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AFTER A NINE hour drive, they arrived at Rosslyn. Memories of Ben's last visit flooded back when they approached the chapel, and the driver halted at a temporary barrier stretched across the road. One of the two men manning it approached the driver's window. After a brief conversation with the driver and a glance at the car's occupants, the guard was satisfied with their credentials. He turned away, nodded to the other guard and stepped aside when the barrier rose. The driver drove through and steered the car onto the small track leading around the chapel and down to Rosslyn castle. Silas exited the castle as they parked.
Silas glared at Ben when he climbed from the car. He'd hoped he had seen the last of him. “What happened to David and Doyle?”
“They both had an accident,” Ben replied.
Silas cursed the man; another two of his men had fallen at his hands.
Surprise then spread across his face when Raven climbed from the car. “What are you doing here?”
“I enjoyed your company so much. I decided to pay you another visit.”
Silas nodded at Ben. “I thought you went to kill him?”
“As you've probably realized, Silas, plans don't always work out as expected when Ben's involved.”
Silas glared at Ben again, he knew only too well.
“Everyone inside,” Hugh ordered. He turned to Silas. “Are they here?”
“All are present and awaiting your arrival.”
“Good. Arrange some refreshments for our guests while I prepare myself.”
Silas followed Hugh into the castle.
After a brief rest and light refreshment, Ben was escorted to the chapel while Raven and Alexandra remained under guard in the castle. The two men delegated to watch them had been issued with orders to kill them if they attempted to escape or they received word Ben had lied.
Ben stared up at the starlit sky as he wondered how this night would end. A glance over at the graveyard as their procession passed, picked out the tomb concealing the entrance to the underground chambers lit by moonlight. A plan had begun to form in his mind on how he might be able to turn the table on his captives. The group of men, who had arrived at the castle a couple of hours ago, were now dressed in red monk's habits. The discovery of the grail was to be an occasion only the privileged few had been chosen to witness. Ben noticed Silas watching him, the distrust in his eyes evident.
After they had entered the chapel, the door was locked. There would be no disturbances.
Hugh turned to Ben. “Time to shine. Where is the Grail?”
All eyes focused on Ben when he crossed the chapel. Hugh followed him closely, as did Luther and another armed guard.
Ben halted beneath one of the carved arches and pointed up at the Seven Deadly Sins carvings. “That's where I hid the Grail.”
Hugh glanced up at the carved stone disbelievingly. “You do know your friends will suffer if you're lying.”
“It's there. Bring me the stepladder, and I'll prove it.”
The ladder Hugh had previously arranged, as per Ben's instructions, was brought over and positioned below the arch.
Ben climbed to the top. “I'll need someone to take the stone from me after I remove it.”
Hugh, though still skeptical, indicated for the armed guard to help.
The man handed his weapon to Luther and positioned himself beside the ladder. Ben grabbed the carving with both hands and wiggled it as he pulled it free. Surprise was experienced by those gathered when the grinding of stone filled the room, and the carved block slid out from its recess.
Ben glanced down at the man below as he took its full weight. As he stepped down a rung, he pretended to slip and let the stone fall from his grasp to grab at the ladder. “Look out,” he warned, too late for the man below to escape the heavy piece of falling masonry.
The stone struck the man on the side of the head and he crumpled to the floor unconscious, unaware of the large stone smashing his wrist with the crunch of bone before it toppled to the floor.
Luther lunged forward and aimed his gun at Ben's head.
“It was an accident,” Ben pleaded.
“Leave it, Luther,” Hugh ordered, glancing down at the man sprawled on the floor. His interest lay in what was hidden in the space Ben had revealed, not the injured hired help. “He still lives.” He glared at Ben. “Any more accidents like that and you and your friends will not be so fortunate. Where's the Grail?”
Ben climbed to the top and reached into the hole. Before revealing what was inside, he stared down at the sea of expectant faces crowded around the bottom of the ladder and Silas who still glared at him suspiciously.
Silas watched Ben climb the ladder. His experience with the man had taught him to be on his guard. He glanced at Luther―the only armed man in the room now Harper had incapacitated the other, which he suspected wasn’t the accident Harper had claimed―to ensure he was observing Harper's actions. Satisfied he was, Silas looked back at Harper, who he suspected was up to something. He was sure the Holy Grail wasn't in the space Harper had reached into and wouldn't be surprised if the man pulled out a grenade. He stared at Harper's hand when as it was slowly withdrawn from the hole. The look of surprise that spread across his face on seeing the object was a testament to his error and disbelief.
