Wings of the Night: A Paranormal Romance (The Gate of Chalandros Book 2) by Laura Taylor

Author:Laura Taylor [Taylor, Laura]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-05-26T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY

“We’re through!” The loud cry jolted Lynette out of a light doze. She lurched forward, almost falling off the rock she was sitting on, then scrambled to her feet. The sky had got darker in the last half an hour or so, and there had been doubts among the villagers as to whether they’d get a passage open before nightfall.

Lynette, along with a dozen other people, dashed over to the mine. Mitch was already issuing orders, tying a bucket to the end of the rope to be lowered down the shaft. Hazel loaded three water canteens and a jar of oil into the bucket – the first of what was to be many such offerings to the men down the bottom of the mine.

“We need to find out if any of them are injured,” Lynette said, trying to get Mitch’s attention.

“Who’s the dead man?” Ann asked.

“Has anyone spoken to them?

“Do they want food? I’ve got sandwiches.”

“Can we get the men out yet?”

“All right, that’s enough from all of you,” Mitch snapped, losing his temper for the first time since the mine emergency had begun. “They need water, first up. Everything else can wait another ten minutes, so how about you all let us do our jobs?” It had been a long and very trying day, with nerves fraying and hopes rising and falling by the hour.

Working hard at being patient, Lynette waited a little way back from the shaft, with Ann, Hetti, and the rest of the women with husbands or sons still missing. Paul was hanging back near the cliff, to stay out of the way, and the salases had stepped back, their presence not needed for the simple job of lowering buckets of water into the mine.

Muffled voices and the occasional curse word drifted up from the chamber at the bottom, then a golden light flickered on; they’d got one of the lamps lit. A chorus of cries of relief sounded a moment later, and Lynette reflected that it must have been difficult to spend two full days in total darkness. The men would have had some lamps to begin with, just after the earthquake, but the oil wouldn’t have lasted long.

More water was sent down, the bucket raised up empty, only to be refilled again. Finally, after fourteen full canteens had been lowered – and six empty ones sent back up again – Mitch called a halt to the supply runs. “I’m going down,” he said, sliding into the harness they’d been using. It was a sturdy thing, with thick straps of leather around his legs and waist, held together with steel rings. “I’m going to find out exactly what the situation is and what medical supplies they need,” he said, glancing Lynette’s way, “and yes, I will find out who’s alive,” he said, his jaw tightening as he eased himself beneath the support tripod set over the shaft. “Melowin? Can you lower me down?”

Melowin stepped forward, taking the rope, and then Mitch disappeared down into the inky gloom.

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