by Blair Drake
Rylan rode ahead of him, his horse picking its way through the thick undergrowth with care. The healer had made a remarkable recovery and now sat straight and tall. He seemed to be riding with purpose, as if he knew something the rest of them didn’t. Jasper hoped there was truth in that. The light was fading. They needed to find the cave and fast.
Then after another hour of climbing, and on the far side of a thicket, a roaring sound reached their ears. They turned to each other as one, knowing what it meant.
“The waterfall! I hear it!” Willow exclaimed.
Rylan nodded in satisfaction. “Yes.”
Jasper smiled, but inside the nerves chewed into his stomach. Discovering the waterfall was a step in the right direction, but now the pressure was on him to reach the cave and find the stone. Rylan was sure they’d be given some direction, receive some sign where the stone lay, but Jasper wasn’t so certain.
What if Rylan’s wrong? What if they found the cave, but Jasper couldn’t find the stone? The key to breaking the King’s curse lay with the golden stone. Finding the cave alone wasn’t good enough. What if...?
The questions churned inside his gut, filling him with a fresh wave of anxiety. He couldn’t ever remember feeling so nervous, or feeling so much pressure to perform. Not even the thought of his looming final exams made him feel that way. And it wasn’t as if he could rely on his supernatural powers. Being extraordinarily strong was hardly going to help him locate the stone.
As if privy to his jumbled thoughts, Jasper’s school pin began to glow. He stared down at it, feeling the heat of it against his chest. A burst of excitement went through him. The magic was close.
The roar of the waterfall grew louder. They broke through the stand of trees and gasped in unison. Standing before them was the highest waterfall Jasper had ever seen. It wasn’t as wide as Niagara Falls, but it seemed to be falling from the sky. From as far up as Jasper could see, the waterfall rained down.
“There ’tis!” Rylan shouted above the din. His grin stretched a mile wide.
“Yes,” Jasper replied, nodding. For all his concerns about finding the stone, coming upon the waterfall was a relief. They were almost there. According to Rylan’s book, the cave sat behind the waterfall. The sooner they found the opening to the cave, the sooner Jasper could look for the stone.
He glanced down at his school pin and noticed it had returned to normal. Perhaps it was the pin Rylan referred to when he said they’d be given a sign? Rylan was far more familiar with the world of magic than Jasper was. Jasper crossed his fingers and hoped it would be so.
“We need to move closer, get in behind it,” he shouted.
Rylan and Willow nodded.
“We’ll tie the horses here. They won’t be keen to go any nearer. Besides, it will be easier on foot,” Jasper added.
Sliding off the back of his horse, he gave the steed a grateful pat and tied it up by the reins to a nearby tree. Rylan and Willow did likewise. Jasper wondered fleetingly if he’d ever see his horse again then dismissed the thought. If all went well, he’d break the spell and then be homeward bound. It wouldn’t matter if he didn’t see the horse again. Rylan would be free of the curse, and Jasper would be on his way back to a world he was familiar with, a world that was his own.
His glance grazed off Willow, and he swallowed a burst of regret. She couldn’t come with him, no matter how much he wished it were different. She’d hate it in his world. She’d be lost and confused and scared. She wouldn’t have her beloved father. No, it was best he leave her behind, with her father. It was the only decision he could make. Besides, like Rylan’s, his heart would mend. It would probably take a hundred years, but he’d get there.
The three of them set off on foot, picking their way through the undergrowth. The sound of the waterfall was deafening, so they walked along in silence. Moss as green as emeralds sparkled on limestone rocks in the sun. Thick vines that looked like big green snakes hung from the branches of trees Jasper didn’t recognize, and their tendrils dipped into the foaming water hundreds of feet below.
The higher they climbed, the cooler it became. The temperature dropped at least twenty degrees as they ascended. Every now and then, they were sprayed with a fine mist of water. Jasper shivered. He wasn’t sure if it was from the cold or from nerves that now took over his belly and tightened his chest more with every breath.
