up Adam’s Peak, they throbbed in pain.
Matt tugged me forward. “If you want me to tell you any more, you’ll come.”
I grabbed his bag again with a harrumph. “It better be earth-shattering.”
“I’ll leave that to my brother,” Matt retorted. He resumed the climb. “Alexander should have stopped to listen to the local legends a little more. In the epic Ramayana, King Rawana of Lanka kidnapped Prince Rama’s bride, Seetha. King Rawana’s ten heads signified his knowledge of the Vedas as well as magic and celestial events. Because of this, he was given the nectar of immortality by the creator god, Brahma. When Hanuman, the monkey god and agent of Rama, discovered Seetha at Ashok Vatica, Rawana’s grand palace near our hotel in Nuwara Eliya, Rawana had to escape with the princess. Rawana flew Seetha on a winged chariot to these secret caves. The caves serve as endpoints of a man-made tunnel system built inside these mountains.”
“Built by Rawana?”
“No one knows. The tunnels are said to hold many secrets, including Rawana’s tomb.”
“Rawana. The master of celestial events and holder of the nectar of immortality lies in these caves.”
“It gets better,” Matt said. “Lord Shiva, the god of destruction, gave Rawana a divine sword much like Excalibur. Prince Rama the avatar of Lord Vishnu, the maintainer god, used a bow and arrow to dislodge the nectar. I believe Rawana’s tomb is not here but his body was taken here and sent elsewhere. I sent Bors, Perceval, and Galahad after Bran of Pellam. We know Pellam died on the mermaid island. The stories say while Bors and Perceval made it back to Camelot, Galahad found the Cup and became desirous to leave in this world. Angels carried his body up into the gates of paradise. The place where the Healing Cup originated. I think Rawana’s body was taken to the same place.”
We reached the end of the steps. At the top, only a muddy path remained.
“I wait for you?” our guide asked.
Matt shook his head and paid him. The little boy quickly pocketed the bills. From the same pocket, he drew out a squashed red flower, handing it to me. “For you, Memsahib… Seetha’s flower for one as pretty as Seetha herself.”
I smiled and leaned down to take the offering. The smiling boy whispered loudly in my ear. “If the thin-lips sahib doesn’t want you, I’ll take you.” He flattened his lips, accurately mimicking Matt’s sour expression.
I let out a startled laugh and handed him a generous tip. While Matt scowled, the kid hurried off with a wave of his hand.
“Can we go anywhere without you charming the locals?” Matt groused.
“You’re just jealous, Thin-Lips.”
“Considering we’re about to go into a cave infamous for the supposed seduction of Seetha, you might want to reconsider before I feel challenged to defend my thin lips.”
“I’m sure you would rather kiss the gates of paradise,” I said dryly. “Do you want to tell me what this cave has to do with them?”
Matt walked up the hill to the entrance of the cave. “There have been many names attached to the gates of paradise. One is the Isle of the Blest.”
“Isle of the Blest?” I squeaked. “It’s practically required for anything with a name like the ‘Isle of the Blest’ to have a booby trap.”
Matt sighed. “It has other names. The Greeks called it the Elysium Fields, a sanctuary of healing, peace, and tranquility. Located past the River Lethe, the stream of oblivion and mortal life, it is the final resting place of all heroes. In yet another legend, a hero was brought to the island by the Lady of the Lake.”
“King Arthur?”
“I’m not sure I believe that one, but yes, after his death at Mt. Camlan.” With a grin, Matt gestured at the yawning mouth of a cave. “Arriane DuLac, I believe the Healing Cup lies in Avalon and the door to it lies in these caves.”
***
Two hours later, I sat down on a slab of barren rock. “Nope, no dead heroes, creepy demons, or supernatural gateways in sight. It’s just an ordinary cave.”
“Don’t sound so thrilled,” Matt commented.
The inside of the Rawana Ella Cave had an ordinary dirt floor, barren interior, and endless sloping rock. No writings. No treasure. No Healing Cup. Decently roomy, the front cave expanded to one hundred and fifty feet in length. Other openings, the size of small rooms, could be found here and there as offshoots of the main chamber.
A tunnel opened at the back of the cave. Matt used drops