The Island of Echoes: A Novel Read online

  Travert made his way through the apartment and we followed him like ducklings as we familiarized ourselves with the space. The entire apartment formed a quadrant and it was divided into thirteen rooms. The great lounge we entered stood at the center, with a hall leading to two bedrooms, water closets, and bathing rooms on either side. The bedrooms were all positioned along the outer wall and replicated the floor-to-ceiling window of the lounge, as well as its view.

  Etiquette deemed it proper to give the women their own side of the unit while we men took the other. Every room was outfitted with floors of polished stone and sophisticated furniture. Despite his familial connection with Travert, it was more appropriate for Rémy to share his room with me given our closeness of age. This pleased me, for I was much more partial to the young boatman than to the priest. Rémy almost seemed like a younger brother. We got off very well from the start and I delighted in his company and in his boundless enthusiasm.

  As promised, two attendants came into the apartment shortly thereafter and began laying out platters of food on the long wooden table. The fare was delectable. We were presented with several varieties of smoked fish, loaves of fresh bread, goat’s milk cheese, fig paste, an assortment of fresh vegetables, and a small basket of dried fruit.

  The heavy clay plates were square in shape, but the silverware was far more unique. Our delicate forks and spoons, stamped with lilies and elegantly decorated, bore little resemblance to the large, heavy, and unornamented utensils of the Capribians. The forks only had two large prongs, curved and very sharp, more reminiscent of an eagle’s talons than dinnerware. I had half a mind to sneak one into my pocket should I need use of a weapon.

  We excused ourselves to wash up before dining and took turns at our respective sinks. I went in after Rémy and I was most pleased to find hot and cold running water within. I rinsed my face of any wind-swept grime from the day’s long carriage ride.

  The others had regrouped in the lounge by the time I emerged and I was about to join them when I spotted another door which we had not yet explored. I suspected it to be a closet but I opened it regardless. It led back out into the hallway. The discovery would have been of little import had I not peeked my head into the passage.

  The two attendants who had brought in our food were talking quietly halfway down the hall, but it was the wall beside them which caught my attention. A small portion of it appeared to shimmer like a fluid screen of light, a transparent square atop the stone. The illusion vanished several seconds later and I grew wide-eyed as one of the large slabs of limestone slid aside with a grind, allowing both persons entry to some hidden chamber.

  I reentered the apartment and clicked the door closed. Alarming the others was not something I wished to do, especially without a sensible account of exactly what I had witnessed. But I resolved to venture into the passage and explore the wall and its mysteries after eating. I composed myself and joined the others in the lounge.

  “I wish I brought my suitcase of books,” I commented as we ate. “I had a number of empty journals. It would be a shame not to document the island before we resume our journey home.” My mind was already filled with images of leather-bound volumes lining the shelves of libraries across the world. The Island of Capribo: A Historical and Cultural Exploration by Phillip Laurence. I smiled at the thought.

  “If these people are willing to help us,” Travert grunted between bites. “I don’t like our circumstances one bit. There’s something about this place that doesn’t feel right.”

  Lady Pearson picked at her plate and nodded. “Beware of Greeks bearing gifts,” she warned. “We’ve been treated like honored guests, but nothing is without a price.”

  “I always imagined lost worlds to be filled with savages, cannibals, and the like,” Ella remarked. “At least these are a more refined people. Indeed, they excel our own achievements in some respects!”

  “I admit, this is not at all what I would have expected,” I confessed. “But I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that one area of advancement could have superseded another. Perhaps they lost the art of shipbuilding, just as we lost many of our own ancient advancements during the dark ages.”

  “Regardless, how could countless ships traverse the sea without landing on, or even spotting, an island of this size?” Travert questioned.

