Just past noon, Kai sat on Booster beneath the spreading arms of a River Red Gum at the entrance of the colorful canyon. Jake came up alongside her, halted and looked around. The remarkable canyon walls rose five hundred feet on either side and towered above them. To Kai, it was as if a giant had slashed open the red desert and created the colorful marvel. The entrance was nothing more than a well-trodden rocky path that could barely be discerned to anyone but trackers. One thing her father did was teach her how to track. Now that skill had come in handy.
The canyon was U-shaped, the walls of red, yellow and white sedimentary deposits stacked up like a layer cake. It reminded Kai of a colorful torte cake, with scraggly, tough gum trees around the top like frosting.
As she studied the landscape, her stomach knotted with dread. Dread of failure, of disappointing Grams and the Cherokee nation. Would Jake and she find the crystal mask here? Anxiety riffled through her.
Then she spotted the dark mouth of the cave at the far end of the box canyon. “There it is,” she murmured to Jake. “The cave.”
“Yeah, I see it.” He patted his camel. “Let’s get to it. Maybe we can have that mask in an hour or two.” He looked upward. “The sky is turning a funny color, did you notice?”
Kai nudged Booster forward. “Yes, I’ve been watching it. Looks weird. You were out in various deserts. Does it remind you of some kind of special weather condition?” Kai swayed from side to side as the camel picked his way along the stony path that led to the cave.
Jake frowned and studied the sky. It wasn’t clear blue any longer. As they’d rode throughout the morning, it had seemed to be tinged with a reddish stain, making the blue look dirty. “Well, every desert is different, but if I’m right, I think we’ve got one helluva sandstorm coming our way.”
“Never been in one,” Kai said, looking back and flashing him a slight smile. Jake was still studying the turgid sky, obviously concerned.
“There are all kinds, Kai. A big one can kill you if you aren’t in the right place at the right time. The frontal winds blast at over a hundred miles an hour, and the sand flies like sharp shards of glass into your face. If it doesn’t suffocate you, it cuts you like a thousand razors.”
“Oh….” Kai frowned. “How soon will we know?”
“Not long from now, I’m afraid. Sandstorms move at different velocities, too. Judging from how quickly the sky is changing, I’m guessing this one is pretty big and fast.”
“Are we in a good place to be when it hits?” The canyon looked like a safe place if sand was flying like glass at a hundred miles an hour.
“Yeah, we are. This canyon could mean the difference between life and death.”
Kai patted Booster’s neck affectionately. “What about these guys?”
“They can handle any and all storms. See their nostrils? How they’re shaped like vertical slits? They can close them down so the sand won’t get in and choke them to death.”
“I see! Too bad we don’t have nostrils like that.”
“Right. But that cave coming up could be an ideal place to wait out a sandstorm. Also, it looks big enough to bring the camels inside, to protect them, as well.”
“If the storm hits soon, will it cause us problems finding the mask?”
“It could. We’ll have to wait and see….”
As the camels moved with ease over the rocky ground, Jake studied the cave’s oval entrance. Bushes crowded around the front, but it was still going to be easy to access. The cave appeared to be about forty feet in height, with two very different colors of rock on the walls inside. He could barely make them out because the darkness became total at the rear. The cave seemed to be about fifty feet deep, wide and dry.
They halted the camels at the cave mouth and ordered them to sit so they could dismount. The canyon was a lot cooler than the open desert thanks to the shade cast by the south wall and by the trees that grew profusely there. Obviously, water was close to the surface in the area, judging from all the greenery surrounding them.
Kai moved forward. Halting at the cave entrance, she saw what looked like a ledge at the back end abruptly. Jake came up alongside, a set of heavy nylon ropes slung over his right shoulder. Noticing the frown gathering on his face, she asked, “What do you think? You’re the caving expert.”
“I think that’s a trick shelf at the rear of the cave,” he told her, pointing toward it. Leaning down, he examined the prints of a man’s boots in the red sandy soil. They were barely visible, the wind having blown most of them away over time. “I wonder if this is the dude that ran in here with the mask. I see animal tracks around, but only his prints go straight back and disappear.”