He told himself not to be silly. He’d find the stone and all would be well. He wouldn’t be chosen for this mission if he weren’t up to it. He just had to believe that and keep going.
Pausing to catch his breath, Jasper took stock of their surroundings. The waterfall looked like it flowed out of a rocky outcrop high up in the clouds. It was so far up, Jasper couldn’t see the top. In fact, it looked like the water simply poured out of the sky. He dismissed the idea as an optical illusion and then paused. This land was full of magic. His school pin recognized it, too. Perhaps the waterfall did pour from the sky? The thought filled him with wonder.
Willow and Rylan caught up with him and took a moment to take the place in. Rylan was panting and out of breath, but his color was good. He had completely recovered from the spider bite and was now battling the climb as any elderly man feeling unduly fatigued.
“How far do we have to climb?” Willow asked.
“The cave’s behind the waterfall. Not much further now,” Jasper replied.
Willow glanced at her father and then returned her attention to Jasper. “Good. It can’t come soon enough.”
He knew what she was thinking. Rylan was fading again, fast. Jasper picked up his pace and climbed higher toward the cave. Up close, the roar of the water was so loud he almost put his hands over his ears. Speech was beyond them. They scrambled up behind the waterfall, careful on the slippery, moss-covered stones lining the entryway. At last, they were there, just inside the mouth of the cave, looking back at the water below.
“We made it,” Rylan gasped, collapsing on the wet ground.
Jasper looked around him and nodded. “Yes.”
It was dark in the cave and would get even darker as they ventured further inside. Jasper turned to Rylan.
“Do you still have your flint and pyrite? We need to make a torch.”
Rylan loosened the straps of his knapsack and handed them to Jasper.
“I’ll try and find something we can use,” Willow offered. She disappeared outside the cave and returned a few moments later.
“This should do it,” she said, brandishing a sturdy branch.
Jasper chuckled. “You clever girl! Where did you find it?”
I climbed a little higher up, where the water doesn’t spray the ground. I broke it off a tree.”
“Well, thank you. It’s just what we need,” Jasper replied, taking it from her.
Releasing the clasp that held the school pin to his shirt, he tucked the pin carefully in his pants pocket. Then he tore what was left of his shirt into strips and wound the fabric around the end of the branch to fashion a torch. Pleased with the results, he touched the end to the flame he managed to ignite and then held the makeshift torch up for all to see.
“Yay!” Willow cheered.
“Good job, boy,” Rylan muttered.
Jasper caught the glint of pride in the healer’s eyes, and his jaw tightened with emotion. They’d known each other less than two weeks, but it felt like they’d known each other forever. Jasper had come to care for the old man deeply. He was going to miss Rylan almost as much as he’d miss Willow.
Jasper glanced outside, beyond the mouth of the cave, and noted the waning light. They didn’t have much time if they were to find the stone, break the spell, and get Jasper on his way home. In a few hours, the moon would rise, and with it their only hope of achieving their goals. He drew in a deep breath and squared his shoulders.
“You two stay here. I’m going to try and find the stone.”
They both protested, but Jasper remained firm. He pointed out that Rylan’s book foretold he�
��d be the one to find it. There was no point in all three of them stumbling around in the dark, getting lost or worse, if they didn’t have to. After a few more disgruntled comments, Rylan finally agreed. Willow came up to Jasper, a somber expression on her face.
“I just want ye to know how brave ye are to do this and how grateful I am for that. Without ye, my father has no chance. We owe ye a debt we’ll never be able to repay.”
“You owe me nothing,” Jasper replied sincerely. “I was sent here for a purpose, and I intend to see it through. You’ve shown me nothing but friendship, love, and kindness. Your father saved my life. I didn’t choose to be here, to be put in this position, but I wouldn’t change the past twelve days for anything.” He moved closer until her tunic brushed against his bare chest. He reached for her hands. “I’ll remember you and your father for the rest of my days, even if I live to be one hundred.”
In the glow of the torch he held in his hand, he saw her eyes darken with emotion. They sparkled with unshed tears.”
