The six-pointed star in the centre of the floor had risen out of the ground by about three metres on metal struts, leaving a gaping hole beneath it. Harlan stepped warily to the edge and saw stairs leading down to a large room, most of which he couldn’t see, with more alchemical symbols inscribed in the floor, all arranged around the base of the flame. JD, Nahum, and Olivia were exploring the space.
“Herne’s hairy balls, JD, you were right,” Harlan said as he reached the bottom step. The chamber reached under the main floor by some distance, a dizzying number of symbols everywhere, and lots of tables filled with alchemical paraphernalia.
“Holy shit in a bucket.” Maggie breathed out the words in a rush. “A lab?”
“Hermes’s own, it seems,” Olivia said, eyes sparkling. “I mean, find of the millennium, right?”
“I should think so,” JD said as he handled some alembic jars. “There’s still no sign of how the flame came to exist, though.”
The flame’s base was in the centre of the lower level, a round stone table encircling it, with a space for access. Close by was a three-legged stand holding a huge crucible. Harlan blinked as he tried to take it all in. It looked as if Hermes had just stepped outside, much as it appeared on the upper level, and Harlan couldn’t help but wonder what other things the cave could be hiding. It was like a Russian doll. If anything, JD looked wilder than ever. His groomed beard and hair were dishevelled, and his flowing shirt was creased and stained with tea and ink.
“When I left you,” Harlan said, studying the room in disbelief mixed with a degree of dread, “none of this had happened! How did you do it?”
“The map room, dear boy. It’s the key to everything. After you all became bored and left me to it, I found the lock to opening this. The surrounding columns held the information, but I didn’t fully understand it. Then something I read in the map room unlocked it all. There was a series of alchemical triggers I had to perform. Once I did that, this place revealed itself.” He swept his arms wide, “It’s the key to stopping Belial.”
“How?”
“By removing his influence from his jewellery. Maybe all of it.”
“Speaking of which,” Jackson said, holding out the plastic bag, “look what I found in the garden.”
JD’s eyes lit up and he swooped on Jackson like a magpie on gold.
“Not so fast!” Nahum scooted in front of him, taking the bag from Jackson. “You didn’t touch it, I hope?”
“Nope. I did not wish to end up possessed by Belial. Although, we suspect its power is muted.”
JD bustled around Nahum. “Let me see!”
Nahum held it high out of reach. “No!”
His hands flew to his hips. “I just want to look.”
“And that’s all!” Nahum lowered it, and they all crowded around. “I think you might be right, Jackson. It does feel less powerful.”
Harlan felt a little aggrieved. He had pointed all that out, not Jackson. “No whispers, right?” he added.
Olivia was behind Nahum, almost using him as a shield, but she nodded in agreement. “No whispers.”
JD clenched his hands, a maniacal gleam in his eye again. “That means that I’m already on the right track. Good. I need to experiment—with your help, Nahum.” He pointed to the floor that was inscribed with alchemical symbols. “Do you notice anything?”
Harlan frowned. “I see a lot of symbols.”
JD tutted as everyone looked confused. “The patterns?”
“It looks,” Jackson suggested, “geometrical.”
“Just one design, or many?” He tapped his foot impatiently. “Use your eyes! God’s pox, you all walk around with your eyes shut! The world works in harmony. There are patterns everywhere. One of the keys to life. Beneath our feet, many of these patterns, geometric nuggets of wisdom, are laid out and interlinked. It is a well of knowledge!”
“It is?” Harlan asked, his head already aching.
“Sort of like your wheel of correspondences?” Olivia asked.
“Far more complex. I have worked with geometric designs, obviously, but this is a work of brilliance. And have you noticed what the designs are made up with?”
“Looks like precious metals,” Nahum said.
“And?” JD had become a mad professor. “Use your eyes!”
“Gemstones,” Maggie said, frowning at the floor. “And some of them are pretty big.”
“Exactly. We are standing on an infinite web of power that feeds that!” JD pointed to the eternal flame.
Harlan could see it now. If he squinted, it helped him see the interlinked circles and geometric shapes. He crouched down to examine the design in greater detail, and saw fine metal grooves. “JD, do these move?”
“What?” Jackson asked. “The floor?”
“Yes, I believe they do.” JD started striding around the room again. “It’s just a matter of finding the key.”
“Another one?” Olivia asked, hands on hips as she watched JD. “This is insane! I don’t understand how you can understand all of this already!”
“Harlan, tell her!” JD demanded, now completely sidetracked.
“Me?” Harlan wasn’t sure whether to be flattered or annoyed. “Well, JD has been studying this for five centuries, Liv. He’s a genius. Especially a mathematical genius. Geometry is math.”
JD puffed up like a strutting pigeon. “Exactly. I am what used to be called a savant. Mathematics are easy to me. It’s order and purity, and so much more. Like the elements, it’s the root of all life.”
“No wonder I fucking hate maths,” Maggie complained. “What are you looking for? Can we help?”
