Bolt

15

She heard footsteps beside her and turned quickly to the sound, kind of hoping it was Bolt. When she saw it was Elle, she smiled.

“Could you slow down, just a little?” Elle asked. Kara nodded.

“Sorry. I’m just frustrated and full of adrenaline. It was a near miss.”

“Yeah,” Elle said softly. “I noticed. Lucky Bolt was there, I guess.”

Kara’s cheeks flamed. “As if I needed him!” she snapped. “I was perfectly capable of getting out of there myself.”

“Oh,” Elle said, looking away. “He came out with his arms wrapped around you so ...”

“He manhandled me like a damn potato sack,” Kara muttered. “But I think he would have been gentler with potatoes. I did not need his help.”

Elle nodded. “I understand. I’m not exactly comfortable with the situation. Do you think we can trust him?”

Kara fell silent for a moment. Elle knew that she was thinking and didn’t push her. It was an important question, and Kara definitely had doubts.

She was impressed he had been able to read the etchings on the stone. Even someone who had studied for years, like her, couldn’t interpret with complete accuracy. It was also uncanny how he had memorized it.

A far more likely explanation was that he had not read it or memorized it correctly. She knew he wasn’t stupid, though. He was incredibly cunning. She didn’t like it, but there was a root of suspicion deep inside her.

What if he read it correctly, but he gave me the wrong information?

Kara felt a jab in her guts, a twist in her heart. This was one of her worst fears, one of the reasons why she never trusted anyone. Not only did self-reliance lead her to her own glory and satisfaction, but it also cut out all possible mistakes. If she was the only one working on a problem, then if mistakes were made, she only had herself to blame.

The most important reason to work alone was a betrayal of exactly this kind. Humans backstabbed each other all the time. It was just the way things were. She glanced back to look at Bolt again. He was hanging far back from the group, and all she could see was a dark shadow.

“I don’t know,” Kara muttered in answer to Elle’s question. “I just don’t know.”

Elle nodded, her eyes down. Kara let her anxiety build. If he was capable of reading the hieroglyphs, he might know the gem’s true importance. If he did, then it was possible he was deliberately taking them in the wrong direction so he could lead them away from the right place and take the stone for himself.

They walked for most of the day, coming together for a change of direction and to discuss the best path. Bolt tried to take charge every time, and it just made Kara fume even more.

As the sun began to drop, they finally reached the spot. There was a pile of dull gray rocks covered in scrub that led up to an outcropping of rock, but nothing else.

“Where is it?” Kara cried. “Where is the statue?”

She turned and glared at Bolt as if this was all his fault. He shrugged.

“I know we’re in the right place,” he said. Kara narrowed her eyes. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of arguing. Instead, she turned toward the rocks and started looking through the scrub.

It was a possibility the statue was smaller than she expected. She directed the others to search around the outcrop, pulling away the dry weeds to search in crevices around the stones. If they didn’t find anything, then she’d climb up and search through the boulders from that side.

She hoped they wouldn’t have to search the entire mountain. Not that she was opposed to mountain climbing, it would simply take too long. She needed to get her hands on the gem now.

As she moved around the base of the pile of rocks, Kara saw a swirling pattern. Excited, she followed it, running her fingers across the warm stone. As she pulled back the dry bushes, she gasped aloud, and she heard the others coming up behind her.

The statue wasn’t a statue at all. It was a carving in the rock. The detail was astounding, making the tiger look like he was about to leap from the rock face. There, glowing in his carefully drawn eye, was the sparkling gem.

She pulled out her pocketknife and gently pried it loose. Then she held it in the palm of her hand and stood with the others, inviting them to touch it. Razia and Hashmat were mesmerized by it. Elle was impressed with the gem as well as Kara’s skill.

Bolt did not seem interested in the gem at all. He didn’t want to look at it or touch it. He was too busy checking out the surrounding area.

Either he really doesn’t care, she thought. Or he’s playing one hell of a long game.

Kara packed the jewel into her bag, sitting and pulling out some water. The others did the same.

“Should we camp here?” Razia asked. “The rock face gives good shelter.”

“It does,” Hashmat said. “But it’s a sacred place, like a temple. We could disturb the spirits.”

Elle laughed. “You believe in spirits?”

“Of course,” Hashmat answered. “Don’t you?”

Elle smiled and shook her head. “I really don’t know, actually. I never really thought about it.”

“Well, when you’re in a tomb that seems to whisper to itself, then you’ll know,” he said. “The chills, the presence of someone there — it’s far more than just your imagination. I’m utterly sure of that.”

“Hashmat,” Kara laughed. “Stop scaring her.”

“Telling the god’s honest truth,” he grinned. “Not a word of a lie.”

“It’s not spirits that we need to worry about,” Bolt said suddenly. “I hear footsteps. They are coming.”

“The bad guys?” Kara asked. Bolt nodded.

“We have to go, now. They are getting closer.”

Everyone got up and quickly checked their packs. Kara checked and double-checked the gem to make sure it was safe. She hated it, but she turned to Bolt when they were ready to go.

“Which way?” she asked, barely getting the words out through gritted teeth. He pointed along the west side of the mountain.

“This way,” he said softly. “Try not to make any noise.”