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"So, what now?" She put her hands on her hips. "Do we go back?"
"Not necessarily." Kalugal shone his flashlight first on one wall and then the other.
"The symbols carved into the stone on both sides are similar to the ones at the entrance to the subterranean tunnel. I bet that they are another Yope puzzle." He walked closer to the wall on the left and started pressing symbols in a sequence that made no sense to Dagor.
When nothing happened, Kalugal shone his flashlight on the other wall. "Someone needs to press the corresponding symbols on the other side." He took out a folded piece of paper and traced the outlines of the symbols in the same sequence he had pressed them before and handed the page to his mate. "I numbered them. When I say one, press the first symbol, and so on. We need to do that simultaneously."
"Got it." Jacki walked over to the other wall. "I'm ready."
As Kalugal called out the numbers and he and his mate pressed the symbols, Dagor wondered about Kalugal's confidence that he had figured out the sequence correctly. What if they pushed them in the wrong sequence and, instead of creating a bridge, collapsed the entire tunnel?
It was good that some of the Guardians had stayed outside so someone would know to come to rescue them. The problem was Frankie and whether he could shield her when the stones came crashing down on them.
Preparing to cover her with his body, he leaned over her so her head was protected.
Except, Kalugal had been right, and as he and Jacki pressed the last symbol, a grinding rumble began, and a few minutes later a platform rose from the depths of the chasm. It kept inching up until it was flush with the floor of the tunnel.
"Don't step on it yet," Rufsur said. "Let's test it first." He took off his heavy backpack and tossed it as far as he could onto the platform.
When it didn't even shake, he nodded. "Seems stable, but I suggest that we cross with extreme caution, one person at a time."
"I agree." Kalugal started walking without further preamble.
When he was on the other side, he motioned for his mate to proceed.
Rufsur lifted his arm to stop her. "Your mate is too rash sometimes. I'm more careful. Allow me please to tie a rope around you. Once you make it to the other side, release it so we can tie it around the next person."
Jacki nodded. "Good thinking." She looked at Kalugal. "You shouldn't have crossed without a rope."
Rufsur grinned. "Keeping your hubby safe is a full-time and thankless job. He never appreciates what I do for him, and he hardly ever listens."
"That's not true," Kalugal said from the other side of the platform. "I appreciate everything you do, but that doesn't mean I have to follow your suggestions to the letter."
Holding the length of rope over his arm, Rufsur arched a brow. "Do you want me to tie it around Jacki or not?"
There was a moment of hesitation before Kalugal nodded. "I'm almost certain that there is no need for it, but now that you've planted the seed of doubt in my mind, I can't ignore it."
Frankie
Once they were all safely on the other side of the platform, Frankie smiled up at Dagor. "I feel like I'm in an Indiana Jones movie. I hate to think these wonderful memories will be erased at the end of the cruise. It would be such a shame to lose them."
Dagor's eyes seemed haunted as he looked at her. "Since you're going to their village right after the cruise, there's no need to erase your memories."
Frankie didn't want to point out in front of everyone that she had only a limited time to find an immortal to bond with and then transition. If she didn't, she couldn't stay in the village, and her memories would be erased.
"It might be necessary," said the Guardian mated to Jin.
She couldn't remember his name. Was it Ariel? No, that didn't sound right.
"Why?" Dagor asked.
"Two weeks' worth of memories is more or less the limit of what can be safely erased with a thrall. Compulsion to stay silent about us lasts longer, but it needs to be periodically reinforced, which means that we would have to keep tabs on Frankie throughout her life. The best thing for her is to attempt transition as soon as she can, so if she's not a Dormant, and we need to make her forget about us, the damage will be minimal."
Dagor swallowed. "I understand, but Frankie is not ready to decide whether she wants to turn immortal, and it's too big of a decision to rush into."
Arwel, now she remembered the name, cast Dagor a knowing smile. "The decision is much easier when the Dormant bonds with an immortal." He paused for a moment. "Or a god."
"We are not—" Dagor halted mid-sentence as Kalugal lifted his hand to signal for everyone to stop.
