Page 19 of Six Types of Apology

“The cave,” Ryan huffed, wiping a streak of sweat from his brow. “It had a pointed roof – really unusual in the caves around here. But I’m sure… I’m sure….” Suddenly he broke into a run out of the cave and back toward the entrance.

“Keep digging,” Vincent yelled as he ran after Ryan. Instead of heading back down to where the huts were, Ryan ran around the cave and started to climb up the rocky outcrop the entrance was in.

“I thought I saw light,” Ryan said as he climbed, hands and feet moving quickly. “At the very top of the cave, there was light.”

“Like a crack you mean? One that came from outside?” Vincent wasn’t as agile, but he could move when he had to.

“Yes, your highness. And that means…” Ryan was standing on a short outcrop. “When the hill moved…yes…yes…” He ran over to where there appeared to be an indent in the land. On his knees, Ryan started tugging at the grass, pulling out clumps by hand.

“Wouldn’t this be faster with a shovel?” But Vincent was on his knees as well, pulling at the clods of soil. He could see where there was a definite crack in the land and there was a hole. It was only small, but it was definitely a hole.

“You wouldn’t know, prancing around at your parties and laughing with the rich folk who wouldn’t understand a day’s work if it bit them,” Ryan said bitterly. “I owe that man down there my life. All of us here do. What Prince Orion and Crown Prince Onyx are trying to do, trying to create employment opportunities, giving their people hope… I owe him everything.”

“My apologies.” Vincent kept digging, ignoring how cruddy the dirt felt under his fingernails. “I just merely felt that with the proper equipment this would be faster.”

“There are four shovels in this camp, and they’re all being used.” Reaching into his pocket, Ryan pulled out a huge knife and started plunging into dirt that wasn’t as loose. “The princes pay our salaries from their own allowances because the treasury is too busy trying to stop the king from gambling away any money the country has left. Everyone knows about it, but no one can say anything about it, because if they do, they get banished, as you found out for yourself.”

Gossip spreads fast.Vincent stopped for a moment, stripping off his jacket and rolling up his sleeves before he started scooping out the dirt Ryan was dislodging.

“He’s a good man, your husband,” Ryan said grimly, his face red with the strain. “You can have me hang for speaking out of turn if that’s your wish, but Prince Orion is one of the best people I’ve ever met. He treats us all as equals. Rolls up his sleeves and works with us side by side. This mine could be operational in six months, if the seam is a true one.”

“But is it though?” Vincent didn’t want to pour water on the poor man’s parade, but everyone knew Marinkaw was the only country in the known world where the crystals needed to store and use magic could be mined.

“Look for yourself.” Ryan sat back, revealing the wider hole that had been made.

Leaning on his hands, Vincent peered down the dark hole. For a moment all he could see was darkness. But then, as his eyes adjusted he could see a glow coming from the wall. “The movement in the mountain revealed the crystals,” he said in a hushed voice, but then reality slapped him around the head,and he looked farther down ignoring the tempting gleam of the crystals.

“There,” he pointed down the hole which was totally stupid because two people couldn’t look down at the small opening at the same time. “I can see a leg. My husband is down there. I need a rope and a horse. A long rope. If you don’t have one get my man, Morgan, to give you one from the cart we brought with us.”

“What’s the rope for?” But Ryan was already on his feet.

“I’m going to dig out this hole a bit wider while you go and get the things I need. Then you’re going to hold that horse, we’ll attach the rope to it, and you’re going to lower me down that hole so I can collect my husband, and you can pull us both out again. Right?”

“He could be badly hurt.”

“We won’t know that until we get him out, now move it.” Vincent bent over, hauling at the dirt, his hands stinging as they caught on small roots and stones. A thousand recriminations rang through his head.

If only I’d been the man Orion could confide in.

If only I hadn’t acted like a complete ass.

If only I’d taken the time to get to know the man who inspired such devotion in others.

If only… If only… If only…Vincent kept digging.

Chapter Eighteen

Admittedly, in Vincent’s head the rescue should’ve gone a lot simpler than it actually had. The idea was sound. In Vincent’s head it was perfect, in fact.

He would gracefully descend down the hole, looking like a slightly dusty dashing hero. He’d land gently on the floor, and by some miracle, Orion would sense his presence and wake up instantly, flying into his arms where they would share a passionate embrace before the men would haul them up again.

The reality was very different. For one thing, it wasn’t easy for Vincent to get his bulk through the narrow hole, so descending gracefully wasn’t an option. He glared at Morgan when the man had the cheek to suggest that he allow one of the workers to go down instead.

“I can do it. My husband needs me.” Vincent decided he would just have to ignore the dust and mud that clung to his clothes. He was sure Orion wouldn’t mind once he was saved.

But then the descent didn’t go smoothly either. For some reason Vincent imagined it would be a gentle lowering of his royal person to a soft landing below. But that required a cooperative horse and calm men, who were anything but calm. Vincent was jerked and jolted as he dangled high above the cave floor.Why hadn’t I factored in how high up I’d be hanging.Never having been anywhere where his adaptation to heights had been tested, Vincent felt decidedly queasy as he was being jerked around on the end of a rope.

And that was without the dust. Dust had never entered Vincent’s mind when it came to how he pictured the rescue would go, although in hindsight, it should’ve done. The mountain had moved, rocks had fallen, there was going to be dust. It swirledaround Vincent’s face as the rope jerked him about yet again, causing him to cough and splutter.

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