  “My friends, please!” Father Daniel interjected with a smile. “Maybe we are not meant to ask such questions.” We looked up at the priest, who now appeared at ease in our exotic surroundings. Even his naturally pale face appeared flushed and animated. “Don’t you see?” he continued. “There are almost a million people living here. Not entirely uncivilized, to be sure, but a race which lacks the greater knowledge that we can offer. What if we are here as messengers, conveyors of the faith? We can provide these people with salvation.”

  I looked to my companions as we processed his words. My family was Christian but, much to the chagrin of my grandparents, I was not a regular practitioner of the faith. The idea of teaching gospel was far from my interests and I could tell the others were likewise put off by the idea.

  “Always the missionary, Father,” Travert finally replied.

  “God works in mysterious ways,” the priest declared, “and judging by that pagan temple we came across, I doubt his word has reached these shores.”

  “Let’s not be too hasty to assume anything. There is a great deal we don’t know about these people yet,” said Lady Pearson.

  “Naturally,” I agreed. “Which is exactly why documentation should be our first priority.”

  “That’s not precisely what I meant,” she went on. “When you have guests over, do you take them to the garden or to the alleyway? That path we took to this city was void of any other settlements, and I suspect it was chosen on purpose. We are only being shown what they want us to see. It’s all well and good for now, but there is much more here than meets the eye. And the rest of it may not be as rosy.”

  We all looked down at our plates and continued to eat in silence. Her words were wise. So far, the island offered far more questions than answers. Despite my enthusiasm, I knew she could be right.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  N ow if you’ll excuse me,” I said at the conclusion of our meal, “I would like to explore some of this tower before dinner.”

  “But…” Father Daniel sputtered, “suppose they don’t want us poking around. I don’t want to risk offense.”

  “I quite agree,” Lady Pearson piped up. “I certainly wouldn’t expect to see one of my houseguests trudging around the mansion unsupervised.”

  “Not to worry, I shan’t venture far,” I pacified them. “I’m simply curious about the architecture of this building. If anything, they should find it a compliment that I have taken such an interest.”

  “May I join you?” Rémy requested.

  “Of course,” I replied and we made our way from the table. “We will be back in no time.”

  “Just be sure to fill us in on any discoveries,” Ella encouraged with a smile. I grinned and nodded.

  I carefully opened the lounge door and glanced down the corridor. Empty. Rémy and I stepped out quietly and I clicked the door closed behind us. I could see the arched entryway to the staircase down the hall. There was an identical opening at the other end, presumably to a mirrored stairwell. Rémy instinctively began walking toward the opening we had come from but he stopped when he saw that my eyes were drawn to the segment of limestone paneling before me.

  “What is it?” he asked in French.

  “I’ll tell you in confidence,” I said, “because I know you would not consider me senseless.” I quickly recounted my observations of the odd light and the secret passage within the wall.

  His eyes went wide as he listened to my recollection. “And it was right here?”

  I nodded and we began feeling the wall before us, but it was as cold and solid as any other stone. The doorway was concealed well. The square panels of limestone formed a grid. It was impossib
le to detect where the crevices surrounding a door might otherwise have broken the arrangement. The limestone was divided every two dozen feet by ornamented half-columns of darker stone.

  “The light came from this area,” I indicated one of the pillars, which I fathomed to be of granite. It was intricately chiseled with a pattern I had never seen before. Flowing lines were carved into the column so that it appeared to be wrapped in many narrow ribbons. We were examining the unique design when we spotted it. Nestled among the carvings was a perfect black square, flat and unornamented.

  “It doesn’t even look like stone,” Rémy pointed out, his face mere inches from the mysterious shape. It was perfectly smooth without any natural grain and it was not as reflective as the stone around it. I reached out to touch it, but the boatman quickly grabbed my hand.

  “No!” he whispered. “Suppose it opens the doorway, what do we say to the people within?”

  “Suppose the passage is empty,” I countered, “and we have a better understanding of what these people are capable of.”

  He thought about it for a moment, his blue eyes darting between the black square and the hidden doorway. “I don’t think we should risk it,” he admitted.

