“Let’s hope so.” Gray looked across the floor. “We should spread outand each cover a section of the tiles. That’ll allow us to press the symbols in a timely manner.”
Gray quickly assigned a specific area of two or three symbols to each person. Except for Anna. She kept hold of the tablet, ready to call out each sigil, using the symbols’ proper Glagolitic names.
“All set?” she asked.
Once she got confirmation from everyone, she recited the code aloud.
Gray and the others pressed their respective tiles in the order she called. Gray had taken up a post by the last tile.
This had to work.
Otherwise, I’m out of ideas.
Anna called out the Glagolitic name for the final sigil: “Spidery Ha.”
With a hard swallow, he pressed the corresponding tile, and it clicked under his fingertips.
Before he could straighten, the floor shook with a metallic rumble. He stood up, balancing on his good leg. From a neighboring chamber, stone grated loudly against stone. He also felt a change of pressure, a slight popping of his ears.
Then all went silent and quiet.
They all stared at one another.
Gray finally moved and headed toward the next room. He drew the others with him, but he stopped everyone at the threshold. Flashlights lit the space, illuminating a fine dust swirling in the air.
On the room’s far side, a section of the wall had lowered into the floor, leaving behind a foot-tall sill. Beyond it, a black tunnel opened. Something twangled loudly, and the door dropped the rest of the way down. It sounded as if a gear had broken, likely permanently damaging the mechanism, trapping the door open.
“Stay here,” Gray warned and headed into the room.
He reached the mouth of a passageway and waved his light down it. The tunnel ran for five yards and ended at a set of stairs that spiraled down.
Looks like we’re heading deeper.
Monk called to him. “What now?”
“We continue on.”
“What about Seichan and Tucker?” Jason asked. “Should we try to reach them before we enter the lion’s den?”
Gray nodded. “You’re right. Someone should go topside where there’s a radio signal and get an update. Let them know what we’re doing.”
He turned to Monk and Jason, looking for a volunteer.
Monk sighed. “I’ll go. You’ve dragged me underground enough times as it is.” He clapped Jason on the back. “Can’t have our latest field agent missing out on all the fun.”
Gray nodded. “Once you’ve contacted the others, come back down. We’ll need someone to watch our backs and guard this exit.”
“Understood.” Monk set off into the cellar.
Gray faced the tunnel and stepped over the threshold. As he did, an uneasy twinge iced through him.
Something must be down there—but what?
The others crowded behind him, stoking his trepidation. He remembered the crushing fate of the other group of explorers who had trespassed into a lost subterranean library.
As he descended, a certainty firmed inside him.
We need to tread carefully from here.
