Page 46 of Mountain of Dragons and Sacrifice

The other fae and gnomes rushed forward, forming several lines that passed the smaller rocks and debris from the slide to a pile out of the way.

I joined one of the lines, passing rocks along. Within seconds, we revealed the opening to one of the smaller tunnels. Its end was all but choked with more rocks and debris.

Evander reached into the tunnel with one large claw and scooped the debris from the tunnel. He did this several times, crouching as much as he could in his dragon form and sticking his arm—well, foreleg—into the tunnel as far as he could.

After several moments of grunting and trying to reach, he withdrew his leg and turned to us. When he spoke, his voice was a deep, rumbling growl almost unrecognizable as his. “I can’t reach any farther. Someone needs to crawl inside.”

Even in his fae form, Evander would never fit. The other fae glanced around. All the male fae were also too large. They’d never be able to wiggle their shoulders inside.

Several of the fae glanced at Daphne. Besides me, she was the smallest, except for the gnomes.

Daphne’s face whitened, and a whole gob of leaves fell out of her hair. “I can’t go in there! You know how I am about small, dark places! I’m one of the treefolk!”

“I’ll go.” I found myself stepping forward, the words out of my mouth before I’d thought too much about it.

Evander shook his large, scaly head. “No.”

I didn’t like it either. This tunnel had just collapsed. I wasn’t thrilled about crawling inside it.

But someone had to do it. I was the only one besides Daphne who could fit.

I planted my hands on my hips and met Evander’s gaze, despite my knocking knees. His eyes were huge as a dragon. Slitted rather than round. More amber than blue. But he was still Evander, even with scales and large teeth. “I’m the only option besides Daphne. Do you really want to argue that you’re more willing to risk her than you are to risk me?”

Beside me, Daphne was still quaking, shedding laurel leaves in a way that had to be unhealthy.

Evander swung his gaze from me to Daphne and back, his head dipping. “No. I don’t like risking either of you.”

I clenched my fists, not backing down. “I can do this. It isn’t any scarier than being tied to a stone in the woods and left to die.”

A puff of smoke accompanied his snort. “All right. If things start shifting again, I’ll pull you out.”

He probably wouldn’t have time before the mountain buried me, but I appreciated the sentiment. Perhaps I could delude myself into believing it was true. I had, after all, a lot of practice believing lies.

Dropping to my knees in front of the tunnel, I faced the gaping mouth. Was it my imagination, or could I hear groans from the darkness ahead?

Reaching into my magical pocket, I pulled out a candle and striker. After sharing a glance with Evander, I lit the candle. It flickered for a moment, then held steady.

I dropped onto my stomach and wiggled into the tunnel, pushing the candle ahead of me with one hand. The sharp gravel and debris scraped against my palms and poked through my dress.

At about a body length into the tunnel, I reached the section of boulders that had caved from the ceiling. I examined the pile for a moment before I eased a rock the size of my fist from the top. I’d have to go slowly. The last thing I wanted to do was bring this tunnel down on my head.

I rolled the stone along my body, then nudged it with my foot into Evander’s waiting claw. I wiggled another stone free, then another.

The groans grew louder, then I moved another stone and there was the sound of scrambling from the other side. A gnome’s hat poked into the hole I’d cleared, followed by a nose. He said something in gnomish.

“I don’t know what you just said, but I’m here to help. Just hold on.” I reached for another stone. Someone was pushing it from the other side, and this time the rock popped free easier.

I shoved it along my body, then tugged away the last bits of debris. A group of gnomes huddled in the back, surrounding several prone and bloody figures laid out on the floor of the tunnel, including Boss Gob.

One of the gnomes clambered past me, half climbing on top of me, before he tumbled into the main tunnel, shouting something. Moments later, he returned with several more gnomes, who carried slabs of wood that were probably going to act as stretchers.

I pressed myself to one side of the tunnel as best I could, though the gnomes still managed to step on my arm and whack me on the back of the head with the wooden stretchers.

The gnomes laid the stretchers next to the fallen, then halted, seeming to discuss how best to move them.

“Let me.” I inched forward and set the candle off to one side. I wasn’t sure if they could understand me, but I glanced at all of them, not sure who was in charge with Boss Gob unconscious. “I can help.”

They must have understood me for they backed up.

---