Power by Karen Diem

Author:Karen Diem [Diem, Karen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Karen Diem
Published: 2018-05-04T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

Zita led the disappointingly easy way through the mountain, calling out whenever the floor got too uneven, or she ran across evidence of Tiffany’s group. While the path held few surprises, the red dirt and stone cave floors seeming almost as groomed and tidy as caves open for walking tours. Besides footprints, she found a tiny chalk arrow at every intersection, verifying the others had preceded them. Periodically, the sandpaper-rough walls teased bits and pieces of ancient, embedded bone—the curve of a wing here, an arched spine the length of a room, and the jaw with serrated teeth still clinging to it there. Behind her, a sober-faced Andy walked beside Wyn, helping her over the occasional hole. Jerome brought up the rear. Swirling diamonds in sparkly pastel colors drifted above their heads and illuminated the tunnel. They all carried flashlights anyway, in case Wyn had to cast a spell.

Jerome and Andy had both laughed when balls of light appeared over each person like bobbing lanterns, claiming it made them feel as if they were playing a video game. At first, Wyn had seemed offended, but then she reshaped the lights to diamonds and mumbled something nonsensical, and all three had gone off in peals of laughter while Zita blinked at them. When they were done with their hilarity, they returned to the trek.

“I’ve always wanted to be a player character, but I’ve always felt like such an NPC.” Andy sighed.

“What?” Zita said.

Jerome clapped her on the shoulder. “He lives a sad life. Let’s keep going.”

After an hour, she spotted a flash of color ahead. Switching on the cool, heavy flashlight she held in her hand, she aimed it at the wall. “Órale, we got old graffiti here,” she called out, panning her flashlight along a mural. Squiggly lines interspersed with pictures in a gruesome image.

A pain started at the base of her skull as if someone had hit her, and she spun to defend herself, holding her flashlight like a sap.

Wyn and Andy stared at her, having come up behind her while she was studying the art.

“You okay?” Andy asked.

Zita squeezed her eyes shut and nodded. “Fine.” Her head throbbed, and she wiped a bead of sweat off her forehead.

“If you say so,” Wyn said, her tone dubious. She opened her mouth, perhaps to say more, but then stepped to the side, staring at the mural behind Zita. She squealed and hustled forward, stopping in front of the wall.

Rubbing her head through the thick knot of her hair, Zita turned to watch her friend. Andy stopped by her side.

Wyn gestured to the others, excitement sharpening the movements. “Come see this! Pictographs, so well preserved, and they get more numerous as they go on! If the professor’s traveling with them, I’d be surprised if they got her past this willingly. Does anyone have a camera?”

Jerome grunted. “My tablet takes photos. Light’s bad though.” He stepped up to stand beside Wyn and grimaced. Setting his pack down, he plunged his arm inside and came out with the electronic device.

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