Gift of Fire

queasy.” He could only hope the prospect of having to step over a pile of old bones was making Yarwood queasy, too.
    “Go ahead,” Yarwood said quickly. “Get it out of the way. Jesus. Did the old bastard really die in there?”
    “Yeah. Hell of a place to croak, huh?” Jonas stepped into the entrance. He kept the flashlight aimed at the opposite corridor wall. The floor was in darkness except for the wedge of light that filtered in from the bedroom. He could just barely make out the tip of the stiletto among the scattered bones. Behind him Verity started talking rapidly, her voice tremulous. She had guessed what he was trying to do and was doing her part to distract Yarwood.
    “It’s awful in there, Preston,” she said. “Hazelhurst’s bones are lying all over the floor. You can see the skull and everything. It’s easy to imagine how he must have been struggling to find the exit mechanism when he died. It’s enough to give you nightmares. I think he was right. I think he found the treasure and died from the curse that was put on it.”
    “Shut up, you silly woman,” Yarwood said impatiently. But he stayed back with Verity while Jonas crouched down on the floor of the corridor. “Hurry up, Quarrel.”
    “I’m hurrying, but it’s a mess in here.” Jonas silently thanked Verity for being willing to play the frightened, weak-kneed female. She was giving Yarwood a few second thoughts about rushing into the endless darkness of the corridor. Jonas decided he might as well add a few subtle suggestions of his own. “Got to be careful this door doesn’t close on us while we’re inside. Wouldn’t want to end up the same way Digby did. You want to grab that chair to prop it open, Yarwood?”
    “Get the chair,” Yarwood said to Verity. “Go on, get it. Hurry.”
    Verity made a production out of dragging the heaviest chair in the room across the floor. That was all the distraction Jonas needed. He reached down and rattled a few bones in the darkness. “Sorry, Digby, old pal,” he muttered. “You never did get much respect from the academic community, did you?” He palmed the stiletto and slipped it up under his sleeve.
    Reality started to shimmer in a familiar way. Jonas fought the transition and quickly slid the lethally thin stiletto into his jacket pocket. Reality returned to normal as soon as he was no longer touching the stiletto. He would have to be careful not to touch it again until he was ready to use it. He didn’t need the added distraction of watching Hazelhurst’s murder over and over during the trek to the hidden room.
    “Okay, looks like this is as good as it’s going to get.”
    Jonas stood up and kicked one of Hazelhurst’s loafers out of the way.
    “You finished?” Yarwood called, peering into the gloom. “Best I can do. If you’ve got a weak stomach, don’t look to the left as you come through the door.”
    “Let me worry about my stomach,” Yarwood snapped. He prodded Verity through the entrance. The blackness of the corridor loomed ahead of him. It was then that Yarwood realized that the one who held the flashlight in this situation was as powerful as the one who held the gun. ‘‘Give Verity the light, Quarrel.”
    Jonas swallowed an oath and put the flashlight in Verity’s hand. She looked up at him, her eyes wide. He saw far too much understanding in her gaze. She would try something reckless if he didn’t squelch the idea immediately. He knew it as surely as he knew that she had red hair.
    But she wouldn’t be able to pull it off without getting hurt. Jonas was equally sure of that. Silently he shook his head, the movement barely perceptible. But he knew she got the message, because he saw the disappointment flare in her eyes. Jonas turned and started into the darkness.
    “Not so fast, Quarrel.” Yarwood urged Verity ahead of him as he started down the corridor. “Stay within the light beam. I want to be able to see you at all times.”
    “Don’t worry. I’ve got no particular desire to fall down the stairs.”
    “What stairs?”
    The ones up ahead. This corridor goes straight down to the bottom of the villa. It ends up on the same level as the torture chamber. Relax, Yarwood. We’ve got a long walk ahead of us.”
     
    Verity griped the flashlight tightly and wondered frantically what Jonas was planning. She’d felt him retrieve the stiletto, and she knew he was up to something. She could sense it.
    But he made no move, gave no signal as the three