Page 118 of The Storm of the Empire

We landed near the entrance to the tunnels so we could all change into our priests’ robes. It was the only cover that could conceivably work, and I trusted my foresight to give me the words we’d need to say if we were challenged. I held Hazel and Faolan’s lives in my hands, and I hated asking them to do it. We’d told Faolan he could just wait, hidden near the entrance for us to return, but he wouldn’t hear it. He wanted to help, and he knew the tunnels better than anyone else save for maybe the priests and some elders in Kerani.

“What’s our story if we get caught?” Faolan looked between us.

“I plan on winging it,” I admitted freely. “It’s better to go with the flow than be set in stone. If you’re too focused on a tale, it leaves a rigidity that makes you trip yourself up because there is no way to think through all the questions that can come up.”

“I like this one. He’s a great addition,” Faolan said to Hazel.

She rolled her eyes.

“I’ve been here for ages. Aren’t you the addition?” I narrowed my eyes at him.

“Aren’t we all?” Faolan smirked. “But I like to know I can trust the team.”

“Is that why you came?” I asked with a half-laugh.

“I came to help. Jaxus and Kiera can’t exactly get away, and I know the tunnels better than they do. Plus, I think you’ll need me.” He lifted his shoulders.

“I’ll take the extra help. And maybe three of us instead of one or two gives us more authority.” At least that made sense in my head.

“I think you’re right about that. We’re a lot less likely to get questioned.” Faolan held up two scraps of parchment. “I drew maps of the tunnels I know just in case we get separated. It’s like a maze in there, meant to keep people in like a trap. Every tunnel looks the same, and there are hundreds of turns that lead nowhere. They took over an old, abandoned mining operation from before the Twelve Kingdoms were formed, and they left most of the exits sealed.” He handed them to us, and we both thanked him.

“I don’t expect to see any elders, but if we do, I will have to hide my face and not speak. Say I took a vow of silence for the Goddess or something.”

“I’m sure something will come to me.” Maybe I was too confident with my ability, but it felt good. It felt like the one piece I could control in the uncontrollable.

I don’t think anyone we told of our departure really thought this would work, but I knew it was true. As real as I felt the ground under my feet, I knew where I’d find the egg. In fact, I’d foreseen finding several, and I knew Hazel would be able to tell me which was Alora’s.

Maybe this was my purpose, righting the wrong and doing something real, exposing what the priests were doing before I lost myself. I could live with that. It gave me purpose. But it broke my heart that my purpose had to come between me and Hazel. I would stay with her as long as the Goddess let me, though. I swore this to myself.

“Are you ready?

“Yes,” they both confirmed.

We loaded our robes with the supplies we’d brought, and we were ready.

“Faolan, you lead the way, and we can deviate when I feel something.”

We had to climb into the tunnel entrance and work our way inside. It wasn’t an obvious entrance, and it was in a hard-to-reach place for a reason.

We made our way through the tunnels and took turns as my gut told me to, but we came upon dead end after dead end. For hours we wandered, and even Faolan seemed to be lost.

“Why can’t I find them?” I whispered through my teeth when we met another dead end. “Are we sure these aren’t blocked off passages?”

“Unless there is a way to conjure solid stone I am unaware of, no.” Faolan spun around, exhaling. “This is the purpose. Can you not feel it like you thought you would?”

Hazel walked up to the wall, pressing her hands against it. “Maybe I can sense the eggs?”

Faolan looked at her. “Through all this dirt? That would be a feat, but go ahead, give it a try.”

“Do you have a better idea?” she snapped at him.

“What if I try to channel the foresight, see if I can get something more specific?” I asked.

She frowned immediately. “What if I can’t get you back? I don’t think you should willingly put yourself in an episode when you can’t control it. Maybe in a controlled environment, but not here.”

“Maybe you should let him try.” Faolan met my gaze. “He’s been right about a lot of things thus far.”

Hazel glared at Faolan but reluctantly waved for me to try it. I knew that was the best I was getting.

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