The Book of Secrets and Shadows by Wendy Larking

Author:Wendy Larking [Larking, Wendy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Larking About Press
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 14

“Ewww, that’s freezing!” exclaimed Ember as the water came halfway to her knees, soaking her feet and the bottom portion of her dress.

A second later Tilda landed beside her, splashing her with the same water. Ember grabbed Tilda as she stumbled, preventing her from slipping and going under the chilly water.

Tilda sniffed, “I don’t think this is just water.” They both nearly gagged.

“Urgh, we must be in the sewer system, but at least there should be a way out.” Ember looked up at the hole they had fallen through. “I wasn’t sure I got that thing, but it doesn’t look like we were followed.”

“What was it?” Tilda asked.

“Your worst nightmare fed to the devil,” replied Ember, unable to shake the image of the awful creature from her mind.

Both ladies watched as something rather unsavoury floated past. “There does seem to be a general flow to this stuff, so let’s go in the same direction. I remember reading that there are inspection chambers somewhere along the routes.”

Ember set off with Tilda following, their sodden dresses making every step harder as they waded through the mire. Ember was trying not to think of the lovely bath she had enjoyed at Lyndon Lodge a few hours earlier. She would give anything to be there now, soaking in warm, clean scented water. She wondered what the baron had meant by Lady Peyton had been taken care of, she hoped she really was safe and that nothing had happened to her, or her father and Daniel. The baron seemed to know a lot about her, but he seemed to know a lot more about her mother. She pushed the things he had said about her mother to the back of her mind for now—something to unpack when she had more time. She also had a few questions of her own to ask of her father.

The sewer section ended at a junction with a wider tunnel, and there was a small step down. The water in the larger tunnel was lower, so it was just swirling round their ankles, but it was still very unpleasant.

“Ack! What was that?” Tilda shrieked. “Something just ran over my foot!”

It was then that Ember became aware of movement along the side of the tunnel and swimming through the water, accompanied by unmistakable squeaking. “Well, they do say there are more rats in London than there are people,” replied Ember. “ I guess they have to live somewhere.”

“Well, let’s get out of here. I have no interest in dying of some rat disease. Which way?” asked Tilda.

Ember looked both ways. In truth she hadn’t much of a clue, but was willing to own up to that.

“I am not sure. I haven’t found it usual practice to study the sewer system, though it might be useful to know if I ever find myself in the same situation again.” She made a decision. “This way.” She turned, still following the direction the water was flowing.

“Oh,” Tilda mused with a laugh as she

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