“I’ll give it a go,” Rigolard said, neither enthusiastic nor noticeably concerned about the idea.
“Well, there’s our plan, then,” Koradan said, turning back to Mitch. “Hook up some ropes and the five of us will see if we can shift the rock far enough to get the men out.”
“There’s just one other thing we should deal with first,” Mitch said. “See, the thing is… so far, none of the men on the other side actually know that you’re… not human. And I think we should tell them before you’re suddenly up in their faces and we’re having a serious panic in a confined space.”
“Get them to attach the pins and ropes first,” Koradan advised him. “We need them thinking clearly to get the job done properly. And then you can explain it to them when the only thing left for them to do is stand back and see if luck is on our side.”
“Fair enough. Let’s get to it then.”
It took over an hour to get the system in place. Metal pins and a few sledgehammers were passed into the rear cavity of the mine, then a series of ropes, with a prolonged discussion about the best way to attach them to the pins. Meanwhile, the salases waited outside, not able to be of much help at this stage, given than none of them knew a great deal about mining. Finally, though, Mitch emerged from the entrance, wiping dust from his face. “Okay, I think we’re all set,” he said to Koradan. “Are your lot ready?”
“Whenever you are. Have you told the men what we are?”
“I’ve just explained it to them. A few of them are a tad nervous, but it’s not like they’re about to say ‘no, please don’t help us’. Just maybe… Once the rock’s clear, it might be better for you to get out of the mine and stay away for a bit. I don’t mean to sound rude or ungrateful, but they’ve been buried alive, and then suffered dehydration, and now they have to deal with ‘demons’ as well. They’re just going to be a bit shaken up.”
“I totally understand,” Koradan said, taking no offence to the request. “We’ll get out of the way as soon as our job’s done. We’ll need to start work on the lower chamber, anyway.”
“Thank you. Alti and I are going to come in with you. I know it’s a risk, the more people we have in there, but you might need some advice if things don’t go entirely smoothly. And some of the men might need help getting out, if the gap’s narrow.”
“Fair enough, but you’ll need to stand back. If the roof does come down again, I don’t want anyone else being hurt.” Thankfully, the tunnel at that point was long enough and wide enough to fit them all.
Mitch nodded, but just as they turned to head back inside, another voice interrupted them. “I’m coming in with you.”
Koradan turned to see Lynette standing behind him, her medical bag slung over her shoulder. He and Mitch both shook their heads. “It’s too dangerous,” Koradan told her.
“Ace got hit in the head with a boulder. He could have concussion. And Fen can’t walk. I need to check them both before you start dragging them out through that tunnel and making things worse. And if any more rocks come loose, there’s the chance they’ll end up with more injuries. Believe me, I don’t want to go into that mine any more than you want me in there, but those men need medical help. That’s my job.”
“She has a point,” Mitch admitted. “And there’s still a very narrow gap at the entrance to the main tunnel. The men are going to have to drag themselves through on their bellies. I’d feel better knowing they’re not going to do themselves any serious harm in the process.”
“Let her come,” Rodgard said, from behind Koradan’s shoulder. “She’s a grown woman. She can make her own choices.”
Koradan knew when he’d lost an argument. “Fine,” he said. “But you’ll need to stay back with Mitch and Alti while we move the slab.”
“No problem,” Lynette agreed.
“Let’s get going, then,” Rodgard hustled them all along. “There’s plenty more work to do after we’ve finished with this minor miracle.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“Head down the tunnel, past the last crack in the ceiling,” Mitch called to the miners inside the main tunnel. Watching from a safe distance, Lynette felt a cold shiver run up her spine. She wasn’t particularly claustrophobic, but crawling through that narrow passage to get into the main tunnel had been daunting, to say the least. And now that she was here, she realised she’d underestimated the amount of damage the earthquake had done to the tunnel. Support beams were cracked, hastily replaced with new ones, there were long crevices criss-crossing the ceiling, and mounds of rocks and debris on the ground where it had been pushed aside to allow easier access.
She could, of course, have chosen to wait outside and treated the men’s injuries once the salases and the other miners had dragged them to safety. But half the village seemed willing to venture into the mine for one reason or another, and given that she had legitimate work to be doing down here, refusing to come seemed like the coward’s way out.
There were five thick ropes trailing out of the gap at the side of the tunnel, and Lynette felt her fingers tighten on the strap of her bag as the five salases stepped forward and each took a rope. They fanned out, each finding adequate space and secure footing for what was bound to be a monumental feat of strength. After so much preparation, they still didn’t know if they would even be able to move the rock, and Lynette braced herself for the disappointment that would come if they couldn’t.
“Ready to pull?” Koradan asked his men, and in that instant, Lynette saw a sudden change in them all. Ever since they’d arrived, the salases had been calm and relaxed, even when being threatened. Their demeanour had been almost casual, and though it had been easy to believe they were warriors from their size and their armour, their behaviour had been far more civilian in nature.
But before her eyes, the five powerful men suddenly transformed into a focused and united front. She recognised the change from having seen it in Kai, time and time again.
“Hold up,” Melowin said. “Too much loose gravel.” Even he, normally the friendliest of the five salases, was all business. He shoved some of the gravel to the side with a heavy boot, then tested his footing again. “Ready.”
“On my mark,” Koradan ordered, and all five men leaned into their ropes, muscles standing out in sharp definition. By the gods, if they’d looked strong before, that fact was being well and truly rammed into Lynette’s brain now. “Three, two, one,pull.”
The ropes creaked against the weight of the slab. All five salases heaved, muscles straining, feet shuffling to maintain a grip on the floor. Their biceps bulged, chests hard as rock, legs straining. “Pull… pull… come on, move, you fucking bastard!” Koradan snarled, cursing the rock, rather than any of his comrades.
That unleashed a chorus of curses from the others. For a long moment, nothing happened, the ropes pulled taut, harsh panting and low grunts filling the narrow space.
“Pull like you’re ripping the head off a ragion,” Sigmore gasped out, and a moment later, a feral snarl emanated from Koradan. His thighs, as thick as tree trunks, strained against the ground. And then finally, with a low rumbling sound, the rock began to move. An inch, then two… “She’s moving!” …another inch… “Pull, you lazy swamptoads.” A shower of dust trickled down from the ceiling. “Fuck this fucking shitass of a mountain!”