Kai knelt down, her eyes narrowing. She might not be a spelunker, but she knew tracking. Jake was right: a lot of small animal tracks dotted the sand, but only one set, a two-legged’s, went anywhere near the end of what appeared to be a ledge. “I wonder if it’s a straight drop-off.”
“I don’t know.” Jake put the nylon rope down and smiled at her. “Who’s going down and who’s staying up here?”
Kai rose to her full height. “You know more about belaying ropes than I do. How about if you teach me the rudimental rock climbing and I go down? You can stay here and anchor me.”
Jake swallowed his fear for her safety. Kai was grownup now, not a little girl needing his protection any longer. “Sounds like a plan to me. I’m going to set up a makeshift winch and ropes by using these nearby trees to haul you up and out of there.”
Kai looked around. “Good.” The day was growing darker by the moment. The sky, which was mostly hidden by the amazing number of gum trees growing in the small canyon, seemed to be turning a brownish color. Sand was in the air. She also noticed that the birds were no longer singing. More than likely they were finding somewhere to hide from the threatening storm.
Looking around the cave, she saw there was nothing other than that one ledge to indicate the danger Ooranye had warned them about. Jake quickly fashioned an aluminum “come along” device between two huge gum trees that grew in front of the entrance. He expertly wove the nylon ropes around their stout trunks and threaded them through the metal device that would help him lower and raise her without a lot of physical effort on his part.
Jake knelt down and, using a series of carabiners, metal locks, created a harness for Kai to step into. He motioned her into the contraption and trussed her up from the waist downward. When Kai put weight on the harness, it would place her in an automatic sitting position when she was suspended in midair. Jake had one headlamp and she slipped it on, adjusting the elastic to her head size, grateful she had arranged her hair in one long braid earlier. Making sure all tendrils of hair were out of her face, she slid on leather gloves to protect her hands from potentially sharp rocks.
“How long will this headlamp battery last?” she asked, adjusting the harness around her waist.
“Probably two hours at the most. And we have no idea how this cave twists or winds.” He grimaced. “Or if that ledge falls off into never-never land. The first thing I want you to do once we’ve got you safely harnessed up is move forward on your hands and knees to the rear of the cave. Look over that lip. See what you can see. But be careful. That ledge could be real brittle and not support your weight.”
Kai nodded. Jake’s hands flew with knowing ease across the rope harness, double-checking all the knots and carabiners. The thick, soft nylon felt snug but comfortable around her thighs and butt. Luckily, he’d brought along walkie-talkie radios. He handed one to her and made sure it was on the same channel as his own.
“As you descend, stay in touch like I taught you, okay?” He wiped the sweat from his brow as he straightened and looked at her. She appeared proud and confident. Still, it didn’t stop him from being scared for her.
“I will.” Kai leaned over and adjusted her leather holster, making sure the pistol was strapped in snugly. She wasn’t going down into that cave unarmed. She didn’t know what—or who—she might find once inside. She cast one more glance at the sky. “You’re right about a sandstorm coming, Jake. Look at it now.”
Jake nodded. “Yeah, no doubt about it. The sky’s already turning a dirty brown. Wait until it hits. You won’t be able to see your hand in front of your face.”
“What about the camels? Do you want to put them inside just in case?”
“Yeah, right now. Hold on….” He trotted over to them, got them up and led them into the cave. Rocket and Booster settled side by side near the entrance, chewing their cuds.
Jake walked quickly to a huge, white-barked gum tree just outside the entrance and double-checked to see that the series of ropes were tight around the thick trunk, and the pulley and winch were secure. Picking up an extra saddle blanket he’d retrieved, he handed it to Kai.
“I need you to put this on that cave ledge. If you have to go straight down, the ropes need to stay on this pad so they won’t be sawn through or cut by the rock and sand on that lip. This blanket will protect the ropes.”
“Got it,” Kai said, taking the pad.
Jake gave her a critical look. “You have water on you?”
Kai patted the two quarts of water hanging from the rear of her belt. “Yeah. Some protein bars in my pockets. Hopefully, I’m not going to be gone that long to use any of them.” She gave him a quick grin.
