Gifted Thief (Highland Magic #1)(89)

The first indication I had that we were getting close was when we rounded a corner and I felt a breeze on my face. My eyes might have fully adjusted to the gloom but I still couldn’t make out anything that might be Foinse-shaped. I imagined that the Foinse would be like a small fountain with streams of multi-coloured magic bubbling up instead of water. Unfortunately, everything ahead was a dark black well .

I sniffed the air. For a long time, in fact since we’d entered the cavern, it had been growing gradually staler but now there was something different about it. It was almost fresh. I picked up my pace. We were almost there; I could feel it.

When we turned another corner, the Foinse was there. It was a huge chest bathed in light, although goodness knows where the light was coming from.

Diana, who was close behind me, gasped. With the chest perched on a stone pedestal and the light cascading from above, it was like entering an ancient temple to pay homage to a god.

I felt the final barrier before I saw it. When I was less than ten feet away from the chest, I could no longer press forward; there was an invisible force field around it. It was clear, though, where the light was coming from. Hundreds of metres above us there was a round hole. If I squinted, I could make out a dash of blue.

‘We’re in the centre of the mountain,’ Malcolm said, awestruck.

Byron drew a breath. ‘It’s your turn, Integrity.’

I nodded, glancing at the others to make sure they were going to give me the same privacy that they’d been given. There was a calculating expression in William Kincaid’s eyes but Aifric gripped his elbow and pulled him back. Giving them a tight smile, I turned my attention to the last lock. I pressed my palms against the barrier and marvelled at the magical craftsmanship that must have gone into making it.

I squeezed my eyes shut and breathed my name. ‘Layoch.’

The sensation of the barrier shattering was extraordinary. I felt a wash of power surge through me. Basking in its glow, I smiled. For the first time, I felt what it was to be Adair. I revelled in the moment – until Malcolm pushed past me, making a beeline for the chest.

He grabbed the corners and lifted. Nothing happened. I watched his shoulders strain and heard him grunt but the chest didn’t budge. Byron joined him, as did Diana. The three of them heaved but it still refused to open. Aifric, Dorienne and William joined them, all six of them scrabbling and straining. I folded my arms and kept back. There was no visible lock on the front, other than a simple iron latch. Sheer muscle was going to be a waste of time. There was a lightly coloured panel of wood on the left-hand side that told me everything I needed to know.

‘Aren’t you going to help us?’ William Kincaid spat.

I arched an eyebrow. ‘If six of you can’t open it, one more person isn’t going to make any difference.’

Aifric stepped away, his shoulders sagging. ‘She’s right. There has to be another way. We must have missed something.’

Diana joined him and pursed her lips. One by one they moved back until only Malcolm remained there, huffing and puffing. ‘It has to open!’

‘It’s not going to. We’ll have to take it with us and find a way to pry it open back at the Cruaich,’ Aifric said decisively.

‘It’s massive! How will we carry it?’

‘We’ll just have to manage.’

The six of them took up their positions and attempted to lift the chest off the dais. It didn’t budge.

‘It’s stuck fast,’ Byron grunted. ‘This isn’t the way.’

Aifric cursed. ‘There must be another key. It shouldn’t be this hard.’

William Kincaid kicked it. ‘Blasted thing!’

I smirked, wondering how long this would go on for. Really, they were lucky they had me with them. For now, I amused myself by watching their wasted efforts.

It was Byron who noticed first. He glanced over and clocked the expression on my face. He abandoned the chest and marched over. ‘There aren’t any records of a container like this. It’s obviously not ancient like the Foinse is.’ He eyed me. ‘You know what to do to open it.’ It wasn’t a question.

I smiled. ‘I’m a thief, Byron. I do this for a living.’

Both irritation and amusement flitted across his face. ‘Go on then.’ He cleared his throat. ‘The rest of you need to get back. Give Integrity some room.’

Malcolm snorted. ‘She won’t be able to open it if we can’t.’

Aifric looked at me. ‘Step back,’ he ordered. He gestured at me. ‘On you go.’

I rubbed my palms together. Malcolm and William rolled their eyes but Diana simply looked curious. ‘You’re going to have to give me some room,’ I said. ‘I need the light and you’re blocking it.’