by M. J. Putney
Nick opened the paper. “Allarde, take a look with me while we try to match this to the landscape.” Allarde joined him and created a bright mage light over the paper while the two of them studied the drawing.
As Jack unpacked more food, he asked, “What’s happened so far?”
Tory gave a brief summary of the compound and their visit to the laboratory. She ended with, “You can see why we hope there’s a secret way into the castle.”
Cynthia shivered as she listened. “I do hope this is worth the risks.”
“I don’t know if Nick’s dream will come true, but I’m absolutely sure that this drug will change the world. I’m glad we’re working to save lives rather than taking them,” Elspeth said pensively. “I would have been less comfortable if he was working on some evil new weapon, even if the Allies need that.”
Tory felt the same. “What does the map show?”
“The main tunnel just might work,” Nick said, his voice hopeful. “Assuming that it’s still open and isn’t situated in the middle of the military camp. Allarde and I will have to scout it to see.”
“I’ll go with you. I want to study the site, too.” Tory said. Seeing the expressions on the newcomers, she added, “You three should get some rest. Once we know more about the tunnel, we can make plans.”
Jack smiled ruefully. “Much as I’d like to go, I’m not sure I could walk there and back in my present state. I’ll stay here and guard the womenfolk.” Ignoring Cynthia’s withering glare, he added, “I’m guessing that a night raid would be aided by some weather work to cover up what you’re doing. With Cynthia and me both here, we should be able to conjure up any kind of storm you want.”
“We’re counting on it,” Allarde said. “As soon as it gets dark, we’ll be off to see if we can find the tunnel entrance.”
“Which should give us enough time to eat,” Nick said with a grin. “What else do you have in there, cousin?”
CHAPTER 26
Lying on her stomach between the two boys, Tory studied the square towered church of Notre Dame du Lac. The ancient structure was tucked between the lake and the escarpment at the west end of the village. Perhaps in deference to the church’s age and beauty, the handsome old trees surrounding it hadn’t been cut down.
The road to the castle ran a couple of hundred yards or so behind the churchyard, and the barbed-wire fence was about the same distance in front. The vicious fence skirting the lakeshore was an ugly reminder that this was a war zone. There were no signs of life around the church. With all the villagers removed from their homes, it must be closed now.
She and her companions had followed a narrow lane through a wheat field and now lay on the edge, where they had a clear view of the church. The ripe golden stalks should have been harvested by now, but farms would be short of labor if most of the men had been sent to Nazi labor camps.
What had become of the villagers who had been driven from these homes when the soldiers took over? Tory guessed they had moved in with nearby friends and relatives and were living in cramped misery.
“The Comte du Bouchard said the tunnel ended in the churchyard, and that it was well hidden,” Allarde said quietly. “Nick, can you tell exactly where?”
Nick narrowed his eyes as he gazed at the church. “I wish he’d been more specific. I think it comes out by the farthest stone buttress on the left side of the church, but it’s hard to be sure from this distance.”
“Even if we find the entrance, we don’t know if it’s clear all the way to the castle. Anything could have happened over the years.” Allarde frowned, his face faintly illuminated by reflected light as the spotlight swept to the end of the fence, then away.
Tory shifted, removing a rock from under her stomach. Nick lay on her right, but he was merely there, her comrade. Allarde was on her left, and she was acutely aware of his long, powerful body. He seemed less distracted by their proximity than she. Of course, he was a master at concealing his emotions.
“Someone will have to go up through the tunnel,” Nick agreed. “But it will be dangerous getting into the compound to look for the entrance. We haven’t got a convenient thunderstorm to call on this time.”
Having studied the ground carefully, Tory announced, “I think I can get to the church without being seen.”
Allarde flinched noticeably at that. “It’s too dangerous! I’ll go.”
She laid her hand over his. “Justin, it’s gallant that you want to take all the risks, but I’m better suited to this particular task. There are small patches of shadow and cover between here and the church. I can conceal myself much more easily than a great strapping fellow like you.”
He rolled his hand upward and laced his fingers between hers. “You’re frightened, I can feel it. You don’t want to do this.”
She pulled her hand away, unable to deal with the surge of emotions between them. “Of course I’m frightened,” she said irritably. “I’d be a fool not to be. But I’m still the best person to look for the tunnel. If Nick is right that it ends on the lake side of the church, I’ll be in the shadows most of the time. This is only a little dangerous.”
“I’ll be able to find the tunnel more quickly,” Nick said. “So I’ll go.”
“You, like Allarde, are not easy to conceal,” she pointed out. “Look at that little gully on this side of the fence. If I lie down in it, I’m not likely to be noticed when the spotlight moves over me. Either of you would. If I am seen, I’ll probably look like a little boy. Whoever is behind the gun might hesitate a moment before shooting a child.”
“Maybe not.” Nick glanced across at Allarde. “But mostly Tory is right.”
“It’s her most irritating quality,” Allarde said dryly, but there was an undertone of humor in his voice. “Be careful, Tory. If it looks like you’re in trouble, I swear I’ll pull boulders down the mountain as a distraction.”