Kai saw the worry in Jake’s gold eyes. Reaching out, she gave his hand a quick squeeze. “I’ll be okay….”
He squeezed her gloved hand in return. This was the first time Kai had reached out to reassure him. It felt wonderful. “Yeah, I know. Just be careful, okay?” Jake didn’t tell her how concerned he was about the coming sandstorm. He didn’t want her to worry about that, too.
Kai nodded. “I will,” she promised softly, and turned and walked into the shadows of the cave. Getting down on her hands and knees, she dragged the pad alongside until she got to the ledge. Testing the ground by pounding her fist ahead of her, she discovered the area was solid. She felt fairly confident in going to the edge. Turning on her headlamp, Kai saw that the lip did indeed fall off into darkness.
“This is a cliff,” she told Jake, raising her voice. The sound echoed strangely around the cave. “My headlamp won’t penetrate the darkness below the lip. I see nothing. No bottom. No…nothing. It’s probably a helluva fall from here. Maybe a hundred feet or more, would be my guess.”
“That’s what I thought,” Jake called, standing by the gum tree, the ropes in his gloved hands. He was about ten feet outside the mouth of the cave. “Put the pad down and place the ropes on top of it. Once you do that, just belly up to the edge, swing your feet over and point your head in my direction. I’ll keep tension on the ropes so you can’t fall. Once you get in that position, I’ll slowly ease the ropes and begin to lower you when you give the signal.”
Kai did exactly as Jake said. With her legs dangling over the maw, she shouted, “Go ahead, on belay. I’m ready!”
“On belay,” Jake said, speaking into the walkie-talkie. The special winch as well as the two gum trees he’d used as anchoring points would easily hold her weight. The “come along device” held the tension and also released it. Jake tucked the radio in his pocket and slowly eased the handle forward. Kai disappeared over the edge. The nylon rope swiftly began to play out.
Kai coughed violently as she slid over the edge, raising clouds of sand by her movements. Bits of grit showered around her. Closing her eyes, she dangled a few feet below the lip, slowly swinging back and forth above the dark abyss. Finding the switch, she turned on her headlamp. The darkness seemed to swallow the weak beam of light like a hungry monster as she turned her head, one hand on the ropes above her, to explore her surroundings.
“Kai?” Jake’s voice sounded worried.
Fumbling for the walkie-talkie, she turned it on. She’d tucked it in the pocket nearest her mouth so she could speak directly into it, and decided to leave it on for the duration of the descent.
“I’m here. I’m okay.” She coughed again. “Damn dust…Everywhere I look, I see only darkness. This headlamp is like shining a penlight into a cavern. The beam doesn’t go very far.”
“Don’t worry about it. That light has a seven-foot radius. It’s strong enough for you to see a wall or floor coming up,” Jake said. “I’m going to slowly start lowering you. If you see anything below you, or if the sides of the cave come in around you, holler.”
“Roger that,” she said, feeling the ropes begin to slide, taking her slowly downward.
Darkness consumed Kai. The daylight at the ledge was growing dimmer and dimmer. It was much cooler in the cave, and felt delicious compared to the heat out in the canyon. Continuing to swing her head from side to side as she descended, Kai still saw nothing. The silence was overwhelming. Had the man who’d stolen the mask run into the cave, thinking he’d hide, and then failed to see the ledge? Tumbled to his death? Kai estimated she must have dropped a hundred feet. Still no bottom. Was there a floor to this cave?
“Anything yet?” Jake called, his voice scratchy because the radio signals were weak.
“No, not yet. There’s a hell of an updraft of wind down here. I’m almost cold.” She gave a strained laugh. “The cave walls are narrowing, from what I can see, Jake. They have all kinds of spikes and nobs sticking out from them.”
“Those points are called stalagmites and stalactites formed when this cave was wet a long time ago,” he said. “You got enough room to maneuver or are you brushing the sides?”
“No, plenty of room. At least six feet on either side. How about you? How’s that weather stacking up around you?” She heard him grunt and then laugh.
“Let’s just say I’d rather be in the cave at this point. Sand’s starting to fly thick and fast around here.”