Ben held the object aloft ceremoniously for all to see.
Utters of awe and wonderment filled the chapel as Hugh reached up and took the bowl from Ben. A hushed silence then fell as they waited for their leader's judgment of the artifact.
Hugh gazed in wonder at the simple, wooden bowl as he touched a finger reverently on the dark stain inside. The blood of Christ! He sensed, without doubt, this was the genuine article, the Holy Grail, the vessel that had caught Jesus' blood as he hung on the cross. He lifted his head, gazed at the expectant faces around him and raised the bowl for all to see. “Behold the Holy Grail!”
After a few moments of stunned stupefaction, someone asked, “Does it contain Christ's blood?”
“There is evidence that it once held the blood of Christ,” Hugh answered.
“I've kept my end of the bargain, Hugh, it's your turn now,” Ben said.
Luther's gaze had never wandered from him. Not even to glance at the Grail.
“Not quite, first you must show me the entrance into the catacombs beneath us,” Hugh reminded him.
“Then we'll be allowed to go free?”
“Yes, then you and your friends will be freed,” Hugh answered, impatiently.
Ben glanced at Luther. The thug's cruel expression told a different story. However, for the moment his choices were limited. “Follow me, and I'll show you the entrance.”
Hugh handed the Grail to one of the robed men so they could all hold and examine it in turn. He ordered the brethren to remain inside the chapel while he and Luther went with Ben.
Raven glanced at one of the men when he threw another log on the fire burning furiously in the large hearth. She turned her attention to her other captor and was not surprised to see Gareth’s lecherous gaze wandering over her body. She didn't need any mind-reading skills to discern his thoughts and decided to give him what he wanted. “It's warm in here, would it be okay if I remove my jacket.”
A smile played on Gareth's lips. “Take off as much as you want,” he leered.
Raven slipped off her jacket to reveal her ample breasts straining against her tight skimpy top. Gareth's eyes homed in on her cleavage like an eagle on its prey.
Raven stretched to push out her breasts farther to ensure the man had a good look. “Don't suppose I could have a shower? I feel all dirty,” she asked and looked at Gareth. “I might even let you scrub my back.”
Gareth nearly fell off the stool when the image of Raven naked in the shower sprung into his mind. “I can't see a problem with that,” he said lustfully.
“She stays where she is,” ordered Travis. “Start thinking with your brain and not your prick for once, you moron.”
Gareth glanced over at him. “But she said I could scrub her back in the shower, while she's naked,” he moaned.
Travis shook his head. “You're a bigger fool than I already know you are if you believe that, as I know you do. She only wants to get you alone so she can overpower you.”
When Gareth turned back to Raven, she made her move. She leaped from the chair, punched him in the face and threw her jacket at Travis as he aimed his gun at her. It wrapped around his face as the gun barked. The bullet grazed Raven's shoulder before embedding in the wall behind Alexandra, who sat, shocked by what had just happened.
Raven grabbed the stool as Gareth toppled backward and threw it across the room at Travis who pulled the jacket free from around his head. The wooden seat hit him full in the face, breaking his nose. Dazed, he staggered backward. Raven rushed at him, grabbed the gun from his hand and struck him a savage blow on the head. He collapsed unconscious to the floor. Raven turned her attention to Gareth, who reached for his fallen gun. Two strides brought her to him. She stamped hard on his hand. Bones crunched. Gareth squealed in pain. Raven picked up his weapon and aimed it between his eyes.
“You'll never get away with this, you bitch,” he spat, nursing his injured hand.
“On the contrary you lecherous piece of shit, I already have, and now I’m going to do something for all the women you've ever set your rapist eyes and hands upon, and I assume there have been many.” She pulled the trigger.
The loud blast made Alexandra squeal in fright.
Raven glanced over at Travis's unconscious form and then at Alexandra. “Are you okay?”
Alexandra glanced at the hole in Gareth’s forehead and nodded weakly.
Raven glanced around the room for something to tie Travis with. She crossed the room, yanked the electric cord from a floor lamp and bound the man tightly. She slipped off his shoe, pulled off his sock and stuffed it in his mouth. After a quick search through the man's pockets produced the car keys she required, she headed for the door. As she passed Alexandra, she tossed her the keys. “It's time to leave.”
Stunned, Alexandra followed Raven from the house.