“I love ye, Jasper Walker,” she gasped. She threw her arms around him and clung to him.
He hugged her long and hard. “I love you, too, Willow Griffin. I’ll love you until I die.”
She lifted her head, and he bent his. Their lips met in the sweetest kiss—a kiss he believed would burn within him for all eternity.
At last, he set her away and she returned to her father’s side and took a seat on the ground beside him. Jasper turned and with torch in hand, took the first steps into the back of the dark cave alone. Silently he prayed he’d find what they were looking for.
The cave smelled damp and musty, like an underground cellar that had been closed for a decade. Jasper forced himself forward, not knowing where he was going or what he might find. Further and further, he walked into the darkness, his torch the only guide.
A noise above him and a sudden awareness of movement caught his attention, and he lifted the torch in time to see thousands of bats flying around his head. They screeched in protest at his intrusion and flew so low he felt the brush of wings against his face. He bit his lip to hold back a shout of fright.
With his heart beating wildly, he forced himself to slow his breathing and keep his panic under control. He wished he had a clue about where to look. Even Rylan wasn’t able to help him with that.
Jasper put his hand in his pocket. His fingers closed around the school pin. Its hard edges bit into the soft skin of his hand. He pulled it out and held it up to the light, hoping for a sign, a hint he was heading in the right direction, but it remained frustratingly inert. With no choice, he moved forward again.
Though his makeshift torch gave off a modest light, most of his surroundings remained dark and mysterious. He strained to see into the shadows, but it was no use. Instead, he concentrated on his other senses. The air around him had grown colder, and he was without his shirt now. He reached out and felt a rough dirt wall. His fingers came away wet. Water was coming inside the cave from somewhere. He paused and listened. In the deep silence, he was sure he could hear a slow drip.
There must be another entry point allowing the river above the falls to seep through. He hoped he wouldn’t stumble into it by accident. He’d had enough of battling strange and monstrous animals of the deep.
Easing forward, he used the dirt cave wall running on his left to keep his bearings. The last thing he wanted to do was get lost. It wouldn’t do anyone any good for him to find the golden stone and then lose his way returning to the others.
Focusing on the sound of the water, he edged forward, placing his feet with care. Rocks rolled and packed dirt crumbled under his feet. The smell of limestone grew sharper, along with the dank smell of damp earth. He held the torch in his other hand and illuminated the way as much as he could. And then he rounded a corner and gasped.
The cave opened up into a natural amphitheater. Its dirt ceiling was more than one hundred feet high and covered in glittering jewels. Jasper blinked in shock and awe and slowly realized the jewels were the most amazing stalactites and stalagmites, with many of them joined. It was a sight such as Jasper had never seen, not even on the Internet. Nothing prepared him for the beauty of it, and he longed to show Rylan and Willow.
But time was slipping away, and he still hadn’t found the stone. A surge of panic went through him. What if he didn’t find it in time? The cave was huge and full of shadows. His torch barely touched the surface. He could have walked past it already and not had a clue.
And then he became aware of heat burning on the top of his thigh. It took him a moment to realize his school pin had once again come alive. It was glowing red, and he felt the heat through his pocket. He closed his fingers around it and pulled it out.
Though it was hot, it wasn’t searing, and he could hold the pin in his hand. Lying it flat on his palm, he stared at it. To his amazement, the pin began to move. It spun in a slow circle gradually picking up speed. It spun faster and faster until it was so fast it was nothing but a blur...then finally, it stopped. Just like that, it stopped.
Jasper stared at it in awe, not sure what he should do next. He waited for the pin to do something else, but even though it still glowed red, it remained immobile. Knowing he had to keep searching, he took a step forward.
Once again, the pin came alive. It spun as crazily as it had the first time only, this time when it stopped, it moved to the very left side of his palm. He stood, barely daring to move, and then it was like a light was switched on. He stepped to the left, and the pin glowed brighter. He took two steps to the right, and the pin went dull.
