Crowned by Christina Bauer

Author:Christina Bauer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Monster House Books

Chapter Sixteen

Leaving Jicho and the MAJE behind, I followed Mrefu and Nan past the dozen or so Zaidi who were standing outside the jungle proper. After that, the three of us stepped past the sheet of vines that marked the border into the deeper jungle. Once inside, it took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the lower light. Only a few beams of silver brightness cut through the heavy cover of trees, casting odd shadows on the muddy ground.

There were Zaidi everywhere.

If I’d been surprised to see Mrefu, I was outright shocked to discover that there were literally hundreds of his people waiting nearby. I spied men and women, tall and short, and all of them covered in varying shades of gray fur with heavy forms atop their heads. Every last one of them stared at me as I walked past.

Mrefu, Nan, and I soon passed the larger group of Zaidi. Around us, the jungle trees grew heavier with fern-like leaves. Within a few minutes, we reached a small clearing that centered around a raised stone disc. At one point, this circular rock had once been covered in Necromancer runes, but that pattern had long ago been worn away.

Crouching down, Mrefu gripped the huge disc and shoved it aside to reveal a stone walkway that led underground. He lifted his chin and made another growling sound.

“He wants us to get in,” said Nan.

“All right.” It was an effort to keep appearing calm. Stepping into an underground lair wasn’t exactly a smart endeavor.

With the massive rock moved away, a set of stone stairs was now clearly visible. The rough-hewn steps led directly into the jungle floor. I marched down them with Nan close behind. Once we were both inside, Mrefu hauled the massive stone slid closed.

It took another act of supreme focus not to yelp as darkness enveloped me.

Suddenly, Mrefu’s yellow eyes lit up more brightly than ever before. Thanks to that extra light, I could now make out the rough contours of space we had entered. We were standing in some kind of stone passageway that led off in a single direction. Condensation, moss, and black vines covered the rock walls. My feet were chilled in ankle-deep water.

Without any announcement, Mrefu marched off into the inky blackness. His eyes cast twin orbs of yellow light before us. Nan and I followed. The three of us walked down for a bit before the passage opened up into a great hall.

And what a space it was.

The chamber was round and incredibly tall with a small circular platform in the center. The walls here were covered in the same mixture of moss and dark vines as the outer hallway. Torches were set into the walls, casting the room in flickering light. The air was so still and quiet, my every breath felt deafeningly loud.

Mrefu let out another growl, and the sound echoed in odd ways around the tall and circular space.

“He wants us to follow him to the platform,” said Nan.

I opened my mouth, ready to ask where this Kila Kitu was, but I was able to stop myself first.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.