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Frankie had meant physical pain, and she was right. Gods felt pain the same way as humans, but right now, the pain Dagor was thinking about was the one in his heart.
Why the hell had he gotten attached to the little sprite so fast?
Without her high heels she was tiny, barely reaching his chest, and they probably looked ridiculous together, but that was the least of his concerns. Princess Annani was just as tiny, and she was a magnificent goddess, powerful beyond compare and just as lovely.
Still, Frankie had managed to burrow into his heart and sink her little claws into him.
It had been a mistake to invite her on this adventure. The danger was more perceived than real, but it still triggered every protective instinct in him, and that exacerbated the complicated feelings he already had for her.
When everyone had finally made it over the stone warriors' gallery, Kalugal continued at a snail's pace, examining every etching on the walls and every paving stone under their feet.
Sloping down and turning in large circles, the tunnel continued for about five hundred feet until it opened into a cavernous chamber.
Once again, Negal tested the archway and the area right in front of it before allowing the rest of them to follow.
Dagor had a feeling that they had been going in circles around this chamber, and since the path was sloping down, they had gone about seventy feet below, which seemed to be the height of the ceiling. The Yope had carved this chamber out of the bedrock, along with a tunnel spiraling around it.
What these primitive people had managed to achieve was quite impressive.
It occurred to Dagor that Kalugal might have planned this trip months in advance and that he had created the entire experience as some sort of future amusement attraction that tourists would pay handsomely to visit, and their group was the test run.
Dagor hadn't had many opportunities to talk to the guy, but he'd gotten the impression that the immortal was very smart and motivated by financial gain. He might have seen an opportunity to exploit the ruins to make money.
Then again, given that tourism to Acapulco had dried up because of the cartels, that wouldn't have been a smart business decision.
Shifting his eyes back to the chamber, Dagor waited for Kalugal to make his next move.
The large circular platform in the center of the room was surrounded by a moat-like gap that was about thirty feet wide. He and Negal could probably jump over it, but he doubted even the immortal Guardians could do that.
The ladies, for sure, had to use the stepping stones, and those were probably just as tricky as in the two previous obstacles.
Kalugal took a couple of steps forward and examined the symbols etched into the platform. "These are ancient astrological signs," he said. "Each of them corresponds to a celestial body known to the Yope. The sequence of the stepping stones might be determined by the correct chronological sequence of the astrological areas as they understood them during the time they built this place."
"No offense, but that sounds convoluted," Dagor said. "I would trust more the pattern of wear and tear on the stones. Those that were used often will show more signs of erosion and have smoother edges."
"Let's draw a map." Kalugal reached into his pocket and produced another folded piece of paper. "I will chart the path based on the sequence of the astrological signs, and we will see whether those stones have more wear and tear."
Once he had the map, Kalugal took the chalk out of his pocket and proceeded to the edge of the moat.
"Wait," Negal said. "I can probably jump across. Do we all need to get to the platform? There is nowhere to go from there, and if the amulet is on it, I can just retrieve it, and we will be done with this adventure."
"What would be the fun in that?" Kalugal murmured while reaching into his pocket. "Let's consult the map." He pulled out one of his folded pages, unfurled it, and examined the drawings. "According to this, there is a staircase leading from the center of the platform down into another chamber and from there to a smaller one where the amulet is supposed to be. So, it seems that we all need to cross." He lifted his eyes to Negal and smiled. "Besides, I wouldn't want you to risk making the jump and missing. I would much rather employ the scientific approach and deliver you uninjured and in one piece back to the ship."
Negal shrugged. "You're the boss."
The tall Guardian who could shroud a village chuckled. "I could jump across and check whether there is a staircase leading down or not, but I know better than to suggest it." He smirked. "Kalugal would never forgive me if I take away an opportunity for him to prove how smart and knowledgeable he is."
Kalugal scoffed, "I can also jump thirty feet with ease, but why take the risk? To save a few minutes? It doesn't make sense. Using smarts is always better than relying on brawn."
"Boys." His mate lifted a hand. "You can compete to find out who can jump farther when we get back on the ship. We have a wedding to attend, and this has already taken almost two hours. We need to finish this treasure hunt and head back."
Frankie
As Frankie had expected, Kalugal had been right about the sequence following astrological signs, and they had all crossed safely across the moat, stepping on the stones he had marked for them.
He waited until everyone was over before pointing to the opening in the floor. "The staircase is right here, just as it was marked on the map, but it's narrow, and there is no guard rail. Please, watch your step."
He was probably talking to the only human because the others would have no problem navigating the narrow staircase.
