. Crawling creatures in the walls and coming out of the cracked stones of the path.

“I am fine now that I’m rid of all those spiders,” she said lightly. “I thought you were trying to intimidate me when you mentioned them. One of them looked as big as a tarantula.” She pulled her jacket closer to her body. “And I’m a little cold, but it’s what I expected. Now stop hovering and let’s get going again. We should be near that halfway point, shouldn’t we?” She carefully avoided calling that halfway point the death zone as Maya had. “That should be a plus.”

“Kirby just texted me. He and Donal reached there a couple minutes ago and retrieved the jewel chests. The oxygen equipment and suits Maya left were where she said they’d be and seemed to be in good shape. Since they started ten minutes before we did, you can do the math.”

“Yes, I can.” She hid a sigh of relief as she started up the path again. “And it can’t be soon enough. Let’s get this party started.”

“By all means.” Cade fell into step with her but was careful not to touch or offer assistance. “Because it’s clear you’re very fine indeed, Riley.”

“I still feel like someone from outer space in this bizarre outfit,” Riley murmured. “It might not be as bulky as a space suit but it’s definitely awkward.” They moved toward the ornately carved door with gold hinges that gleamed in the bright light of the headsets they were wearing beneath their helmets. “I wonder what Silvana would think of us.”

“I think she’d believe we’re very intelligent to find a way to approach her august presence without risking our necks.” He took out the bejewled key Maya had given him and inserted it in the lock. “Unless she mistakes us for enemies from Rome, and then we might be in deep trouble. I imagine she’d rise from that burial coffin and attack us with her bow and arrow.”

“That’s not funny. Be a little respectful.”

“I couldn’t be more respectful.” He turned the key. “I have the deepest admiration for warriors, and she was amazingly intelligent along with it. Just the fact that she saved those unicorns would be enough for me. Of course, it would be even better if she had a sense of humor…” He swung open the door.

Ice. Ice everywhere.

Gleaming like glass on the blue tile floor. Icicles hung from the two chandeliers in the room. The case of weapons and shield against the far wall glittered with it. Across the small room a gold-trimmed coffin also shimmered with ice.

“How do we get to the coffin?” Riley asked.

“Very carefully,” Cade said. “But the combat boots we’re wearing may help.” He took her arm and they carefully shuffled across the intervening space until they reached the coffin. “Not so bad,” Cade looked for the closure on the lid of the coffin. “No lock.” With utmost care he lifted the lid.

Riley stepped closer to help and held her breath as she looked down at Silvana.

More ice.

Her gown was gold cloth, but it was covered in a sheet of ice. Riley slowly raised her gaze to look at Silvana’s face. It was not a youthful face but that of a woman in her seventies. But it was a smooth, unlined countenance that appeared much younger. And there was one other characteristic that shocked Riley.

No ice!