Page 228 of Empire of Shadows

Her boots splashed down into the cool stream, the sound amplified by her nerves. Ellie hurried through it to the cover of the ragged field of stones that bordered the clearer ground, keeping to the shadows where the glare of the paraffin lights failed to penetrate.

Adam gently caught her arm as she reached him. He pressed a finger to his lips in warning. Silently, he led her through the maze. They darted from stalagmites to thick limestone columns as they circled the cavern, inching their way toward the bound priest.

Finally, Ellie tucked herself behind a fall of debris beside the column where Kuyoc was bound.

Staines and Price had wandered back over to the others. Now that the priest had been confined, nobody paid him much mind.

“Are you all right?” she asked, pitching her voice to a hushed whisper—one that wouldn’t be heard over the clamor of the hammering and the constantly rushing water.

The priest sighed and chuckled lowly to himself.

“Why should I be surprised that you are here?” he muttered—then his eyes narrowed as he threw a quick glance toward her hiding place. “Howareyou here?”

“We took the long way,” Adam replied from where he hovered in the shadow of a massive stalagmite. He kept a wary eye on Jacobs, Dawson, and their men.

“The Path of Kings?” Kuyoc demanded as his tone sharpened. “The pair of you walked thePath of Kings?”

“If by that you mean all the demon god puzzles and skull-eating bats,” Adam grumbled. “Then yup. Sure did.”

“We’re going to get you out of here,” Ellie promised with an intent look at the men in the center of the cavern. “But I’m afraid that first, Mr. Bates and I need to make sure those two do not leave this place with that mirror.”

Kuyoc startled.

“That’swhy you walked through the caves?” he demanded. “To stop them getting the glass?”

“Sssh!” Ellie urged as Staines threw a frowning look back at where they crouched.

“Well—somebody did throw us in a well,” Adam admitted.

Ellie shot him a glare.

“That was you.Youthrew us in a well,” she pointed out.

“And what did you plan to do with it?” Kuyoc cut in.

“The well?” Ellie said, confused.

“The glass,” Kuyoc repeated with barely concealed impatience. “After you stopped those two from getting it.”

“We hadn’t really thought that far ahead,” Adam said. He scratched his stubble a little ruefully.

“We just knew they couldn’t be allowed to leave with it,” Ellie offered stoutly—or as stoutly as she could while still whispering. “Because it’s…”

Her voice trailed off at the awkwardness of the rest of the explanation.

“An object with the power of a god?” Kuyoc filled in dryly.

“You know!” Ellie gasped.

“What—you think I would be trying to destroy it with a bunch of dynamite if it was just a piece of furniture?” Kuyoc shot back.

“Destroy it!” Ellie squeaked.

“Hold on—dynamite?” Adam pressed at the same time.

Ten yards away, Staines turned and frowned.

Ellie dropped. She pressed herself closer against the stones as she heard the guard’s steps move closer.

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