Page 66 of Dawn Caravan
“Okay.”
Tenzin and Ben floated down to the second-floor landing where, instead of a gallery leading around the house, a massive ballroom took up the east half of the residence. Rococo and baroque-era canvases covered the walls of the ballroom, and the ceiling was painted in brilliant Easter egg colors. Decadent gold plasterwork dominated the space.
“I have the same feeling here,” Ben said. “This room is massive, but it should be bigger.”
“I may know what’s going on.” Tenzin walked to the marble fireplace at the north side of the room and put her hands on the wall next to it.
“What are you doing?”
“Come here.” She was a black shadow against the pale blue wall. “Feel here.”
Ben put his hands on the plaster. It was smooth and cool, the paint was perfect, and gold sconces lined the walls at eye level.
“Do you feel it?” she asked.
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to be looking for.”
“The space.” She put a hand over his. “Feel thespace, Benjamin. The air will talk to you now if you know how to listen. Don’t listen to what is there. Feel for what is not there. Feel for the void.”
Voids were everywhere, but as soon as she said it, the disquieting feeling settled and he understood. “There’s a passageway.”
“More than that.” Tenzin smiled. “From the expanse I’m sensing, there are entire hidden rooms.”
Ben turned around in the ballroom, then raced out to the entry hall. “That’s it. That’s why it feels off. It’s too small on the inside.”
“Now we just have to find an entrance.” Tenzin started to search for the seams around the molding. “There will be multiple entrances.”
“So clever.”
“And safe.” She pressed in and a panel pushed out. “Jampot.”
“Wh-what?” He pressed his lips together to keep from laughing. “Jampot?”
Tenzin looked confused. “Eureka? What’s the thing you say when you find something? I forgot.”
“Jackpot.”
“Right.” She pushed the panel in and pushed it to the side. It moved silently on hidden tracks. “Jackpot. Let’s look for the real treasure, shall we?”
“Let’s.” Ben ducked his head to enter the passageway.
Tenzin was right. It was far more than a narrow hallway. This was a comfortable, though by no means grand, room meant for the same purpose as the ballroom. Sconces lined the walls, and comfortable sofas were arranged along the walls. There was plenty of room for dancing or walking.
Unlike the formal ballroom though, the art here was much more eclectic. “This is his real collection.” Ben looked at the walls. “The art outside is the public collection.”
“I thought you said no one came to the house.”
“As far as I know, they don’t. But this is definitely the private collection.”
Not only were there numerous erotic art pieces on the walls, there were three-dimensional art pieces, masks, and modern art.
“Wait.” Ben took a second look at a mask. He leaned closer. “Peepholes.”
“Really?” Tenzin pushed him out of the way. “Oh, that’s clever.”
“Or, you know,creepy.”
“Kind of both.”