  I lowered my hand. “Perhaps you’re right,” I gave in.

  I kept true to my word; Rémy and I did not venture far. We only climbed two additional floors. Each landing presented us with a set of hallways identical to those on our floor, though marginally shorter as the tower narrowed above us. The ceilings were very high throughout, stretching about twelve feet from floor to ceiling. Without a journal for documentation, all my senses became devoted to intense observation. It was during our descent that I spotted a pattern in the carvings above the arches in the stairwell.

  “These symbols may not be merely decorative, but numerical,” I pondered, examining the reliefs. “The two opposite each other are always identical, but they look very different from the set above, and the set above that. They could designate the story we are on.”

  Rémy examined the carving. “But if the island has been in isolation for millennia, wouldn’t they use Roman numerals?”

  “Not necessarily,” I explained. “Every culture had a different number system and they changed many times. Our modern numerals only became widely known throughout Europe four hundred years ago. Everything on this island has evolved in isolation.” In short, I realized, we could not assume anything about these people.

  I left the apartment in the pursuit of answers but found myself returning with even more questions. The others were naturally curious and we informed them of our trivial discoveries but made no mention of the hidden passage for the time being.

  My shipmates and I passed the remainder of the afternoon in recuperation. We were fatigued from the day’s events, myself in particular due to the interrupted slumber of the previous night. So we decided to retire before dinner. I was not a man for mid-day naps, but the sight of the large bed filled me with an immediate craving to revive my faculties.

  Despite its already-disheveled appearance, I did not wish to further soil my shirt before dining with the King. I took it to the bathing room to rinse out the more prominent stains. I could only guess where our provisions trunk had been taken, and even the spare clothing there would be creased to high heaven. I hung the shirt to dry on a wall hook.

  My parched mouth called me back to the lounge and, seeing no one at the table, I proceeded to pour myself some water from an elegant metal pitcher. I was taking a sip and nearly dropped my cup when I spotted Ella standing beside the large window. She looked in my direction but the sight of my exposed torso darted her eyes away.

  “I thought everyone had left this room,” I mumbled, spilling some of my water.

  “Please continue,” she giggled, her eyes fixated on the horizon.

  I put my cup down and awkwardly made my way across the room. “It’s a splendid view,” I muttered, feeling heat in my cheeks.

  “It is,” she replied melodically. “The entire island is so picturesque.”

  I admired her stylish silhouette against the backdrop of blue and green. Her elegance and charm grew more attractive every time we had the chance to speak. Had I been fully clothed, I would have remained to talk with her.

  “Well, I suppose I should retire,” I finally stated.

  “Yes, it has already been a very long day.” She stole another glance at me and smiled. “I'll see you this evening, Mr. Laurence.”

  “Yes, see you then,” I stuttered, and proceeded into my bedroom.

  Rémy looked up from his bed when I entered. “What’s the matter?” he asked. “You’re positively flushed!”

  “I had an encounter with Lady Ella in the lounge,” I informed him. “Like this.”

  He chuckled. “You’ve developed a crush!”

  “Who wouldn’t?” I asked rhetorically, realizing it confirmed his suspicion. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter. Let’s just get some rest.”

  “Sure,” he laughed. “But if you must know, I think she likes you too.” He then turned around with a smirk and closed his eyes.

  “What do you mean?” I probed.

  “Let’s just get some rest, Phillip,” he mocked.

  I sighed and realized my slumber may yet again be interrupted, though the thoughts would be of a more pleasant nature this time.

  I was gratefully wrong, for I awoke fully refreshed and exhilarated. I glanced at my pocket watch. Nearly five o’clock. I saw that Rémy’s bed was empty but he entered the room just as I was propping up.

  “Oh good, you’re awake,” he acknowledged. His skin gleamed with moisture and he had a towel around his waist. He carried his dirty clothes in a heap under his arm. We were both slim men, but the manual labor aboard a ship defined his muscles well. In spite of his golden locks, his chest was covered in a fine carpet of dark hair. “The others are finished bathing,” he stated. “I was about to wake you so you can do the same.”

