Page 69 of On a Barbarian World

Soon, the warriors were all settled in the mine carts. Colm released the brake on his, the metal screeching with age, and his cart disappeared into the darkness. Kavon reached over the edge and released his brake. With a small jerk, the cart moved forward.

They gathered speed. The tunnel walls whizzed past them, just murky shadows beyond the light of the wand. The tunnels dipped and turned, and sometimes ran straight. At other times, they twisted down in a spiral, taking them into the depths of the mine.

“This reminds me of a ride I took at the theme park on Yavik,” Aurina called back breathlessly. “Just a little darker and scarier.”

“I do not believe people would do this for fun.”

She snorted. “Of course you wouldn’t.”

Suddenly, Colm shouted from ahead. Kavon grabbed at the brake and yanked it. Metal shrieked against metal, and the cart slowed.

Ahead, he saw Colm’s cart stopped at a huge pile of rocks.

The tunnel had collapsed.

Kavon glanced back and bellowed for the others to stop.

Then he caught Colm’s gaze. The shadows cast his friend’s face in sharp relief as he lifted his chin. “There’s no way through. End of the line.”

“No, the map says the tunnels continue.” Aurina climbed out of the cart. She stared at the huge pile of rocks and cursed. “It must go through there. If I hadn’t burned out my laser…”

“We’d have been eaten by the trondor,” Kavon said from behind her.

“We need to get through these rocks. We’ve come too far to give up now.”

He nodded. “Warriors, let’s move these rocks.”

She stayed clear as the men got to work shifting rocks. Two of them together could move some of the big ones. She was woman enough to admit she enjoyed seeing the flex and bulge of Kavon’s muscles as he hefted rocks. Okay, all of the warriors were prime specimens.

Finally, Kavon told them to stop. He was frowning.

“What is it?” She pushed forward.

And stared at a huge, blank wall of rock.

The track stopped just short of it.

“It doesn’t continue?” That couldn’t be right. She pressed her hands to the rock. It was smooth, nothing unique about it. No joints, no door, nothing. She snatched up her Sync, paging through the ancient maps. “It’s right here. The tunnel continues onto what looks like a large open area. This is wrong.” She waved a hand at the wall.

A hand touched her shoulder. “Or the map is wrong. The maps are old. The memories of the few survivors who made it out of the tunnels were likely muddled.”

“No.” She shook her head. “There’s a way. I know it.”

He forced her to turn and face him. “Your dedication to this quest is admirable. I have enjoyed watching you as you’ve pieced this together. You’ve brought me closer to finding Durendal than anyone or anything before. But your beacon is no longer contingent on finding the sword.” His face was strangely blank. “I will give you the beacon.”

She blinked. Hell, those were the words she’d been so desperate to hear…so why wasn’t she jumping for joy? She stared at the man in front of her. Her big, tall warrior. Respected leader, honored warlord, brilliant lover. A man who, in such a short time, had pushed her and tested her, made her angry, happy, and thrilled all at once.

A man she was falling in love with.

Her throat closed and she felt lightheadedness hit her.

She was falling in love with Kavon.

And he was going to give her the beacon and let her go.

She cleared her throat. “This isn’t about the beacon anymore.”

He tilted his head. “What is it about, then?”