Chapter Forty-Seven

Imogen followed the others up a winding staircase. Colorful crystals embedded in the curved walls illuminated as they passed. The more she walked, the better she felt. Talking about what happened to her family had lifted some of the burden from her chest.

After a hundred steps, the spiral staircase led into a chamber with smooth alabaster walls. Archways and curved tunnels tapered off into the gloom in three directions. They looked more like hallways of an ancient building than a natural cave. The acoustics were so fine-tuned that the group’s footsteps and voices echoed. They entered a great hall with a vast ceiling.

The group walked between two rows of giant white statues carved into granite walls. The animal faces represented the Egyptian gods and goddesses. A few had human faces, like Isis and Nephthys. The two rows, facing one another, reminded Imogen of the temple of Ramses II at Abu Simbel, only there was no sign of Ramses among these. Evidently here the self-idolizing pharaoh was not allowed to sit among the gods. At one end sat Amun-Ra, the king of the gods, the one who originally traveled through Duat. At the opposite end towered Osiris, ruler of the underworld.

Imogen felt tiny in their presence. Of all the ruins she had ever explored, this pantheon of statues was by far the most spectacular. Caleb looked as amazed as she was.

“Just imagine,” she said, “if the legend on that wall back in Nebenteru’s tomb is true, a pharaoh doing his rite of passage might have passed through this very chamber.”

I have walked in the footsteps of the pharaohs, her grandfather had written.

Caleb snapped photos of the statues. “I can’t wait to show these to my editor. Hey, Blondie, how about modeling for the magazine?”

“I told you not to call me that, Flash.” She posed next to Ra’s enormous stone feet.

He took her photo. “Now, that’s one for my personal collection.”

“Save your flashbulbs for the shots that matter,” Trummel barked. “Let’s keep moving.”

Beyond the giant statues, the passage opened to a chamber with another stairway that spiraled down. Trummel started descending the steps.

“Don’t go down there!” Dyfan said frantically.

“Why not? What’s below?”

“I don’t know but I sense it’s very bad.”

Trummel backed away from the staircase. “So all of a sudden you’ve got psychic abilities again?”

“It must come and go,” Dyfan said. “All I know is it’s imperative that we keep moving forward, not down. Whatever waits below would mean death for all of us.”

Trummel nodded. “Let’s keep going forward then.”

Imogen was glad to pass the spiral staircase. After traveling through the bone maze and swamp, she had descended as far as she wanted to go.

Beyond the staircase, they entered a chamber with quartz walls that glittered when their lights passed over them. The energy here was invigorating. She felt an incredible lightness as all her previous anxieties fell away. She wondered if this was what mystics felt when they claimed to feel a connection to God.

“Come see this,” Gosswick called from an adjoining room.

The others followed his voice. The wide chamber shimmered with gold, silver, and colored gemstones. Imogen looked around amazed as their lights panned across multiarmed goddess statues with jewelry hanging from their arms and fingers. Among dozens of necklaces hung twines tied to amulets, rings, and watches.

Trummel ran his palm through the streamers of gold and silver chains. “There’s enough here to make us all rich as kings.”

More trinkets bejeweled the walls in nooks with tiny ledges. These were human artifacts left behind by countless others who had ventured into the caves. Gosswick picked up a pair of dusty spectacles. Trummel thumbed through an old Bible.

While the other three explored intersecting rooms, Imogen walked with Caleb between the multiarmed statues adorned with necklaces.

“Pretty incredible, don’t you think?” he said.

“It’s magical,” she admitted, feeling as if she had stepped into the vault at the Tower of London where the crown jewels were kept. Something familiar caught her eye. From a statue’s finger hung a gold necklace with a half-heart pendant.

“It can’t be…” Tears dampened her eyes as she pulled it down.

“What is it?” Caleb asked.

“This was Grandfather’s.” She pulled out the pendant she wore around her neck, showing him how the two broken halves made one gold heart. “I thought it was lost forever.” Imogen fumbled with the clasp, but she was all thumbs and jumbled nerves.

“Let me.” Caleb opened the catch. Standing close behind her, he fastened Grandfather’s necklace around her neck. The two halves of the heart pendant now hung against her chest.

“What do the broken hearts mean?” he asked.

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“Perhaps, but I want to know what they mean to you.” He turned her so she was facing him. “Tell me something real.” His gaze held hers as he waited.

