Page 42 of A Serenade To The Elf Queen
I grab his hand in mine and a torch with the other to find our way out. We push onwards inside the small tunnel into the unknown. I can feel his gaze on my back as we walk.
The flame from the torch crackles violently, fighting against the rippling darkness of the cavern. We trudge silently through the secret passageway. I keep glancing back at the nothingness behind us. There seems to be no end or beginning to this void.
The human has been so quiet that it’s starting to unnerve me.
“Can you keep going? You can tell me if you need to rest,” I say softly. But he doesn’t make any request to take a break. We only stop every time I feel too exhausted to go on.
My left leg is starting to ache now. It feels like we’ve been walking for ages. There’s an ominous presence shrouding this place. The human might not notice this, but elves are more attuned to their surroundings. I hope his mortal sight will spare him from seeing the scratch marks on the walls.
“Wait.” I balk at the entrance to the next tunnel.
Skeletons of fae, humans, and elves litter the floor before us, smooth with age. Others have tried to escape this labyrinth before and failed. I can almost hear their haunting, dying screams.
Despair begins to seep into me slowly. The prisoner clasps my hand a little tighter. It’s a small gesture, but it reminds me that I’m not alone.
I squeeze back, giving him a reassuring contact too.
“We’re not going to end up like them. Don’t worry,” I say quietly, more to convince myself. “We’ll find a way out.”
The passage opens to a series of winding staircases filled with writings on the wall. I run my trembling fingers over them. Some of the words are too faded, eroded by time. I don’t have to understand the ancient lettering to know what it is.
“It’s a warning,” I breathe.
The prisoner moves beside me to read it too, though his main interest and focus remain to be me. My heart paces faster because he is still giving me that strange look.
The carvings seem to dance under the light cast from my torch. They describe dangerous creatures much like the Ashmedai but far worse. Each omen is more dire than the last. It’s making my hair stand on end.
“Stay close to me,” I murmur. The human is near enough that I can feel the heat of his body. At least he’s warming up. That’s good.
I notice the bright walls are made of Elven Crystals the higher we climb. The better illumination doesn’t change the fact that this place is a puzzle. It’s almost like an underground graveyard with the number of uncounted dead bodies.
“Rhianelle,” the prisoner suddenly rasps.
“Yes!” I whirl on him excitedly. He then mutters something intelligible in a strange language. His voice is hoarse, as if he has forgotten how to speak.
“I don’t understand that—”
I don’t finish my words when his warm body slams into mine. An arrow hisses right past us. I lock eyes with two heavy spears arching straight towards our heads. He pulls me again and we narrowly evade the sharp tips.
My heart beats so fast I can scarcely draw my breath. The man grunts his frustration in that unknown language as he glances over the endless stairs.
“That was dangerous. Good catch.” I tap his back.
One wrong move and our lives are ended. I don’t know how I’m going to get out of this catacomb alive. But if I give up now, it means giving up on this human too. He will never get out of here on his own.
“You have to step exactly where I do, alright?” I tell him.
He nods, taking my hand again.
I lead him carefully on the marbled tiles, showing him exactly where to plant his feet.
“We’re getting out of here,” I chant the mantra repeatedly.
He brushes his thumb on the back of my hand. The movement brings comfort deep into me. Even the pain in my feet doesn’t complain much anymore. At least I’m not doing this on my own. Time loses its grip as we continue our ascent.
I nearly weep with relief at the sight of a wide-open door. “Thank the heavens.”
Escape is finally within sight. I chase after the bright light when the world suddenly slips from right under my feet.
