Played by Elin Wyn

Author:Elin Wyn [Wyn, Elin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Clockwalk Publishing
Published: 2020-04-02T05:00:00+00:00

“I really wish we could’ve taken one of those lanterns,” Myria said.

It had been hours of following the tunnel up through the dark. The glow worms apparently hadn’t colonized this level.

I could tell we were still in the same tunnel, though faint breezes indicated side passages, but even my vision had trouble picking out much detail. For now, we’d stay in the main tunnel, with its steady incline, but I made a mental note of where the branches were, in case they were useful.

“Is the kid still asleep?” I whispered.

Using the sturdy coat Myria had sewn for me, we’d fashioned a smaller pad, with enough fabric left over to wrap the child up securely. Sweetie had nestled against Dayla’s neck and fallen asleep.

The quiet was a relief for both of us, but we knew it wouldn’t last.

“What are we going to do with her?” Myria asked.

“I don’t know,” I answered. “But that homestead didn’t look like it saw a lot of visitors. We couldn’t leave her there.”

“I know, I just worry.”

As we ascended, the passageway curved and slowly became perceptibly lighter. “There’s something ahead.”

“Do you think it’s another cavern like the last one?” Myria asked. “Maybe we can take a light or two from there.”

“As long as it’s not filled with knee-high, pink carnivorous puffballs, I’ll be happy.”

“There you go, always wanting things,” she teased, and for a moment the knot in my chest, the worry about what might have changed between us, eased.

Then it clicked. We weren’t approaching a lighted cavern. The lights were moving towards us.

“Get back!” I whispered urgently. “Back to the last side tunnel!”

Then we realized that the same long legs that allowed Dayla to leap such distances were simply not built for trying to go backwards.

With agonizing slowness, we maneuvered Dayla and the still-sleeping Sweetie back into the last side tunnel. Myria crouched tensely just through the opening, waiting.

I crept back up the tunnel, towards the glow of the lights, still close enough that I could hear Myria’s breathing.

Far enough away that a battle shouldn’t wake Sweetie. Not if I was fast.

And I was usually very fast.

The sounds of men’s footfalls echoed from the stone walls. Whoever they were, they’d be useful. They’d have light we could take, and hopefully, more weapons.

And I’d be able to track their scents back to the city, get us up out of these damn tunnels.

Back pressed against the wall, I waited until they were within reach, and then I sprang.

Three of them, the back of my mind processed while I grabbed for the first, hurled him away. Two younger, holding torches. Front and back.

Middle position, an older man, gray hair and beard, looking down at a box.

Not a box. Some sort of scanner, or a sensor. Either way, tech that shouldn’t be here.

Void.

The one I’d thrown hit the far side of the tunnel, his torch spinning out of his hands.

The second, younger man pushed in front of the gray beard, brandishing his torch at me like a weapon.

“Stay back!” he shouted.

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