“Bad?” She twisted to look down.
“Not yet. It’s a nasty storm, though.”
“Then the sooner I can get to the floor and get out of here, the better for you. You’re standing outside the cave.”
“Don’t worry, I got my goggles on and my kerchief wrapped around the lower half of my face. I’m breathing just fine, thank you very much.”
Some of her worry for Jake dissolved. “I like your drop-dead sense of humor, Carter. You’re such an optimist.”
“What’s the other choice, Ms. Alseoun?”
Chuckling, Kai turned and leaned out, her hand wrapped tightly around the rope. She aimed her headlamp downward.
“Jake! I see the floor!”
“How far?”
“Maybe seven feet…” She swung her head in a slow arc, the weak light barely penetrating the sand drifting down around her from the turbulent storm above. “I see—oh God…Jake, I see a body….” She squinted hard to see the darkened form.
“Human? Animal?”
Hearing the dread in his voice, Kai rasped, “Human. And dead. The poor bastard fell and landed on a stalagmite. He was impaled on it through the center of his body.” Gulping, she saw the man’s shrunken form, the leather bomber jacket he was wearing, the denim jeans looking as if the cotton fiber had been partially eaten away by bugs. “He looks like an Egyptian mummy—all dried out.” He’d landed on his back, arms and legs splayed outward in death. Kai could barely see his face in the grayness. It was shrunken, the skin pulled tautly against the bones, mouth open in a grotesque scream that she realized no one but the denizens of this cave had heard.
“In this hot, dry climate that’s about all you could expect. Do you see anything around him?”
The ropes brought her closer and closer to the bottom. “The floor has all kinds of spikes rising up from it, large and small. Like lots of needles. Not something you’d want to fall on….”
“Yeah, stalagmites. And the dude? Where is he in relationship to you?”
“To my left. He’s suspended about six feet above the floor.” Her heart was pumping hard. Anxiously, Kai looked around. The light from her headlamp was minimal in the pitch blackness that surrounded her. Pink and red spikes of calcified minerals thrust up like dozens of fine, thin needles of varying heights. Every time the light from her lamp swept an area, it illuminated that spot briefly and created shadows.
“Stop belay!” Kai called. Her booted feet landed on the cave floor, spikes crunching noisily beneath the soles. She remained in the harness and carefully surveyed her surroundings. A cooling breeze continued to move past her. It was impossible to see more than six feet in any direction.
“Jake, I’m down and standing on the floor. I’m going to remain in the harness. I can’t see very far, but I’m going to walk slowly and carefully toward the body. If he had the crystal mask in a pouch, it’s probably going to be somewhere around him.”
“Okay, test every step you take, Kai. Don’t assume that floor is solid. Please…”
Kai could hear the frantic concern in Jake’s voice. A warmth stole into her heart. “I’m following your orders to the letter,” she promised.
There were plenty of bugs on the floor that scurried in every direction as her boots crunched the stalagmites. She saw scattered remains of a number of animals and human skeletons, the bones bleached or crumbling into powder from old age. Kai headed straight toward the body. She would have to create a search pattern around it in order to locate the pouch—if there was a pouch. Every time she thrust out the toe of her boot she automatically set all her weight on her heel in case the ground before her cracked and fell away. That way, she had a chance of falling backward, not forward.
“Anything?”
Jake’s voice was muffled. Kai halted and looked upward. Far above she could see a faint light. “No…not yet. You sound awful. What’s going on up there?”
“The full brunt of the sandstorm just hit—winds clocking around sixty or seventy miles an hour….”
Frowning, Kai shook her head. “Is anything left standing?”
She heard him chuckle. “I’m clinging to this gum tree for dear life right now. There’s an initial wind gust from the rolling cloud carrying the sand. It’ll last anywhere between five to fifteen minutes. After that, the wind slows down a little. I’m crouched between the gums, trying to protect my head from the flying sand. It gets into every nook and cranny of your body.”
“Makes me glad I’m down here,” she remarked dryly.
“Trust me, I’d join you if I could.”
“I believe you,” Kai said softly. “I couldn’t ask for a better partner.”
