Ember's End by S D Smith

Author:S D Smith [Smith, S D]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781951305031
Publisher: Story Warren Books
Published: 2020-03-30T16:00:00+00:00

“Get inside!” Smalls called, rushing back toward the light-filled triangular room, urging Heather on. She dove through the door as he dashed inside behind her, closing it just before the first of the horde arrived.

Heather sat in the small room, shaking, her eyes wide and heart racing.

“Are you okay, Heather, my dear?” Smalls crouched before her, taking her face in his hands. “You’re hurt.”

“I don’t think it’s bad,” she said, rising to embrace him. She gazed around the room. There was a bright light she couldn’t explain and several crates bearing old inscriptions.

“I’m sorry it took so long. I had to figure out how to unlock the door from the inside.”

“You didn’t come through the front?” Heather asked, turning back.

“No,” he said.

“But that means—”

“—that they can get in. Yes,” he said, sighing. He pointed to a gash in the back side of the vault, near the second gate. “They can. They don’t know it yet, but they soon will. I was sent to work on that side in a long tunnel, pounding away with a massive maul, and, after the last quaking, rocks tore apart and I found the way in. I think the keeper came, but he couldn’t get to me right away because of the fallen rubble behind me in my cave.”

“He wasn’t the keeper.”

“I heard him,” Smalls said. “I was trying to figure out the door, but I could hear everything. I was so afraid I’d lose you.”

She gazed across at the second door. “The way out?”

“Yes,” he said. “It must lead through another tunnel to the surface.”

She smiled, rushing to hug him. Then she broke away and ran to the door. She bent to examine its small triangle shape. It looked the same as the other door.

“Oh no, Smalls. I’ve lost the Green Ember,” she said. “We’re trapped!”

“No, my dear,” Smalls replied, sheathing his sword and reaching into his shirt. “I have it.” He drew out the emerald, back around his neck on its golden chain. “I took it with me the last time I left you. I wasn’t sure why. It may have been the dragon himself, compelling me in his strange way. But I didn’t know it was a key. Not yet. Maybe my subconscious was working on the problem. I’m afraid the dragon prince had quite a sway over me. I was almost in his thrall. That breath. It’s poison and … far more.”

“He had me in his grip too. I nearly gave everything away. What an awful beast. I’m so glad you took off his head.”

“I was happy to do it,” he growled.

“So, we are free to leave?” she asked, almost not believing it possible. She gazed at the door leading outside. Their hopes were on the verge of being realized. They could be together. They could rejoin the resistance and strengthen their side with the return of the prince. She could see her family again. Smalls would be … what he was destined to be. “Smalls! We’ll be together and free. It’s what we’ve dreamed might be!” She turned back to him.

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