The Wyvern's Spur - Kate Novak [37]
Olive was just thinking how Uncle Drone might not be the only Wyvernspur "not all together upstairs," when a large section of the floor at the far end dropped a foot and slid silently beneath the rest of the floor. A narrow staircase led down into the dark hole revealed by the secret door. Nice workmanship, Olive thought. Invisible, quiet, no vibrations.
"Come on. Birdie," Giogi said, taking Olive's lead rope. "The secret door doesn't stay open very long."
Olive grudgingly followed the nobleman down the steps. Giogi used the finder's stone to light their way. The walls on either side were of rough-cut stone fitted together by expert masons. The stone was cool but dry. The air was less chill than in the mausoleum and grew even warmer as they descended.
Olive tried counting the number of steps, but she got confused by her extra feet. There were three landings where the staircase turned, but the steps were all even and not too steep or narrow for her hooves. Olive caught glimpses of shimmering lines on the walls, but whenever she looked directly at them, the lines disappeared. More magical glyphs, she realized. I must be immune to their power because I'm in Giogi's company. Or because I'm just an ass, she added.
Finally they reached the bottom. Their way was blocked by another door plated with the same gray metal used in the mausoleum. Emblazoned across the door was a painting of a great red wyvern. The words, "None but Wyvernspurs shall pass this door and live," were inscribed in the Common tongue over the door.
Once again Giogi pulled out his silver key. He stared at it for a moment, took a deep breath, then exhaled, puffing out his cheeks. "Now, don't be frightened, Birdie," Giogi said as he turned the key in the lock. "I'll protect you from the guardian."
Much obliged, Olive thought, but who's going to protect you? The halfling burro could smell fear on the nobleman.
Giogi took another deep breath, gathered his courage, and pushed open the door. He took a step into the room, then another. Olive followed alongside him, which Giogi took as an indication that the little burro was a fearless creature. In reality, Olive was simply anxious to stay within the finder's stone sphere of light.
"Hello, hello," Giogi said, at first softly, then with more volume. "Steele, are you here?" the nobleman called out. His voice echoed back, but there was no living response. Giogi pushed the door closed behind them and locked it.
They stood in the Wyvernspur family crypt-a vast tunneled chamber with straight walls and a vaulted ceiling. Both walls and ceiling were lined, as the staircase had been, with fitted, cut stone. Every so many feet, in place of a stone, was a block of marble engraved with the name of a Wyvernspur, with-so Olive presumed-the remains of a Wyvernspur buried behind it.
In the center of the crypt was a single cylindrical pedestal ringed with concentric circles of letters carved into the floor. Each circle repeated the same warning in a different language. Olive couldn't read all the tongues, but the outer and most prominent warning was written in Common. The words, "painful, lingering death," stood out clearly in the finder's stone light. Olive did not feel compelled to read any more.
The pedestal stood higher than Olive's line of sight. She could see only the swatch of black velvet draped over the top of the pedestal and which hung down about a foot all around.
Giogi, from his adult human height, looked down on the top of the pedestal. "It's missing, all right," he muttered.
"Giogioni," a voice whispered from the other end of the hall. The echo repeated the whisper.
Olive shivered. She was willing to bet that that wasn't Giogi's Cousin Steele. The voice had a sensuous, husky quality, but it also conveyed to Olive the unpleasant sensation of something sawing at her bones. The voice had to belong to the guardian. Olive understood immediately