“Aww, you’re only saying that because I’m the one who’s going to winch you up and out of that place.”
Laughing, Kai felt her heart burst with an incredible joy. “Carter, what did I ever do when you weren’t in my life? You always make me feel better, even if I’m in deep shit.”
His laughter lifted her. Happiness threaded through Kai as she continued toward the large spire.
“Misery loves company.”
“Ain’t that the truth. Wait…Jake! I see something….” Kai’s breath hitched. Her eyes rounded. There on the floor, about five feet away from the spire the dead man was impaled on, Kai glimpsed two objects: a wallet and a dark brown leather pouch.
“What? What is it?”
Hearing Jake’s concern, Kai said, “Jake, I think it’s the pouch! And a wallet! Hold on…it’s just a few feet away….”
“Take your time, Kai. Don’t rush!”
“I hear you….” She carefully detoured to the right. As she focused her headlamp on the pouch, she could see that the thick yellow rawhide drawstrings were still knotted around the top of it. Heart hammering, she crouched down and reached for it. Was the crystal mask in there? Was it?
Her fingers slid across the rough leather. As she curved them around the dusty exterior, she could feel a solid object within it. Not recalling if she’d ever seen the mask, she wasn’t exactly sure what it looked like. She undid the knots at the top of the pouch and, with a tug, opened it. Breath suspended, Kai stared at the pouch. There was no way in hell she was sticking her fingers into the bag. For all she knew, there could be a deadly scorpion or centipede making its home in there. Instead, she aimed her headlamp into the opening.
“Oh!” she whispered. There, gleaming in the light, was the smooth edge of a crystal object. Carefully investigating the inside of the pouch, she found no insects. Reassured, Kai stuck her fingers into it. With great care, she gripped the crystal with her thumb and fingers and drew it out. The light glanced off it, as if sunlight were striking it.
“Jake…I found it! It’s the mask. It’s so beautiful….” she said in a hushed, reverent tone. As she held it, her fingers began to tingle. The mask had been fashioned to fit over the upper half of the face; it was perhaps four inches wide and curved so that the holes would fit over a human’s eyes. Turning it, Kai saw the lightning bolt that had been carved diagonally across it.
Slowly getting to her feet, she couldn’t take her eyes off the precious, sacred totem.
“You got it? Is it in one piece?”
“Yes, it is. I don’t know how, but it is….” Her voice was filled with wonder. An incredible warmth spread through her fingers and up her arm to her fast-beating heart. A sense of incredible peace filled Kai as she stood there looking down at the heritage of the Paint Clan. Her clan. A sense of victory, of satisfaction at doing something good for once, filled her. Kai used her fingers to wipe away the dust that had settled upon the sparkling mask. It was hauntingly beautiful. Someone had fashioned this mask by hand thousands of years ago. And whoever it was, man or woman, had done an incredible job. The mask probably weighed close to three pounds; it was no lightweight. Holes at each side were obviously for leather thongs, so that a medicine person could wear it over his or her face during ceremony.
“It’s in perfect condition, Jake!” A thrill ran through Kai. She turned and gently slipped the mask back inside its leather case. “I’m putting it back in the pouch and then sliding it into my vest. Now for the wallet.” She leaned over and picked up the dusty black leather wallet. Tucking it into her vest, she took one more look around. All she saw were the grayish bones lying like a disturbed graveyard on the floor. “I’ll be ready in just a minute. I want to take a drink of water before I get hauled out of this place.”
“Sounds good to me. I can hardly wait to see it—and you.”
Chuckling, Kai carefully tucked the mask inside her canvas vest. It rested perfectly over her left breast beneath the thick, protective material. And it was out of the way of the ropes.
“Who do you want to see first?” she teased, pulling a water bottle from her belt and uncapping it.
“Who do you think?” Jake chuckled, his voice muffled but joyful.
Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, Kai grinned up at the light far above her. “I don’t know. This crystal mask is really a knockout, dude. Priceless. Sacred. And that wallet, who knows if there’s money in it?”
“You’re what I want, Kai.”
More warmth poured through her heart. Hooking the bottle back onto her belt, she called, “Belay on….”