  “Thank you,” I said.

  “I was thinking,” he began shyly, “that I might wear a native outfit to dinner.” He pulled a drawer out from one of the chests and looked up to read my reaction. I saw that it was filled with neatly folded tunics.

  “My clothes are rather dirty too,” I admitted, “but I wouldn’t be comfortable in such a foreign fashion.”

  “Oh, come Phillip,” he pleaded. “They may expect us to change. And I would much rather don a fresh garb after all the sweating, bleeding, and traveling I did in this one. I’d look silly being the only one.”

  “I’ll think about it,” I promised.

  I took a hurried bath with soap that smelled of roses and mint, which seemed to revive my mind as much as my body. I examined my shirt on its hook after I dried off and found that much of the grass and dirt did not wash off. Despite my initial hesitation, I realized Rémy’s idea may indeed be the better one. He was already sporting one of the tunics when I reentered our bedroom. It was a form-fitting purple garment which ended just above the knees. He wore white trousers underneath. A pair of leather sandals and a matching belt completed the outfit. He gave me a pleading look and I nodded.

  Our hosts proved to be forward-thinking, for our wardrobe contained clothing and accessories of varying sizes. I found a pair of white trousers and a light green tunic which suited me well. Rémy and I now looked one with the masses. I examined the apparel and discovered that what had looked like one segment of fabric from a distance was actually a meticulously sewn garment made of a multitude of fitting pieces. Even the golden leather belt and sandals were adorned with metallic details which were only appreciated at close range. The assembly was remarkable, and the ensemble once again echoed the carvings on the great temple.

  “Good heavens!” Lady Pearson exclaimed when Rémy and I entered the lounge. “You can’t possibly attend dinner in that.”

  “Our clothes were soiled,” Rémy explained.

  “Even so…” Travert gawked, letting the words hang.

  I could tel
l by his dour expression that Father Daniel likewise disapproved of the garments, but Ella renewed my confidence with a smile.

  Etia Sarmia knocked and entered the lounge. She had changed into a rosy coral tunic and a circlet of small white flowers decorated her hair. One of her arms was covered by a large piece of semi-transparent white cloth. Her hair had been twisted into sharply-angled curls at her sides, accentuating her already prominent features. She looked upon us warmly but beamed when she saw Rémy and me.

  “His highness will be so pleased you chose to don our attire,” she acknowledged, and I smugly translated the message. “But the outfit is incomplete for evening wear,” she informed us politely and opened one of the tall wooden chests beside the door.

  She produced two pieces of sheer white cloth, identical to her own, which she secured around our necks like capes. Rather than hung down our backs, they were likewise worn askew down our sides and secured to our shoulders with round copper broaches. I looked at my pin, which had a carving of the sun. He had a face in the center, eyes wide, his mouth smiling as if he possessed some secret lost to the rest of us.

  “Now you are ready for dinner with the King,” she proclaimed.

  We were led five stories down the stairwell to a corridor likewise lined with heavy doorways. If my memory of the tower’s architecture was accurate, we were immediately above the throne room. I noticed that the central doorway in the hall was larger and decorated more prominently, with a carved border lining its edges. Etia Sarmia pushed the doors open and we stepped into a fantasy.

  The chamber within was twice the height of our apartment and thoroughly Egyptian in design. Many thick columns, covered in hieroglyphs, protruded from the polished limestone floor. Their crowns were painted in bright blues and greens and they fanned out at the ceiling to resemble bundled papyrus reeds. Sheer silk panels of matching colors hung throughout the space so that it appeared as if we were surrounded in a colorful mist. The room felt both contained and infinite at the same time. The panels billowed in a slight breeze. The immense outer wall of curved glass had a thin horizontal opening across its center, allowing the sea breeze to enter the room.