Treasure of the Romarins. Ronda Williams

have light momentarily my friends.” They heard sounds of scuffling, followed by a grunt. “Ah, here is the table!” A match was struck, and a small flame blazed to life, followed immediately by six more.

      ”Voila!” he said triumphantly, holding a silver candelabra aloft.

      “Where on earth are we?” Natalie asked.

      “Well, it’s quite a story,” Julien said, glancing around. “Take a seat, and I’ll tell you.”

      The room was quite bare of furnishings aside from the table and a row of plain wooden chairs that were lining one wall. Everyone took a chair and grouped them in a small circle.

      “Before I delve into the mystery of this chamber,” Julien said, “can anyone tell me what happened at the car, after I threw myself to the ground? I know you were a ways off, but did you see anything that might help us find Kieran?”

      “It was pretty confusing,” Calvin said, frowning. “We were all standing on the bridge when we first noticed you and Kieran talking to that man. When we saw him push you both the other way towards the car, we started to come after you. After you went down, we saw Kieran attack the man, and we thought you’d been stabbed or something and started to run, but when we heard the gunshots we hesitated. I told Natalie to get to your boat with Angelique and call the police.”

      “Then,” Finn cut in, “Calvin and I hid behind another boat and watched as the other person got out of the car. Luckily, Kieran had picked up the fallen man’s gun and started chasing the other man down the quay. They ran towards the Place de la Bastille and we lost them both in the Metro station.”

      “I wish Kieran had a cell phone,” Julien said, “but he’s even more old-fashioned than you, Calvin, and despises such things.”

      “What about the police?” Angelique asked. “They were on the way when we had to take off in the boat.”

      Calvin shook his head. “There’s something I haven’t told you yet, and it’s going to sound crazy and paranoid, but I know I heard correctly.”

      “As did I,” Finn said grimly.

      “What?” Natalie asked.

      “We were in the Metro, searching through the crowds for Kieran, when we passed some policemen. We were going to hail them, but we heard them talking into their radios.”

      “We could hear what they were being told, and it wasn’t in our best interests,” Finn said darkly. “Whoever was giving orders to those cops told them to apprehend us, not the men who assaulted Julien and Kieran.”

      “You’re kidding!” Natalie cried angrily. “What on earth is going on? We aren’t the criminals here!”

      “This whole ordeal is more far–reaching than I suspected,” Julien said somberly. “This elusive threat that follows us must be a powerful and far-reaching entity, and now it seems we can’t even look to the police for protection!”

      Calvin nodded, his face set with determination. “We have to protect ourselves.”

      “But tell us Julien,” Finn cut in, changing the subject. “What is this place?”