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would be due to my actions. My brothers would see that I was not a
man to regard lightly, that my advice held true weight.
I think I see where this leads, Tien.
I m certain you ve heard enough of the old stories that you
do. He put on his best arrogant air. However, this is my story,
which I intend to finish.
As you will, monsieur, Philippe said in that dry tone that he
had begun to recognize as wry amusement.
A treasure, I say. I persuaded all my brothers to come with
me. Étienne heaved a slow breath. We should have left Roul at
home. At least he would have been left as maman s protector. But
none of them wished to stay behind. The sun gleamed bright off
the ancient stones. The birds sang in the vines that choked the
walls. All seemed right with the world. Even if there was no
treasure, it was a bit of adventure, a summer s day lark, eh?
You mustn t prolong it so, mon cher. You torture yourself to
no good end.
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Étienne shrugged. There is no one to blame but me, after all.
Eh bien& the old ruins exuded cold, as if they sucked the warmth
from your bones. But we went in, joking and taunting each other to
hold back our fears. Stairs led down and down again, deep into the
earth, down into chambers carved from the bedrock. Our path
ended in huge, carved doors, the likes of which none of us had ever
seen. Fantastic animals and birds festooned the carvings, dragon-
like beings on two legs, plants that no man has ever seen. We beat
upon them, flung ourselves against them. But they were
unyielding, hard as ironwood. Guiscard and Henri were ready to
abandon the enterprise.
Jehann found the key, a spot in the midst of giant ferns that
depressed into the wood. The portal clicked and the doors swung
inward with a hideous shriek. In the cavern beyond, lay a stone
chest, heavily carved again in the same style as the doors and
larger than a man s bed. Here at least I had some inkling of what to
do, from rumors and old tales whispered in the dark. I drew my
sword and laid my palm open, over the horrified protestations of
my brothers. A shallow depression interrupted the carving on the
lid. It seemed the obvious receptacle, so I let my blood drip into
this bowl. A thunderous crack sounded and a seam appeared
through the lid s center. Roul shoved the two halves apart.
Was there treasure?
His head snapped around to pin Philippe with a sharp glance,
but the shine in those lapis eyes was frank curiosity. Philippe s lips
were parted, his body leaned forward, his whole being caught up in
the narrative. His angel was a bit stubborn and proud, but avarice
did not seem a familiar vice to him.
Indeed there was. Ancient gold glimmered in the torchlight.
Torques and armbands, pagan figures and animals, rings and
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FORTUNE S SHARP ADVERSITY
jeweled combs, all begging to be touched. We filled the bags we d
brought, enough to ransom a dozen kings, and thus laden, prepared
to depart. I had noted the mist curling about out feet, but had not
remarked on it. It seemed a small oddity at the time. But as we
made for the doors, the mist thickened and rose up before us like a
storm-driven wave. The portal slammed shut against us. We were
trapped.
Were you frightened?
Terrified. We cast about for another way out, but the mist
threw our torchlight back at us so we stumbled lost. The chamber
seemed impossibly huge all of a sudden. We could find neither
wall nor chest. Henri bellowed at us to take hold so we would not
lose each other as well. My brothers put me in the center, even
then trying to protect the youngest. I wish they had not, though it
might not have made a whit of difference. A voice whispered to
us& more thought than word. It said we had violated sacred
ground, that we were thieves and despoilers. We would pay the
price. The mist swirled close around our feet and held us fast. Iron
manacles would not have done as well. Then I watched as this
cursed, blighted mist rolled up my brother s bodies and turned
them into stone monsters.
He shut his eyes, shivering. It had happened so quickly, none of
his siblings had even screamed. He thought he had, though.
Tien& Philippe had risen at some point. He placed a hand on
Étienne s arm to stop his pacing and pulled him into his strong
embrace. What a terrible thing to have to watch.
At the time I was only terrified I would become stone, too, my
horror unable to form any other thoughts. Perhaps it would have
been better that way. But the voice, sharp as glass, cold as death,
whispered to me, Your blood stains the stone, and is therefore
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FORTUNE S SHARP ADVERSITY
thrice cursed. You will be left to watch, remember, and regret.
Turn by turn, day by day, three watches each, until seed from stone
springs forth. A terrible burning rose from my feet, climbing my
body like burning pitch. Horror-stricken, I watched my boots meld
with my skin and my feet elongate to ones with monstrous claws.
Inch by inch, the internal fire consumed me, transformed me,
though when it reached my heart, the agony grew too much and I
swooned dead away.
When I woke again, I was on the wall of the ruined fortress in
my new, misshapen form, my brothers arranged around me.
And there you were until the bishop had you brought here?
Yes. Oh, I made night forays out into the countryside and
wandered the ruins in my human form in the evenings. But I have
no idea how long we were there. Time became a strange flood
without clear ports or jetties.
You couldn t leave? Or wouldn t?
He smoothed a golden curl back from Philippe s forehead. I
could not leave my brothers, mon ange. I brought this terrible fate
upon them. How could I leave them? He shrugged. And where
would I go?
Philippe kissed his forehead tenderly and then seemed to
hesitate on some thought. How did you come here, then? With no
one the wiser to your& condition?
A short, brittle laugh leaped from him. Ah, but the bishop s
men crated us up to transport us here. I do not recommend
traveling by crate.
My poor Tien. Philippe peppered kisses over his face,
soothing the bitterness into something softer. But it is an
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