Parchment & Pearls

31. We Open A Trunk...To Find The Key

Chapter 31

We Open A Trunk...To Find The Key

Careful with the steps again, we started up the stairs slowly. Even with our headlamps, there was no telling how far up we were going and there was no breaks either. More than once we had to stop to take a breath, both of us wondering just how much farther. At this point, the map was completely useless. We were on our own.

It wasn't until we reached the light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak - the top of the stairs.

And it was lighter. How, I didn't know, but I was taking it as a good indication we were close to being aboveground.

"You see that?" Drake asked, nodding up to it.

"Yeah."

Still, we were taking everything slowly as we reached the top, peering over to see into the dimly lit up circular room it opened into until we were stepping inside.

"Oh, wow," I breathed, looking around.

The walls were the same carved stone. The floor was paved in different colored stones, creating different patterns of shapes and swirls and lines. And the low-lying ceiling almost brushing the top of Drake's head...well, we knew where the light was coming from.

We were definitely close to the surface by the sunlight that was shining down from the sun-shaped swirls cut out of the stone. Right in the center was what looked like a circular stone door with an iron lock. Just above it was a small hold that looked like it could fit the lock itself.

"Hey, Hattie?" Drake said, pulling my attention to him.

"Huh?" I asked, looking over.

His eyes met mine before he nodded to the middle of the room. "Look."

My eyes followed where he was looking, finding a small, wooden trunk sitting in center of swirling stones, directly under the sun-shaped cuts in the ceiling.

Forgetting Drake beside me, I rushed forward, dropping to my knees in front of it. It was small, but that didn't mean that it would contain anything less valuable.

This was it, what we were looking for on this adventure of ours.

"Go on," Drake said quietly as he knelt beside me. I looked over to see him smiling at me. "You do the honors."

I took a shaky breath, smiling back at him. "Is it strange that I'm freaking out right now?"

"No," he laughed, shaking his head. "I am, too. I mean, who knows what's in here or where it will lead us next."

I ran my hands over the iron latches, heart pounding in my chest as I paused before opening it. My eyes went to Drake again, only to find him watching me. "And we're going to do this together?"

He didn't move or say anything for the longest time. But then he was leaning forward, catching my face in his hands just before he pressed his lips against mine in a soft kiss. My heart was pounding in my chest for totally different reasons then as he pulled back slightly, putting his forehead against mine.

"It's up to you, Hattie," he breathed, brushing my hair back from my face. "I'll be here as long as you want me."

I laughed slightly, nodding against him. "Then you'll be here for a very, very long time. Would you mind?"

Drake smiled again, kissing the tip of my nose. "No, not at all."

I sighed when he pulled back and nodded down to the trunk.