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"The stream of refugees is also growing. The Amazons continue to try to find hiding places for them, but this is now almost impossible. The Brotherhood is claiming all the underground tunnels and shafts for themselves. It is no longer safe there." Aspasia put her hand on Emma's arm, who had struggled to get the last words out. She had been the one to put into practice a legacy that had been passed down from daughter to daughter in her family for centuries, and now it all seemed lost.
"If it gets any worse, maybe we should consider evacuating to the magical world," Lariel suggested, and Maggy nodded in agreement.
"That's a good idea," I agreed with him. "The women need somewhere safe to escape to, and once that's no longer possible in the human world, it would be a very generous and welcome offer."
"I'm sure our queen will give her consent. I'll ask her if it comes to that," Maggy explained. "But I think it will be very soon because the Brotherhood follows women everywhere."
"We also came across traces of the Knights of John
in the tunnels under the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. In the form of a huge mine where women guarded by creatures from the underworld are digging," Sam told the other group.
"Creatures of the underworld?" Hecate gazed at Tanael in surprise.
"The Keren."
Hecate drew in her breath noisily at Tanael's words. "But how?"
"We'd like to know that too," the God of the First Light admitted, running his hand through his hair.
"What are these women digging for?" Rick looked around in amazement. "The resources are as good as used up."
"They are searching the same as we do," Edward put a book on the table and opened it. Everyone leaned forward and stared at the drawing, which I knew showed the Ark of the Covenant.
"The Ark of the Covenant, the lost treasure from King Solomon's temple, which contains not only the stone tablets with the ten commandments but also the writings that will hopefully give us more information about John Adam Nash," Tanael explained to those who had not been with us in the tunnels under the mountain.
"Have you found out meanwhile where the Ark is now?" Lariel looked skeptically at the drawing. "And does it really look like this?"
"It looks exactly like the picture," Aspasia confirmed.
"How do you know that so for sure?" the Brysalian questioned her statement.
"Because I saw it with my own eyes more than 3,000 years ago." The Amazon stared at him challengingly.
"Well, that's enough of an explanation for me," he replied calmly.
"I'm glad," Aspasia growled back, and Tanael interrupted the back and forth.
"The only problem is that there are several traces to follow, as several legends attribute the theft of the Ark of the Covenant to different peoples. Was it Nebuchadnezzar II with his Neo-Babylonian warriors or Menelik I from the Ethiopian legend, son of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon? And what role did the Knights Templar play, who are said to have discovered the temple treasure almost 2,000 years later?" Tanael looked around the room. "As you can see, lots of questions, many possible places, and far too little time."
"It's no different for us," Hecate admitted contritely. "Finding the whereabouts of abducted women is becoming increasingly difficult. The number of kidnap victims is increasing, and you'd think that would make it easier to find a clue, but the opposite is the case. It's so damn frustrating." The goddess banged her fist vigorously on the table. Chris reassuringly put his hand on her shoulder, and she took a deep breath.
"What should we do now?" Sam wanted to know. "Hecate? Chris?"
"Our next focus will be on Russian territory. As we know from the past, the vast steppes can hide a lot." Chris looked resolutely at Hecate, who nodded in agreement.
"But we're going to split into two groups," Maggy explained. "While one-half searches in the human world, the other part of our group will try to rule out the hopefully impossible."
"And what would that be?" Stephan wanted to know.
"That those bastards are hiding the women somewhere in the magical world!" Lariel shouted, and a murmur went through my team. We hadn't even considered this possibility.
"That's an excellent idea and a variant we should pursue here in the underworld. After all, he has demons at his disposal," Tanael pondered.
"As soon as I'm finished in Russia, I'll devote myself to the underworld," Hecate promised, her face grim.
"We'll dedicate ourselves to the underworld. Together," Chris interrupted her. A tender smile displaced the grimness, and the Goddess of Magic took his hand.
"Chris, I have to do this on my own. There are so many dangers lurking in some parts of the underworld, waiting for a human to encounter them."
