It was arduous to inform if the rising distance was a great factor or a foul factor, however I trusted Emilie’s judgement. At every fork within the path, she paused and listened to the quiet, ready for the air to information her in the fitting course. Every time, she was certain of herself as she led the best way.

We have been touring down a very lengthy and slim path when she stopped abruptly. I almost toppled her over, and the harpy ran into my again as nicely.

“What’s it?”

She held the torch increased, staring into the darkish abyss in entrance of us. “One thing isn’t proper.”

I stiffened, feeling for the sword tucked away at my hip. “Murvort troopers?”

She shook her head. “No. The air feels…completely different. Earlier than it felt hopeful. Vivid and optimistic. Now it feels…mistaken.”

“Did we go the mistaken approach?”

“No. I’m optimistic we went the fitting approach. It feels…misleading.”

Gods solely knew what lurked in these tunnels. Possibly she was sensing another magic. One thing up forward that we didn’t wish to run into. I weighed our choices. Return and discover one other route or cost forward and take care of no matter monstrosities awaited us. I used to be debating which might be worse when Emilie gasped.

“The tunnels—they alter instructions, magically showing and disappearing at will. The trail has modified.”

That actually beat the imaginary beast I used to be picturing in my head. We may take care of intelligent tunnels.

“Will we return or maintain shifting ahead?” I requested.

She tugged on my hand and replied, “We maintain going this fashion. Turning round received’t do any good if the tunnels are going to vary at random. We’ll maintain shifting ahead and get straightened out on the subsequent divide.”

There was one thing admirable about her certainty and the best way she took cost. Whereas I had hated that conceitedness after I’d first met her in Renoa, I now revered her confidence. It was nicely deserved. What she lacked in bodily power, she made up for along with her intelligence and composure in a tricky scenario.

She led us via wandering paths and decidedly selected which turns to take. I adopted intently, nonetheless holding her hand tightly. The harpy was so quiet; I nearly forgot she was with us till she often found unfastened rock.

“Cautious,” I mentioned to her, and she or he responded with a wide-eyed gaze. She relaxed ever so barely. There—we have been making progress. I went so far as reaching my hand out to her to assist her over the rocky cross. It appeared as if a part of the tunnel had caved in at one level and big boulders have been strewn concerning the path. She stared on the treacherous terrain for a second after which opted to take my help.

As I used to be serving to her cross that troublesome part, I heard a noise forward. It seemed like crumbling, and the mountain shook once more. Gods, what would we do if the mountain caved in on us?

The rumbling subsided, and our environment went silent. Emilie raised the torch to test on us. “Are you each okay?”

“Sure, only a few extra steps.” The harpy was nearly throughout the fallen rock when out of the blue, Emilie was screaming, after which there was a splash.

“Emilie!” I shouted, turning to discover a huge gap the place she had been standing. The sunshine she’d been carrying was mendacity on the bottom, and I rapidly picked it up earlier than the damp stone may extinguish it.

“Emilie,” I known as once more. I received as near the opening as I may with out falling in myself. These tunnels have been so delicate. One mistaken step may ship us plummeting into the unknown. “For those who can hear me, I would like you to reply.”

“I’m alright.” Her voice sounded far-off. Far down. “I…I landed in a little bit of a lake.”

She additionally seemed like she was spitting out water, treading to remain afloat.

“Are you able to see something?”

“No. Properly, there’s a little bit of glowing moss down right here. It’s not far-off. I can swim to it.”

The sound of wading water drifted as much as me, and I breathed a sigh of aid. However then a contemporary wave of worries hit me. How within the hell have been we going to get her again up?

“What else do you see, Emilie? Are there extra tunnels? A staircase? A…rope?” I doubted she had the power to tug herself up. Even along with her coaching, she’d misplaced a number of muscle whereas being held in isolation. However I may pull her up if she received the rope to me.

“No, I don’t see any stairs or rope.” She laughed on the final phrase. Not less than she hadn’t misplaced her humorousness. “I can’t see the opposite facet of the water from right here. I may swim and attempt to—”

“Don’t,” I mentioned. “Who is aware of how far-off the opposite shore is? For those who’re secure the place you’re, don’t transfer.”

Shit. If she couldn’t come up, then we have been going to need to comply with her down.

Supply: www.seynovel.com