“Better to save your ability to move mountains for later. We might need it more then.” Tory laid a hand on Nick’s shoulder. “Let’s see if my ability to enhance other mages’ power can give you a clearer sense of where to look for the tunnel.”
Nick closed his eyes for the space of a dozen heartbeats. “It ends inside that last buttress,” he said finally. “On the back side, the fourth stone up from the bottom on the outer edge is a lever that opens into the tunnel. I think. It will probably be hard to move and will need to be pushed and kind of twisted toward the back at the same time.”
“The lock-opening magic I learned from Allarde should help there.” She glanced toward Allarde. “I’ll need your help getting over the fence as quickly as possible.”
He nodded. “This time you really will fly, not just float.”
“If I find my way into the tunnel, I’m going to follow it all the way up to the castle if I can, so don’t worry if I’m gone for a while.”
“I’ll know if you’re distressed or in danger,” Allarde said tersely.
He would, too. She turned her attention to the path of the spotlight. The huge light fixture was located toward the center of the camp, and it covered the western half. Light swept along the fence, past the church, and continued left to the edge of the lake. Then it swung back to the right. She would have more time to get over the fence during the long sweep to the right.
She was all set to leap up when a huge black motorcar roared around the corner on the road to the castle. Her muscles spasmed as her reflexes instantly ordered her body to freeze. Feeling like a rabbit hiding from a fox, she watched the vehicle slow for the turn up toward the castle.
His voice a bare thread of sound, Nick said, “That’s the commandant’s Mercedes again. See the SS insignia on those pennants? It looks like a pair of lightning bolts.”
“He’s probably quartered in the castle,” Allarde said just as softly. “So he can look down in disdain on the country he helped conquer.”
The returning spotlight struck the car and for an instant the commandant was silhouetted against the light. He had
the ruthless profile of a bird of prey.
The moment passed and the motorcar continued up the road, the menacing throb of its engine fading as it rounded the escarpment to the side that was less steep. Tory was pleased at the steadiness of her voice when she said, “After the next sweep, I’ll be off.”
Allarde gave her hand a quick, hard squeeze. “I shall be extremely irritated with you if you let yourself be captured.”
Or shot. “I’ll bear that in mind.” She drew herself up into a crouch so she could take off quickly. The seconds dragged, and then suddenly it was time to go.
She sprang up and raced full speed toward the fence, tracking the spotlight out of the corner of her eye. It swung back toward her, moving swiftly along the line of barbed wire. The distance to her hiding place seemed much longer than it had been when she was in the field.
Just before the light beam struck her, she reached the shallow depression she’d noted earlier. She dived into it and flattened herself, heart beating. She felt terrifyingly exposed as the blazing light passed over her.
But no alarm was raised. No shots were fired.
By the time she caught her breath, the light was returning from the lake. She spent a moment focusing her magic, then reached out to Allarde. He enhanced her power with a deep rush of his own. When the light passed over her again, she scrambled to her feet and put all her energy into getting over the fence.
The addition of Allarde’s magic swept her over the barbed wire faster than she’d ever flown on her own. In seconds she was over the fence and running toward the church. Dancing on air with Allarde had been much more enjoyable.
She reached the shelter of an oak tree by the time the spotlight returned. Her heart hammered as she pressed her back into the trunk, which was wide enough to conceal her, but not Allarde or Nick.
The light passed to the lake. From this angle, she saw how it shot over the water before disappearing into the distance. After the beam passed her on the return swing, she bolted toward the church, hoping there was no one close enough to hear the crunch of dry autumn leaves under her feet.
Then she was alongside the church and safe from the relentless spotlight. The church was at the far west end of the village so there was unlikely to be anyone around to see her at the moment. Guards patrolled the compound, but one had been by here recently and wouldn’t return soon.
The church was large for such a tiny village. The structure must have been built as a testament to medieval faith, or perhaps to reflect glory on the noble family who lived in the castle high above.
She passed a side door and on impulse tested the heavy latch. Though the door was locked, the simple mechanism opened easily with a touch of magic. The door squealed as she inched it open. She froze, but the interior remained silent. The Germans must have driven out even the church mice.
When she was sure no one was near, she closed the door behind her and created a mage light. The sanctuary contained stacks of rough wooden cases of different sizes. A case near the door was open so she moved closer. Inside were smaller boxes of cardboard. She lifted one, surprised by the weight, and opened it.
Ammunition. They had turned the house of God into a storehouse for weapons. Disgusted, she closed the box and left, locking the door behind her.
A dozen more paces brought her to the last buttress. These were not the elegant Gothic arches of the late medieval cathedrals, but tall pillars of solid stone built to support the church walls.
She circled to the back of the buttress and counted the fourth stone up from the bottom. Pushing and twisting as Nick had described didn’t shift the stone. She guessed that it hadn’t been opened in many years. Mentally she felt her way into the mechanism, pushing what would move. Abruptly the outside of the buttress swung away, revealing steps going into the earth.