A rush of excitement went through him, leaving his nerve endings tingling. The pin is trying to show me the way to the stone! He was sure of it. Once again, he moved to the left, and the pin lit up like it had before. Taking care where he put his feet, he kept moving until he walked into the wall.
The pin continued to glow bright red as Jasper walked forward. The awe-inspiring display of limestone crystals filled his view. He stumbled on a piece of uneven floor and ended up on his knees. Ignoring the pain radiating through him, he opened his hand and was relieved to discover he still held the pin. Once again, its color dulled, so he dragged himself to his feet. Moving back to the left, he was rewarded when the pin glowed brightly again.
“Okay, so it’s over to the left. I can live with that,” he murmured and took a few more steps in that direction.
Once again, he came up hard against the wall. It was almost as if the pin was trying to tell him this is where he needed to look. With growing excitement, he put the pin back in his pocket and ran his hand over the rough wall. His fingers stumbled on a ledge.
His heart skipped a beat. A ledge! Bringing his torch closer, he saw the ledge formed part of the cave and ran further back into the wall. He reached into his pocket and closed his fingers around the pin. It was warm in his hand and glowing like red-hot coals.
I’m close! I know it! The golden stone must be nearby. He’d almost put money on it being hidden in the hole in the wall. He reached up and felt around in the natural niche that had formed there. His hand came up empty. He tried again, and this time his hand closed around something solid. He dragged it out and held it up to the light.
An unremarkable rock the size of his fist filled his hand. He sighed in disappointment. It wasn’t the golden stone at all. It was just a rock, a piece of cave junk. It must have fallen and landed on the ledge. He was about to toss it away when a thin crack running along one side of it caught a shaft of light.
Before his eyes, he saw a golden flash, and just in time, he stopped. Bringing the rock up closer, he realized the cave junk cradled a golden stone. The golden stone. The golden stone he was searching for. The golden stone that could break the curse and change Rylan’s life forever. His hand trembled at the enormity of what he held.
Suddenly, the amphitheater was filled with screeching. It was ear-piercing and very close. He watched in horror as the air was filled with a different type of bat, such as he�
�d never seen. Huge and hairy, each had a wingspan of more than six feet. With claws extended and jaws gaping, they flew at him in a frenzied pack. He put his hands up to ward them off and do his best to protect his face. Taking refuge against the wall, he used the torch like a weapon to fend off their attack.
Chapter 19
Unperturbed by the flame, the bats kept coming. They headed directly for him, as ordered and deadly as a missile attack. Wave after wave came at him, and he struck at them where he could. Each time he connected, the air was rent by an earth-shattering scream.
It sounded like a stadium full of people being murdered. The noise was beyond extreme. He wanted to cover his ears and hide from the din, but there was no let up. One particularly vicious bat flew right into his face. With its fangs bared, its black beady eyes pinned him to the spot. He lifted the torch to fend it off, and as he did, he dropped the rock and froze in horror.
The bat kept coming, intent on his face, its jaws screeching wide. With no time to look for the stone, Jasper had to stand and fight. Time slowed as he thrust the pin in his pocket. He could feel its heat as the familiar tingling went through him and his hands tightened on the torch.
His gaze narrowed, and nothing existed but the torrent of bats. As fast as they came at him, his torch flew back and forth. Skulls smashed, bones crashed, the outraged screeching nearly drove him mad. But little by little, the bats thinned out until only a few remained. A swipe here and a swipe there and he’d disposed of them. It was a good thing his torch was made from strong material.
Breathing hard, he set down the torch and fell to his hands and knees. Scrabbling about on the floor of the cave, he frantically searched for the stone. With all the swinging, the torch had burned lower and lower. Soon he’d lose the light. A surge of panic went through him, and he forced himself to remain calm. Panic would get him nowhere. The stone had to be somewhere close by.
And then his hand stumbled across a hard lump on the ground. His fingers closed around it, and he brought it up to his face. Hardly able to believe he’d found it once again, he held it tightly in his hand and gulped breaths of relief.