She drew a deep breath and then exhaled. “Right after my parents died I was lost. More than just sad, I was angry. Angry at God, angry at myself for not being able to save them. I felt so abandoned. There I was a confused eleven-year-old girl without her mum and dad. I didn’t want to live any longer.” She shook her head, remembering what she’d almost done. “In our country house, my grandfather’s study has this giant fireplace. I remember one day standing in front of a blazing fire in the hearth. I seriously thought of walking into the flames. I wanted to burn to ashes and blow away to wherever my parents went. Whether it was heaven or nothingness, I didn’t care. I just wanted the pain and emptiness to end. I was readying myself to step into the fire, when I heard Grandfather calling my name.” She could hear his voice in her head as he ran up the stairs, yelling, “Immy! Where are you, darling girl?”

“He sounded so excited. He’d been away shopping and had no idea what I was contemplating. Grandfather entered his study with the biggest grin and surprised me with a gift.” Telling Caleb the story brought up the memory as real and emotional as the day she’d experienced it.

Grandfather had opened a long velvet case. Inside were two gold necklaces, the halves of the heart pendant conjoined. On the back sides he’d made an inscription. One half read Yours. The other half read Mine.

Grandfather had knelt in front of her. “I know that your mum and dad are gone. I miss them too, very much. But you and I stayed behind for a reason. We must carry on and live more adventures. No matter what hardships we face, we will always have each other.” He separated the heart pendant and placed one necklace around her neck, the other around his. “Always remember, Immy, I am yours and you are mine.”

“He saved me from myself that day, and many other dark days during my teens when my sadness became unbearable. A couple of times I stood on a bridge overlooking the Thames and came close to jumping. But grasping Grandfather’s necklace gave me strength to go on another day.”

As she told the story to Caleb, a heavy pain in her heart lifted. “I never told him that I had considered suicide. Never told anyone.”

Caleb pulled her against his chest and held her for several moments. When she pulled away, sniffing, she looked down at the heart pendant. “This doesn’t feel right, taking his necklace. I’ve got a strong feeling Grandfather left this here as an offering.” She took off both necklaces and hung them together on the statue’s finger. The two heart pieces spun in a circle. Now, strangely, she felt whole again.

“You think that’s what this chamber is?” Caleb asked. “A place to leave offerings to something divine?”

Imogen looked around at all the jewelry, watches, and other personal effects left behind by bygone explorers. “I think it is.”

Caleb nodded and closed his eyes. His hand drew a holy cross from his forehead to chest, shoulder to shoulder. He stayed quiet for a moment. When he opened his eyes again, he removed his silver St. Michael necklace, kissed it, and hung it on the statue’s wrist.

Imogen smiled inwardly. For the first time in months, she felt at peace about her grandfather’s death. He’d come here because he had been called to find a deeper meaning in his life. Somehow he had left completely transformed. She believed now that he came home to tell her about this magical realm. When he died in that asylum, she wondered if his spirit might have returned here somehow. Imogen couldn’t explain how, but she felt his presence here. It comforted her to think that he’d been watching over her this entire time.

Imogen realized she and Caleb had been separated from the group for quite a while. The others had ventured on into the vast rooms of altars and treasures. When she started for the exit, Caleb took her hand. “Imogen, I don’t know if I’m going to get another chance to do this.”

Before she knew it, he pulled her into his arms. Caleb kissed her with a passion she had never felt before. She kissed him briefly, then caught herself and quickly pulled away, feeling a bit dizzy.

He looked embarrassed. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me.”

“It’s okay, just caught me by surprise. I had no idea…”

“I have a confession to make,” Caleb said. “I’ve known about you a couple years now, since I interviewed your grandfather. The way he described you intrigued me, so I did some research and read an article about you in an archaeology magazine. I was amazed by your accomplishments. Then when I finally met you, I felt instantly drawn to you, as if I had found a kindred spirit. I’ve wanted to kiss you since the night I walked you to your tent.”

Imogen was speechless. No man, especially not Nathan Trummel, had ever expressed this much affection toward her.

Caleb looked vulnerable as he said, “I wasn’t sure if you might already have someone.”

“I did. I was…I mean, it’s over now, but it’s too soon to start…” She stepped away from him. “Sorry, but I’m just not in the right place to…”

“No need to explain. I understand.” Caleb’s tone didn’t hide his disappointment.

She felt bad. Truth was she liked the way the feeling of his kiss lingered on her lips. But her broken heart was still mending. The idea of getting emotionally involved with another man so soon…. She didn’t think her heart could handle it.

An awkward silence fell between her and Caleb. She looked toward the doorway to the next chamber. “Trummel will send Goss looking for us.”

“Let’s get back to them then.” Caleb walked past her, clearly bothered by her rejection.