She stepped back, wrinkling her nose. The air was dank and earth-scented. The Labyrinth had given her plenty of experience with underground passages, but this tunnel was less welcoming than Lackland’s, and not as well kept. There were cobwebs. Ugh!
Reminding herself that an unused tunnel was far safer than a Nazi military camp, she stepped inside and pulled the massive stone door shut with an iron handle mounted on the inside. Despite its weight, the door was well balanced and moved easily.
Feeling the pressure of the darkness, she quickly kindled a mage light, making it extra bright to drive away her fears. Then she cautiously descended the uneven steps.
Fifteen steps down, the tunnel flattened out and she followed it far enough to be under the escarpment. Then more steps, this time ascending. The walls looked as if they had been formed by running water and later shaped and enlarged by human hands. Sometimes the shaft narrowed or dipped so low even Tory had to duck. There were no railings, but occasionally the steps flattened out for a few feet before rising again.
She climbed and climbed and climbed, stopping for breath several times. Once she halted to press her hand against her side because of a painful stitch.
The tunnel walls changed from raw stone to brick before ending at a heavy, ancient wooden door. The door was unlocked. She froze as the hinges squealed when she inched it open, but no one seemed to hear in the dark space on the other side. She lit a dim light and saw a cluttered, windowless cellar.
She cautiously stepped inside. Her door was set almost invisibly into a rough paneled wall. There was another door opposite, so she crossed the room, doused the light, and peered out. Beyond was a door-lined corridor. Hearing heavy footsteps and German voices, she hastily closed the door to the corridor and retreated to the tunnel.
Only when the door was safely closed behind her did she allow her excitement free rein. There was a way to get the Weiss family safely out of captivity! Nick could use his finder ability to locate them and the doctor would be whisked away at the same time. Within hours, they would all be safely back in England.
Heart light, she descended the steps much faster than she’d gone up them. The trek was still a long one and she had to be careful of her footing where steps were wet, but it was far less tiring that the climb to the castle.
It was a relief to emerge from the smothering confines of the tunnel and into the fresh night air. The area was as quiet as when she’d gone down. Closing the stone door, she headed back toward the fence. Though she knew where Allarde and Nick must be, they were so well concealed that she couldn’t see them.
She was checking the position of the spotlight when she stepped beyond the church wall and smacked hard into the gray-clad body of a towering soldier. She gave a squeak of shock while he swore in German. A patroller!
Allarde’s emotions flared with concern so intensely that she hurled her own emotions back to reassure him. Relax, I was startled, not in danger. Do nothing!
At least, not yet.
While sending her emotions to Allarde, she also flung herself away from the soldier, but to no avail. He grabbed her arm in an iron grip. He was scarily large—as tall as Allarde, and much bulkier.
She’d told the boys that she could pass for a child, and now was the time to find out if that was true. Pitching her voice higher and thinking herself young, small, and harmless, she said in French, “Excuse me, monsieur. I meant no harm!”
The soldier squinted down at her face. “Why are you here?” he said in badly accented French. “It is forbidden!”
She shrunk back from his menacing expression. “Le cimetière.” She gestured toward the graveyard. “I came to pray for my father’s soul. I meant no harm, monsieur!”
“You might have been shot!” He shook her arm angrily. “How did you get into the camp?”
“Under the fence.” She pointed to a spot beyond the church, then mimed wiggling under the wire.
“Tomorrow I will look for that hole so it can be stopped up.” He hesitated, indecision on his face. Finally he released her shoulder. “Return to your mother and never do such a stupid thing again! If you come here again, I will shoot.”
“Oui, monsieur,” she
gasped, having no trouble sounding terrified and obedient. He might not want to shoot a child, but he knew his duty.
“Go!” he barked.
“Oui, monsieur! Merci, monsieur!” She scooted into the shadows below the trees. As the guard resumed his patrol, she moved toward the fence.
When he was out of sight, she waited for the spotlight to pass, then launched herself over the fence. An extra rush of Allarde’s energy whisked her over. She landed and took off running for the wheat field.
As she entered the field, Allarde rose and swept her into his arms. Enveloping her in his embrace, he pulled her to the ground before the spotlight could reach them.
She began shaking from reaction as she burrowed so close it would take a chisel to separate them. She felt the quickened beat of his heart against her cheek. “We shouldn’t be doing this,” she whispered. “We are not together anymore.”
Nick murmured, “You certainly seem together,” in an amused voice.
Ignoring that, Allarde cradled Tory close, his warm hand cupping her neck and head comfortingly. “What happened? I felt such fear from you that I was ready to start throwing boulders.”
“I was caught by a guard who was patrolling,” she explained. “I said I’d come to pray at my father’s grave behind the church, so he let me off with a stern warning.”
Allarde’s embrace tightened even more. “A reminder that not all Germans are monsters. But dear God, that could have been a disaster!”
“The tunnel!” Nick asked urgently. “Is it open all the way to the castle?”
“Yes,” she replied. “It’s narrow and not pleasant, but it goes all the way to the castle cellars. I’ll tell you more when we’re farther away.”
Allarde released her with great reluctance, and she moved away with equal reluctance. It was easier to keep her distance when they were in their own world.
