The Temple of Indra’s Jewel: Read Online Free PDF Page A

and Viktor asked me to join him for another dance later.
    I agreed and then excused myself to wander toward a hallway I’d seen people using. I needed to be alone. I rounded the corner just as an older man with dishevelled grey hair, a long white beard and thick glasses caught up to me.
    “ Prinzessin , what are you still doing here?” His ancient round face carried more lines than a modern atlas. He pulled me off to the side. “Didn’t it work?”
    “What—” I started to protest when a lady appeared at the end of the hall.
    “Rochus!” she shouted. “There you are! I’ve been looking for you.”
    His eyes shot back to me as if willing me to be quiet. “Send one of your servant girls. I’ll give you another.” Then he turned to the woman. “Hannah, I was just asking after you.”
    I struggled to understand what was going on. Was he the man who’d accosted me? I surveyed the room and saw that Viktor was busy speaking to a woman from dinner; Maria, Henri and Gabriella were otherwise occupied. The door had been left unattended, so without any further thought, I slipped out.

CHAPTER FOUR
    M y heart drummed and my lungs heaved, but I pushed past it as I ran across the open courtyard, farther and farther away. At last I stopped at a stone wall that lined the perimeter of the cliff, surrounded by green foliage. In the falling darkness, I kicked myself for taking off without thinking it through. The Mediterranean shone far below, and I had no idea how to get down.
    Where was I going, anyway? The Lérins Islands to find that spinning cavern? I’d need a boat. I sat on the wall, gasping for breath and looking for dots on the landscape. At last I began to breathe more easily. It seemed no one had noticed my fast departure. Or maybe they no longer cared.
    I began to shiver. I’m not the Princess of Monaco. Time travel is not possible. I must be in a coma. This must be an elaborate dream. Nothing else made sense.
    A trembling started up inside, and I closed my eyes, fighting it. But I could not close my eyes to memory, and I saw the diary in my mind. Saw the frantic script on the paper. If this was all real, then I was in a bad situation.
    Tears welled up in my eyes.
    I have to keep going. I don’t know where but I have to get away from this palace . I rose and followed the wall four feet until I came to a path leading downward through the trees. The overgrown pathway was made of stones. Weeds and branches shot up between the footholds.
    “I hope I’m not interrupting anything?”
    I jumped at the sudden sound of another’s voice.
    “Viktor? Oh my God!” I said, placing my hand over my chest.
    “I apologize. I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
    “It’s fine,” I said, trying to collect myself.
    “I saw you leave the palace. I was promised another dance.”
    “I know. I’m sorry. You were occupied with speaking to that woman from dinner. Is she your wife?” I said in hopes of distracting him. I continued walking.
    “Francesca? No. We just met. I was telling her of my home,” he answered, walking beside me.
    “Your home—where is that?”
    “The Swabian Alb.”
    “Outside the Black Forest?” I said, recognizing the German territory and thinking of his title. The Graf Von Württemberg. This now made sense to me.
    “You’ve been there?” he questioned.
    “No, but my mother’s family was from there,” I said.
    He looked at me queerly. “My apologies. I thought they were French.”
    “Hmm, about that,” I said, wondering how much I could trust this stranger.
    “Where are you going?”
    “I don’t know. I’m just walking. I need some air.”
    “I couldn’t interest you in heading back toward the palace, could I? This path looks overgrown and dangerous.”
    “No.”
    “I see. I’m beginning to recognize a pattern with you, Prinzessin. You’re always running off.”
    I realized he was scolding me for my hasty departure at his door. I slowed my pace.
    “I’m sorry for last