Chapter 9 #2
I’m positively brimming with excited anticipation at what we’re about to do and possibly find. Bathed in moonlight, I send him a saucy smile. “See you on the other side.”
“Not if I see you first.” He smirks.
We both pull in a deep breath and swim back down to the grate.
We decided to forego air tanks because they’re too cumbersome, and we need to be able to move in and out of tight places with ease.
And even though Ryder did a good job cutting a large enough opening for us to pass through, it’s still going to be snug.
Ryder motions for me to go first, and I swim forward. I have no idea if I have enough air in my lungs to get me where I need to go, but hope and faith keep me going. Kicking, I swim up, staying close to the stone wall, knowing it has to lead to the surface.
So far, so good. I still have enough of a breath to remain calm.
A few moments later, I reach the surface, treading water as Ryder comes up beside me.
We both suck in fresh air. Although, it’s definitely not fresh.
It’s dank and musty-smelling. I lift my torch, shining it around.
Definitely an underground tunnel. We swim to the edge and climb out.
“For the first time in history, Heidenreichstein Castle has been breached,” I whisper, a little in awe.
“Now let’s see if your theory is right and that empress hid the Phantom Orchid down here.”
We stand up, peel our wetsuits down to our waists and take a moment to get our bearings. I’ve memorized the map from Voss, and based on that, we’re in the west segment of tunnels. My gut tells me to head left first.
Moment of truth. God, I hope this isn’t all for nothing. But most of all, I hope I can finally find the one thing my dad searched for his entire life and bring it home so it doesn’t wind up in the hands of someone who’d never appreciate it the way Dad would have.
The west tunnel eventually leads to a dead end, but I don’t let it deter me from our search.
Keeping my spirits high, I remind myself the diamond could be anywhere down here.
And strangely, I can see Empress Sophie hurrying along this same path, desperately searching for a place to hide the Phantom Orchid before it can be stolen by the Nazis.
Now, right at this moment, it feels like I’m following in the footsteps of royalty, also determined to make sure the gem doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.
Ryder turns, heading for the opposite side of this mini labyrinth, and I follow him, keeping my light cast ahead of us. The long stretch of tunnels seem endless, and the more we walk, the more I realize how much ground there is to cover.
My hopes sink a little when the east tunnel leads to another dead end. And then the south corridor does the same thing. I huff out a breath, my hand tightening on the torch.
“What do you think?” Ryder asks, crossing his arms.
I want to believe the fact the tunnels do exist means something. And I’m not giving up yet.
“I think we have one tunnel left to search. C’mon.”
We step into the north tunnel, and I know if we don’t find anything, it could mean things I don’t even want to begin contemplating.
Like maybe they buried the diamond. Or maybe there’s a secret passage somewhere that wasn’t noted on Voss’s map.
Or a hidden chamber. If that’s the case, we’d need weeks to search down here. And we don’t have that kind of time.
Heart in my throat, I clench my teeth as we come to the end of the final tunnel. Another dead end.
“Dammit,” I hiss and kick a rock. “This can’t be it!” I whirl around, looking for something… anything that looks out of the ordinary or which might lead to a hidden stash.
I truly believed the Phantom Orchid was down here. So much so, that I accosted Ryder in the shower, handcuffed him and dragged him all the way to Austria. But now, my hopes are crashing down all around me. I feel like such a fool.
“Look!” Ryder whispers, voice laced with excitement.
Moving to his side, I watch as he pulls and twists a stone in the wall. “What’re you doing?” My brow pinches in a frown as he slides his finger along its edge, pushing here and there.
“This stone isn’t like the others. See how it sticks out? The others are recessed.”
Squinting, shining my light directly on the stone, I gasp.
“You’re right.” I let my frustration and disappointment get the better of me and missed it.
Another reason Ryder is a perfect partner.
His lack of personal investment is definitely helping him keep a more level head.
At least I can pat myself on the back for recognizing that.
“I feel a switch. Stand back,” he orders.
Without question, I take a step back and watch as he presses the hidden button. A loud groan fills the air, followed by a whoosh as a small section of the wall opens with a protesting creak. My jaw drops.
“Holy shite,” I whisper.
“After you, my little English rose.” He sweeps his hand toward the pitch-black opening, and I give him the biggest smile as I step inside.
The secret room is very small, no bigger than a decent-size bathroom, and its walls are lined with wooden shelves. Shelves stacked with boxes, items wrapped in newspaper and several small trunks.
Reaching for one of the bundles of newspaper first, I carefully unwrap the package. My jaw drops at the pearl and diamond necklace that falls into my hands. As I hold it up, Ryder turns to me with an open box full of gold coins.
“They must’ve hidden all their valuables down here.”
“Look for the diamond,” I encourage him, setting the necklace back on the shelf.
It’s beautiful, but I’m here for one thing.
As far as I’m concerned, this can all go on display upstairs for visitors to gawk at or be part of a museum exhibit.
Once I have what I want, and we’re far away from here, I’ll tip the castle owners off the literal treasure trove they're sitting on.
We work in silence, opening everything up. I find family heirlooms, important documents, artwork, jewelry and money. It’s an absolute goldmine of goods, worth a fortune, but not what I want.
After searching through one wall of shelves, my frustration builds. “It has to be here,” I grumble, pausing to brush a strand of hair out of my face.
“Delaney.”
I look over to see Ryder holding a velvet drawstring bag. He tilts the bag, dumping its contents into his open palm. My eyes go wide when I see a large diamond, the perfect shade of lavender with pinkish hints sparkling in the beam of my torch.
“Oh, my God,” I whisper, not even attempting to hide the awe in my voice. “You found it.”
He looks up, and instead of giving me a smile like I expect, his eyes narrow and his expression turns dark.
“I’ll take that,” a deep voice says from behind me.