Page 75 of Fatal Thrill
“Ah, you like traditional names,then.”
He took her hand, keeping her close as the tunnel began to descend. “Not necessarily. Just thought it would be cool to name the baby after one of yourancestors.”
“I kinda digNeptune.”
He glanced back at her. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” she said. “Keanna’s good too. I like my grandmother’sname.”
“What if it’s aboy?”
“I saw a guy named Tyrannus back there. At least I think that was his name—it was hard to tell with the mold anddecay.”
“Tyrannus? That’s a mouthful and sounds like adinosaur.”
“We could call himTy.”
“Okay.”
She laughed at the abject fear in his tone. “I’m kidding, although I do prefer less traditional names. I really do likeNeptune.”
“I like thattoo.”
This part of the tunnel was wetter, the stones growing slick with seepage. “What’s your mom’sname?”
“Violet MorningstarWolfe.”
“Morningstar…hmm. How about Neptune Star? It has a sweet ring. I likeit.”
“Sounds cosmic.” He smiled at her over his shoulder. “I like ittoo.”
They continued on, Miles and Charlotte catching up. The tunnel had several treacherous spots where the sides were caving in. They had to turn their bodies sideways to squeeze through. Jaya’s feet were cold, and the wetness was beginning to seep through her boots. By the time the tunnel widened out, they found themselves once more in an underground vault with multiplecaskets.
This one was smaller than its O’Sullivan cousin on the otherend.
“What do you want to do with the cross if we find it?” Jon asked, shining his light over the various placards on the caskets, looking for the one her dad had told themabout.
“I have no flippin’ idea,” Jaya answered, her teethchattering.
Charlotte sidled up beside her and stomped her feet to warm them. “I suggest you don’t try and keep it. You said it’s cursed,correct?”
Jaya laughed, the sound strained as it echoed off the stone walls. Everywhere the beam of the flashlight touched reminded her of a horror movie. Her skin crawled, the feel of spirits and specters breathing down her neck so very real. “The O’Sullivan curse has been with me my whole life. I don’t think the actual cross could cause me any more badluck.”
Jon skirted the largest of the caskets, working his way back to a second row. “Why exactly is itcursed?”
“Who knows at this point,” Jaya said. “I’m guessing it has to do with the fact the O’Sullivans have always seen a lot of death and sorrow. Someone along the way decided it was because of thecross.”
Miles frowned at Charlotte in the shadows of his flashlight. “You don’t really believe in curses and that kind of stuff, do you,Char?”
“Ancestral curses are no joking matter.” She nodded at Jaya. “And yes, I very much do believe that objects can be cursed. Of course, I happen to know a few ways to break those curses, and I bet ol’ Neptune has a few up her sleeve aswell.”
“All I want to do is get Finn back,” Jaya said. “If that means handing over the cross, so beit.”
“Found it,” Jon said. “Sparks Strawbridge, 1540 to1611.”
Miles handed him the pry bar they’d brought while Charlotte mused. “Sparks Strawbridge. What a cool name. Sounds Harry Potter-ish, don’t you think,Jaya?”
Sparks Strawbridge. Kind of weird, but it had a cool ring to it. “Who names a kidSparks?”
