“Halt!”
The young guard drew his sword as he leaped in front of Marielle. His hair was blond beneath his helmet, and thick leather gloves protected his hands. His gaze darted from person to person as his initial surprise shifted to curiosity.
Marielle peeked at them from behind his rose-embroidered uniform. She seemed comfortable with the guard, standing close, and not bothering to cover her braids with the long white scarf she clasped in her hands. Birdie was sure it had unraveled during their journey through the tunnels or her escape through the woods.
Friedrich raised his hands and said something in German.
“Friedrich’s telling him we mean no harm,” Louisa whispered, then continued to translate.
“They are friends.” Marielle placed a hand on the young man’s shoulder. “They helped me get beyond the walls.” She faced them, her face smudged with dirt, and her eyes bright. “This is Peter. He is helping me too.”
Peter sheathed his sword. “Then you know of this terrible lie.”
Friedrich lowered his hands. “We do. We accompanied Marielle through the tunnels and cleared the way for her escape.”
“She escaped, but she is not free. She cannot leave this cave. If they find her…” He glanced over his shoulder, as if reassuring himself that she was still there. He turned back to Friedrich. “You must find the chest and bring it to me. That is the only way she will be truly free.”
“Why can’t he go get the chest?” Kayla said. “He’s obviously a guard. No one would suspect him. They’d take one look at us and toss us in the brig.”
“Dungeon,” Ryan said.
“Whatever. The point is, why should we do anything? We already helped her get away. The rest is on her.”
Kayla had a point, Birdie thought, although she didn’t say it. She opened her fist and looked at the aventurine. The image of the chest held tight. Helping Marielle escape had not been the end of the mission. Something was still lost, and they were expected to find it. “Does he have any idea where it could be?”
“Seriously?” Kayla said. “Birdie. Do you have a death wish?”
She showed her the image on the aventurine.
“Oh for Pete’s sake!” Kayla tilted her head toward the ceiling. “It didn’t change when she escaped? I thought we were done!”
Friedrich ignored Kayla as he translated Birdie’s question.
Peter bobbed his head as he listened. “Across the Rhine. The chest is there. I’m sure of it. The villagers took it as revenge.”
“Revenge for what?” Birdie asked.
“Against me.” Peter stared at the floor. “I am the reason they will kill Marielle.”
“What did you do?” Kayla asked. “And, again, if you caused this problem, shouldn’t you be the one to go find the stupid chest?” She opened her hands to the others. “I’m not being ridiculous here, am I?”
Friedrich translated again, but Sam cut in. “He said it’s across the Rhine. So we’d have to cross the river to get it back. Does he have a specific location?”
Friedrich translated that instead.
Peter shook his head. “The Rhine is under heavy guard on both sides. It is nearly impossible to cross without getting caught. They will put an arrow through your skull.”
“Sounding better all the time!” Kayla said.
“If he asked us to get it, then there must be a way,” Birdie said. “Ask him—”
The clang of metal striking stone rose from one of the outer chambers.
“Who followed you here?” Marielle demanded.
Louisa’s voice grew panicked as she translated. “Friedrich?”
“It is not possible,” he began. “How could—”
Peter spirited Marielle behind a tower of casks.
“We need to hide. Now!” Louisa spun in a circle, desperate to conceal them. Raina dropped low behind a barrel, as the others shifted behind whatever was close by.
Deep voices echoed in the passageway. “Rottmeister, hier!”
Six guards spilled into the chamber, helmets askew and heavy weapons drawn.
The bearded one they’d called Rottmeister shouted, and to Birdie’s horror, they all charged forward, voices thundering as they lifted their swords and battle axes.
Raina screamed.
And then, an even sharper noise filled the air.
A whistle.
An eardrum-shattering whistle.
Friedrich blew it long and loud, again and again, even after the golden light was gone, and the scent of old, damp earth replaced the fruity musk of spilled wine and fermenting grapes.
Rich touched Friedrich’s arm. “We’re back, man. We’re back.”
Friedrich stopped blowing the whistle, his eyes wild. With trembling hands, he tucked it into his shirt.
Sophia dropped to her hands and knees on the cold floor.
Birdie knelt beside her. “Are you okay?”
No one said anything for a long moment, and then Ryan clapped his hands. “We ditched ’em! Great call with the whistle, dude!” He slapped Friedrich on the back, hard enough to make him skip forward to keep from falling.
“Is everybody okay?” Louisa had regained her voice as she counted heads to make sure they were all there.
“Yes. We’re fine. Sort of.” Sophia stood, leaning on Birdie’s arm to steady herself. “But what are we going to do? How will we find that chest now?”
“Are you serious?” Kayla asked. “Did you hear what Peter said? The part about putting an arrow through our skulls if we crossed the river? No thanks. I’m done with that stupid glass.”
“Oh, you’re done with it now?” Birdie felt the rage building inside her. “Really? You’re done with it. That’s rich. You’re the one who kept asking me about it. You’re the one who showed Friedrich. Don’t tell me you’re done with it. You started it!”
“I started it!” Kayla put her hands on her hips. “You’re the one who brought it here!”
Friedrich glanced at his watch and spoke before Birdie could reply. “Kayla is right. Put that cursed piece of glass back in your pocket. We need to get back to camp.”
“Yeah, Birdie, put it away,” Kayla sneered.
“Shut up, Kayla. You and I are done.” She unclenched her fist. The aventurine was cool now except for the warmth from her own hand, and the chest on its surface held firm. She rubbed it, but nothing happened.
“Come on,” Sophia said softly. “Forget about Kayla. There’s nothing else we can do here.”
They made their way back through the twisted passageways and chambers and out into the thick pines, retracing their steps in silence until they reached the switchbacks. They pushed on, climbing the steep, crumbling stone staircase to the place where it emptied onto the sidewalk that separated the fortification wall from the main road.
Stepping onto the sidewalk felt like rejoining civilization, and the effect was jarring. The air was fresh, with no smoky haze rising from the fortress. The timeless humidity of the forest dissipated into the chalkiness of the sidewalk and the warm, dry breeze.
A car zoomed by on its way down the hill to Sankt Goar.
They rested, catching their breath, until the car disappeared beyond a curve in the road.
“This way.” Louisa motioned toward the main gate. “It’s all downhill from here.”
“Wait.” Birdie faced them. “You all need to promise me you won’t say anything to anyone about what you saw today. Not even your parents.”
“Oh, so now you want us to cover for you.” Kayla folded her arms.
Birdie stared at the others.
Raina shrugged. “They wouldn’t believe us, anyway.”
Ryan snorted in agreement.
“Friedrich and I certainly won’t say anything,” Louisa said. “Not if we want to keep our jobs.”
“Fine.” Kayla released her arms. “Whatever. I won’t say anything. Just leave the aventurine at your hotel tomorrow, would you? Before you get us all trapped in the Middle Ages. I’m flying back to America in three days, and I don’t want that stupid piece of glass to screw it up.”
Sophia linked her elbow with Sam’s. “We won’t say anything either, but if she doesn’t bring the glass, how will we know what happened to Marielle?”
“Who cares?” Kayla said.
“I do.”
“So do I, Sophia,” Rich said. “We’re in this now, like it or not.”