Page 49 of In Just a Year
“What number does the swirl represent?” To Ben, it resembled a Hebrew “peh” turned sideways.
“Three.”
“We need to go inside. It’s here.”
The door was a sentinel guarding secrets buried deep. It had been labeled for him to find something there. Ben knew he was following Izaac Pearler’s footsteps; he could almost hear the whispers of the past swirling around him, the echoes of ancient stories etched in the lines of the intricate carvings. This was more than just a door; it was a portal into a world of hidden treasures and untold truths reserved for him.
The garden seemed to hold its breath as he and Vati, his unlikely ally, prepared to venture into the unknown. The jungle sounds seemed to fade into a hushed whisper as they tried to push the heavy marble door open. At first, nothing happened. Ben propped his foot against the base of a palm trunk and pushed with his shoulder. Vati pushed against the door with her back. They strained against the ancient marble door together. The rasping screech of stone grinding against stone echoed through the palm garden, like the growl of a slumbering beast being roused from its age-long sleep, haunting and ominous.
They stepped into the shadowy depths of the passageway. Ben had to duck as he walked in but squared his shoulders once inside. The sandy path underneath his boots was dry; with every step, more dust rose into his nostrils. He closed his eyes, suppressing a sneeze. The thrill of the hunt surged through him, echoing Izaac Pearler’s daring adventures. This was no ordinary garden, and not an ordinary door. It was a threshold to the Diamond Dynasty, promising a clue toward the wisdom that the Dreidel of Destiny imparted.
“Look here,” Vati spoke in a strangled voice. She ran her fingers along the writing etched onto the walls, her elegantly manicured hands dirty with the earthen dust.
Ben held up the lantern. On the right was a dirt wall. On the left were the bricks of an old manmade wall. Ben knocked a path along the wall and held the lantern up to see what was ahead. A tunnel.
No.
A passageway between two walls.
Vati copied him and ducked under the vines above their heads. “You think there’s something here?”
“There must be,” Ben said. “I think this is the new shell of the palace and this the old.”
“Two foundations for one building?” she asked.
“Two layers of security for a treasure.”
The lantern flickered, almost out of oil. He searched for an opening in the wall, but it seemed solid.
Just before he gave up, a brick moved under his hand with a rocky tilting noise.
“This one’s loose.” He tugged at the brick, and the sandy screeching insulted their ears. “There’s something behind it,” he said quietly.
Vati came closer, and he felt her body heat. He curled his fingers around the edges of the stone and tugged again.
CHAPTER21
As Ben struggled with the loose brick in the dim light of the underground corridor of the gupta path, his hand brushed against something on the brick beneath it—an engraving.
“Vati, here.” Ben held the lantern higher and against the wall.
“Is this the picture from your drawing?” She coughed on the dust swirling in the passage.
“Yes, it’s the same as on the door.” Ben set the lantern down. Then, he spread his fingers wide and gripped the edges of the stone. With the able hands of a jeweler but the strength of a man who’d traveled halfway around the globe, he pulled out the stone. It must have been hollow, as something fell out of it.
Vati picked it up and handed the small, cold object to Ben and picked up the lantern.
He pulled it into the light. It was a brass box. Overwhelmed by the magnitude of the moment, he opened it to find a fabric parcel. Ben gingerly unwrapped the parcel, revealing three magnificent blue gemstones. Each one, polished and gleaming, caught the flicker of the lantern light, sending an array of dazzling blues scattering across the walls of the dusty room. The cuts were perfectly symmetric and expertly done. Undoubtedly, in Izaac Pearler’s hand because it resembled how Fave cut sapphires. Ben was captivated by their beauty as if the relentless march of time and the weight of ages had somehow forgotten these precious stones. There they lay in his hand, their azure depths whispering tales of forgotten eras and promising him a bountiful return home. He turned to Vati, the jewel cradled in his palm, and whispered, “We found it. And I can bring the treasure home to Esther.”
Vati’s eyes widened as she took in the sight of the gems, her expression a mix of awe and disbelief. “This”—her voice trembled—“this is the Chintamani Triad.” She drew a sharp breath. “According to an ancient Indian legend, the Chintamani Triad is a set of three divine gems, fragments of Durga’s crown, possessing great power as wish-fulfilling jewels. But nobody ever believed it truly existed.”
Ben looked at the jewels in his hand, their beauty now imbued with a sense of wonder and reverence. He thought of the relief from the Dreidel of Destiny depicting the deity Durga with her crown, her armor, and the lion’s embellishment, each bearing a jewel. Izaac Pearler must have wanted to show the triad. “So, this isn’t just a jewel; it’s a piece of history, an epic myth.”
Vati nodded, her dark eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “Yes, it’s more than just a jewel. It’s a symbol of hope, of dreams, and the power to believe. It’s a testament to our heritage and the mystical tales woven into the fabric of our culture.”
“I shouldn’t take it away from here then. This is where it belongs.” Ben had a sinking feeling. He never expected to find the treasure and not bring it home. He’d leave in a few hours, Greg had made all the necessary arrangements. Yet, somehow, Ben hadn’t expected to return to Esther empty-handed. He’d left with the intention to prove himself, and he had, but did he have to leave the proof behind now?
Vati, gaze locked on the gem, explained in a hushed voice, “The Chintamani Triad isn’t just any treasure. It’s a rare set of precious Padparadscha sapphires.”
