Page 191 of Of Nine So Bold

Consternation came from Ozias. I didn’t have the first clue how to ease that either.

Up ahead, Ignatius motioned for Byron and Casimir to join him as he continued across the temple’s main chamber and past the fountain. His murmured words reached my ears, but it was merely a list of book titles and magical references I couldn’t follow.

Which only proved the point that I wasn’t prepared for this.

Exhaling sharply, I tried to push down the doubt gnawing at me like a rabid dog. In the end, Ozias really was right. Not simply that I was with my men—that still made me nervous as hell for them—but about the fact I wasn’t alone. We’d go through the gateway, we’d find the witches and Dathan, andtheywould come up with a way to stop my stepmother.

And maybe no one would die.

At a section of the main chamber’s far wall, Ignatius stopped. The stone surface bore an ornate carving of giants beneath a rainstorm, but bore no door or opening I could see.

Pressing his fingers to specific points on the carving, Ignatius murmured a spell under his breath.

A click sounded from inside the wall.

The door swung open, revealing a dark tunnel sinking down into the earth.

“This way.” Ignatius hurried into the shadows.

None of us moved.

“We good, Oz?” Clay prompted. “Byron?”

My scholar nodded, but Ozias took a moment longer before grudgingly doing the same. At my questioning look, he growled, “Strange magic in there.”

I swallowed down my worry. “We could just go back and?—”

“Not if this protects you,” Dex interrupted, his voice brooking no argument. “Come on.”

He followed Ignatius through the opening, and one by one, most of my men did the same, until only the twins, Ozias and I remained.

And Ruhl.

By the entrance, dark black smoke gathered and coalesced into the shadow wolf. He took one look down the tunnel and then sank onto his haunches, giving no sign he intended to follow.

“Aren’t you coming too, buddy?” Clay asked.

The wolf didn’t move.

Clay sighed. “Great.” He headed after Lars down the tunnel.

I didn’t take my eyes from Ruhl. “Is this safe? Really?”

A small huff left the wolf, almost like a scoff. But then he twitched his jaw toward the doorway as if motioning me to go onward.

It wasn’t exactly reassuring. But I also trusted the wolf enough to know if this wastrulya danger, he’d stop us.

For his part, Ozias eyed the wolf distrustfully, but with his hand on my shoulders, he started toward the dark tunnel.

The air grew warmer as we descended. Damp surrounded us and moisture dripped from the stones overhead. Glowing moss and fungi clung to the rocks, emanating soft blue and green light.

“Whatisthis place?” Niko whispered.

No one answered.

The tunnel came to an end, opening out into a shadowy grotto where stalactites covered in bioluminescent plants clung to the distant ceiling. The majority of the floor was taken up by a natural stone pool of water that shimmered in shades of blue and green from other glowing plants that grew beneath its surface. The water didn’t seem too deep. Barely more than a few feet and clear as the purest glass. But the glow of the plants within made it shimmer like it was alive, casting dancing shadows and light across the cavern and illuminating gold symbols inlaid in a ring into the stone walls. A ledge of stone ran around the pool, emptying into a recessed area beyond it, wherelow stone blocks formed seats and glimmering moss covered the ground like a carpet.

“Gods, this is beautiful,” Lars said softly, sounding taken aback.

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