Unexpected Dominion: The Eternal Experimental Effects Series by Erin Rickman

Author:Erin Rickman [Rickman, Erin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-02-26T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

January 28th 2027

The loose rocks crumbled beneath my feet as I tried to maintain my balance down the steep slope. We were in the Land of Revision and Atlas had led us to the abandoned mineshaft in the depths of the mountains. The way that the gravel path was unevenly dipped showed that it had been recently used by Púcas that hid away here. I winced at the thought of the Púca’s seeking refuge in the dangerous cave.

The lights that were emitting from the torches that each of us held still didn’t seem to be bright enough in the pitch black. I jumped as Kenji kicked something made of metal from beside me—an old hand-held coal burner. The scattering of belongings throughout the cave told me that either the Púca’s didn’t care much for their items or that they left in a rush.

“It seems pretty beaten,” Maze noted as she shone her torch on a pile of abandoned cutlery as we passed it.

“Yeah, they’ve left a lot here,” Hector agreed. “What do you think happened?”

“Well,” Keyum started, “didn’t Atlas say that parts of the shafts that had started to collapse from where it was previously mined?”

Atlas grunted in acknowledgement. He was walking in front of me and didn’t seem keen on talking. I watched as he dragged his feet when he walked, his shoulders slightly hung, his torch held in his hand like it was the heaviest object in the world. I could feel the hurt radiating from him, and I pushed myself to swallow past the lump in my throat. Clearly, he was still hurting from our conversation.

“It’s pretty warm down here,” Maze said, pulling at the cloak tied around her neck.

“We’re in a volcanic region, what do you expect?” Kenji answered with his knowledge from probably yet another book.

“Dormant though, right?” Hector asked, his voice sounding an octave higher.

A-jax laughed from ahead and yelled, “Wrong.”

“It’s due to erupt any day now, but I doubt that it will be while we’re here,” Kenji further clarified.

I watched as A-jax, who had walked ahead, stopped in the distance. His touch slowly moved from left to right.

As we walked towards him, Maze said, “Why are you laughing? You don’t feel humour.”

A-jax didn’t turn to face us but continued inspecting whatever it was he was looking at and said, “Indeed, but laughter in dramatic situations causes your anxiety to heighten. I have determined that an increase in your anxiousness results in an increase in your obedience. This, in turn, increases the likelihood of our survival and my reputation. Although it is unlikely that we will meet our end in this tunnel, I must practice extracting obedience from you whenever possible.”

I grunted, “Alright, Treshay.”

“Do not call me after him.”

“Do not act after him, then,” I mocked, imitating the tone and speech pattern of A-jax.

Then, the loud pitch screeching hummed, and I stopped in my tracks. I cringed at the severity of the noise. Either the angel didn’t like me mocking A-jax, or she was trying to tell me something.

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