The Gossamer Power by Abbie Evans

Author:Abbie Evans [Evans, Abbie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-02-13T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

Kailani and Sebastian trudged along the crumbling tunnel. Moisture collected on the walls now, and steady drips fell to the ground all around them, echoing near and far. The smell of decay thickened, and it seemed as though it would be stuck in their throats forever. Kailani’s lantern was cracked and the light was dimming, and they had to slow down so as not to slip, but they held a steady pace.

She took her port out as they walked and exchanged several telegrams with Emora, marvelling at how the service still worked even in this deteriorating tunnel. All was well in Zatoria, but the fugitives were still at large.

Her foot squelched into something, and she had the horrible feeling the something was about the consistency of rotting flesh. Reluctantly, she shone her lantern on the floor, dreading what she might see.

Sebastian glanced down too and raised an eyebrow. “Is that a rotting avocado?”

She shook it off her foot and kicked it away. It landed down a side tunnel, and they both shone their lanterns down it and gaped. It was full to the brim of avocadoes, all rotting and squidgy, piled high from wall to wall, mountains and mountains of them squashed into each other like sardines as far as the eye could see down the tunnel.

They stared at it for a moment in confusion, then continued on. She glanced at Sebastian as they walked. “You made quick work of that beast back there,” she said after a time.

“Of course,” he answered. “I’m a Zatorian.”

“Was that a Zeraphinian riposte I saw out of the corner of my eye?”

“Yes,” he said, unable to hold back a proud smile. “I learnt it from Cephas Ystan. He was my swordmaster in school.”

“Wow,” said Kailani. “He won the championships four times.”

“Yup,” said Sebastian. “I learnt from the best.”

There was another stretch of silence as they scrambled over a particularly rocky passage.

“Ada can’t fight,” Kailani said next.

Sebastian grinned. “Oh god, she’s terrible. At swordfighting, I mean,” he quickly clarified.

“I’ve tried to give her a few pointers. But she won’t take direction. And she gets frustrated when she can’t do it.”

“And then her eyebrows knit and she gives you a cross look,” Sebastian said.

“Yes,” Kailani agreed with a laugh. “It’s cute.”

“Ridiculously cute.”

Kailani grew quiet. “We shouldn’t be teasing her when she’s going through who knows what ordeal right now.”

“Of course.”

The ground began to grow muddier, and their boots squelched with each step. Their tempo slowed as the mud grew more slippery still, and they had to focus on not stumbling.

“I noticed you don’t have a modern sword,” Sebastian said, clambering over a ledge.

“No,” said Kailani. “It’s 200 years old. It’s…” she hesitated and wondered whether she should tell him. “It’s Lucia’s sword. Well, technically it was Queen Lucille’s first.”

He raised an eyebrow. “How’d you get your hands on that?”

“Years ago, gosh it was over a decade ago now, Lucia and I worked at the Palace together. We found it in the armoury. I snuck it out and gave it to her, and she’s kept it ever since.

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