Page 129 of The Cradle of Ice

Kanthe reached his goal. He pointed at the source of the blue glow. A crystal box, cornered in copper, hung crookedly from a conduit bent off the wall. From inside, the pulsing luminosity continued to dim and brighten, as if eternally signaling for help.

And that’s the problem.

He turned to Frell. “The hue and tinge of this light. Doesn’t it remind you of something?”

The alchymist frowned his frustration.

“Shiya’s crystal globe of the world,” Kanthe explained. “We were guided here because of a glowing blue marker on her sphere, shining deep in the Southern Klashe. A blue that matches this glow.”

Pratik nodded. “He’s right. I’d swear to it.”

“Such a light was supposed to indicate where a Sleeper remained intact.” Kanthe pointed to the bronze figure. “Does that look undamaged to you?”

“What’s your point?” Frell asked.

Kanthe looked up at the crystal cube. “It must be a beacon. One that was never destroyed by whatever force struck here. That’s why it’s still sending out a signal—a false signal.” He turned to the others. “Before we leave, we need to destroy it. It’s the only good we can make of this entire disaster.”

“Why?” Frell asked.

Kanthe exhaled his frustration, trying to explain. “If we extinguish the signal, Shiya’s crystal globe should note the change. Like it had with all the other dead Sleepers. If nothing else, it’s a way we can signal Nyx and the others that we got here. They may not know we failed in securing the Sleeper, but by dousing this light, we can let them know we got this far.”

Frell rubbed his chin. “That’s true. I’m not sure of the benefit, but it’s better than doing nothing.”

“We came all this way,” Kanthe said. “The least we can do is turn off the light on our way out, ending this farce.”

Pratik shook his head. “We shouldn’t destroy it.”

Kanthe frowned at him. “But—”

Pratik ducked into the egg, too. “You’re right that we need to switch it off. But we should find a way to take it with us afterward. Undamaged, if possible. Down the line, with further study, perhaps we can find a way to use it as a means of communication with Shiya.”

Cassta glanced at Kanthe, a twinkle in her eyes. “That’s an even better idea with a greater possible outcome.”

Kanthe felt his cheeks growing flush.

Why didn’t I think of that?

“Don’t look so perturbed,” Cassta scolded. “Chaaen Pratik would never have come up with that notion if you hadn’t made this connection.”

“That’s right,” Pratik agreed.

Cassta kept her gaze on Kanthe. “Remember. True ingenuity seldom comes from one set of lips, but many,” she said. “Even lips as pretty as yours.”

Kanthe’s face grew hotter, and he had to look elsewhere. He waved at the crystal cube overhead. “We should see about getting this down.”

“To that end…” Jester yanked a hand-ax from a hook on his belt. “I’ve got some true ingenuity right here.”

It ended up not being that simple, but working together, they managed to safely decouple the crystal cube from its mounts and cut it free. As they did, the light flared to a blinding brilliance, then went dark.

“What about the remains of the Sleeper?” Pratik asked.

Frell shook his head. “He’s too heavy to haul out on our own. Best to let him rest in his grave for now.”

With nothing more they could do, the group prepared for the long journey back to sunlight. Mead picked up the dark cube and hefted it over his shoulder, carrying it in a makeshift sling. Exhausted and still despondent, no one spoke as they set off.

As they climbed out of the cavern, Rami drew alongside Kanthe. The Klashean prince had never said a word upon the discovery of the copper egg. His eyes had remained shadowed the entire time, his brow crossed by deep lines.

Rami stepped closer. He reached a hand toward Kanthe, then dropped it.