Dezi’s finger hovers over the depression as I guide him through the magic-laced maze, my voice a steady whisper. “Left, right there. Press down, but gently.”
His hands are steady, a testament to years of handling delicate instruments and ancient texts. The stone beneath his fingertipsyields, sinking with a soft grind that echoes through the glen. We all hold our breath, a collective pause in time, before the altar shudders.
“Step back,” I command, not needing to see to sense the shift in energy. There’s a rumble, a low growl from the earth itself, and suddenly, the ground before the altar cracks open, a dark maw appearing where solid ground once lay.
“Fuck me running, Sassy; you did it!” Khol exclaims, his eyes wide with the thrill of discovery.
I open my eyes, the energy trails fading from my vision, replaced by the gaping entrance to possibility. “We did it,” I correct, because it isn’t just my magic or Dezi’s fingers. It’s Tiernan’s silent support, Revelin’s playful smiles, and Khol’s boundless enthusiasm that helped give me the confidence to even try something like that.
Excitement surges through me, a pulsing wave that drowns out the remnants of irritation and unease. This is why we’re here—why we endure the petty squabbles and the long, dangerous journeys—for moments like these when mystery unfolds at our fingertips.
“We’re on a real adventure now,” Revelin says, his grin infectious as he peers into the darkness below.
“There will definitely be traps,” Dezi cautions, ever the voice of reason, even as his own eyes gleam with anticipation. “We can’t simply rush in and get ourselves stuck in some pit full of sticks or trapped in an airless room.”
As if he’d have a problem in an airless vault.
“We’ll deal with them,” I say, more confident than I feel.
Tiernan shifts back to human form, grabbing his clothes quickly before coming to stand behind me. His presence is a comforting constant and I lean back into him slightly. “After you, fearless leader,” he says, nodding to me with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.
“No way am I letting you clowns toss me into the abyss,” I retort as I step forward, leading the way to the newly revealed passageway. “Get over here and we’ll stick together as a group.”
“Into the belly of the beast we go,” Khol murmurs, his hand on the hilt of his sword, excitement palpable in his stance.
“Interesting choice of words from a basilisk,” Dezi says wryly.
“Stop fighting and help me find our next clue,” I say with a glare. “Don’t make me turn this dangerous quest around and head home.”
They all chuckle and I grin to myself.
At least they think I’m funny.
The threshold of the gateway looms before us, an ominous archway that whispers of secrets and shadows. I take a deep breath and step forward, the others close on my heels as we begin our descent into the ruin’s gaping maw. The air is cool and still, thick with the mustiness of undisturbed centuries. Dust particles dance in the beam of my flashlight, and my heart thrums with a mix of thrill and trepidation.
How many fucking places like this are there littered around my realm? It’s unfathomable.
“Watch your step,” Dezi murmurs from behind me, his voice serious. “This place doesn’t look friendly to the unwary.”
Fiadh’s voice floats up, tinged with a forced lightness that doesn’t quite mask her unease. “Just as long as there are no spiders...” she mutters, shuddering.
Khol smirks, the ghost of a chuckle escaping him as he teases, “Come now, Sassy, a few webs add character to the place, don’t you think?”
Her muttered reply is lost as Dezi rolls his eyes at their banter and gestures to Tiernan. “Lights,” he commands succinctly.
Tiernan nods, his movements efficient as he passes out small flashlights to each of us. In moments, beams of artificial daylight pierce the oppressive darkness, revealing the craggy contours of the walls and the uncertain path ahead.
“I’ll take the ceiling,” I murmur to myself, lifting my gaze and my flashlight. I scan the overhead expanse for anything out of place—loose stones, hidden compartments, signs of life both welcomeand otherwise.
“Floor is mine,” the leopard says firmly, sweeping his light across the ground, his eyes sharp for any telltale signs of traps or pitfalls.
“Right wall for me,” Khol chimes in, his attention fixed on the stone surface to our side, his smirk long gone, replaced by concentration.
“Then I will monitor the left side,” finishes Dezi, his own light joining mine in illuminating the ancient hallways.
“I got the path ahead then,” our girl adds quietly, the steady hand holding her flashlight betraying none of the tension I know she must be feeling.
As we move deeper into the ruin, the air changes. It’s as if the very atmosphere is imbued with a weight of power, a silent strength that resonates through the stone and into my bones. My skin prickles with the sensation, and I can’t shake the feeling that the ruin itself is aware of us, its newest visitors.
