Page 14 of Queen of Serpents and Shadows

From somewhere behind me, I heard something hissing. I wasn’t alone. “Hurry please. There’s something else down here.”

I reached for my necklace, brushing my fingers over the cool metal for comfort, when I remembered the other item I was wearing around my neck. Attached to a leather cord was the small pouch my mother gave me. There were times I obsessed over what it could be, and times I forgot about it completely.

I wondered if this was it, the time I was supposed to open it and find out how it could help me.

Then I felt the shadows wrapping around me,tightening their grip like an embrace. I made a surprised startled sound as my feet rose from the ground. Staying impossibly still, I held my breath until I was up, free of the hole.

As soon as the shadows released me, Ryvin’s arms were around me, a large hand weaving into my hair while the other held me tight around my waist with a possessive grip.

“I’m safe,” I assured him. “You got to me in time.”

“I thought I lost you,” he whispered.

“I’m alright. I promise. Just a few bruises.”

“Can we leave this tunnel now before anything else happens?” Laera demanded.

“I think that’s a good idea,” Vanth said.

“The shifter is agreeing with me. That tells you that nothing good can come from us staying here,” Laera snapped.

Everyone murmured in agreement and we backtracked to where we’d come from. We could see the opening for the tunnel when suddenly, the ground shook and rocks and debris began to rain down on us.

“Run!” Someone yelled.

I didn’t wait. Grabbing Ryvin’s hand, I raced forward, all of us sprinting toward the exit.

Rocks pelted from above, and I lifted my arm over my head to protect myself. Dust rose in clouds, making it harder to see where we were going, but we were so close to the exit. As soon as I emerged from the tunnel, I droppedRyvin’s hand and wiped my eyes before turning to see if everyone made it out.

The entire group was gathered just beyond the collapsed entrance, everyone panting and covered in dirt. Vanth coughed, then shook out his tunic. Laera was scowling as she wiped the dust from her arms and face. Bahar and Kabir were glaring at the tunnel as if it had personally attacked them. I suppose, in a way, it had.

Dread surged. “Where’s Doren?”

Everyone glanced around before we all turned our attention to the pile of rocks and earth that had been the entrance to a tunnel just moments ago.

Bahar and Kabir started to dig. Vanth joined in. There wasn’t enough space for anyone else to join them, so Ryvin, Laera, and I watched. I think we were all holding our breath.

With each pile of earth they tossed aside, more fell from above to fill in the gaps. It was endless, the piles of dirt and rocks continuing no matter what they did.

Just when a weight of hopelessness settled into my gut, I saw a foot. They dug faster and Ryvin stepped forward, pulling on Doren’s leg as the others continued to dig him out.

When they finally uncovered the rest of him, my heart sank. We were too late. He’d likely been crushed before we even started digging.

Bahar and Kabir knelt next to the fallen man and the two of them began whispering in a language I didn’t recognize. Bahar closed the man’s eyes, then Kabir placed a coinon each eye. They might be from Drakous, but our traditions in death were so similar.

“Very interesting,” Laera said.

I shot her a look, trying to tell her to be more sensitive with my expression.

She shrugged. “We’re all thinking it. It was a trap, clearly. You set something off when you fell in the hole. It probably triggered the collapse. It was designed so that if you could climb out of the hole, you’d still be stuck in the tunnel.”

I glanced at the other two collapsed tunnels. “You think that’s what happened to the others?”

“Probably. If so, it means there’s likely only one way out of here.” She sighed. “I’d rather not die buried underground.”

“Nobody else is going to die,” Bahar said as he stood. “You.” He pointed at me, then moved closer.

Ryvin stepped in front of me. “Careful, dragon.”

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