Page 36 of Spirit Storm
The Order representative on site watches us as we approach, assessing each of us, a relaxed hand resting on the body of the automatic weapon slung across his broad chest.
I’m not sure how effective a weapon like that would be against Tharuzel, but that’s neither here nor there.
Or maybe it’s not for demons at all.
I meet Wylder’s gaze, and by the tightness in his ebony brows, he seems to be thinking along the same lines as I am. That guy is ready to defend against intruders.
Freya doesn’t seem concerned in the slightest. “Morning, Blake.”
The guard straightens as we approach, and when we’re close enough, he hands Freya a folded paper. “Morning, ma’am. The lads flagged the north passage overnight. The whole bloody system’s shifted again."
"Noted." Freya unfolds the map and glances at it, already moving. "Right then. We’ll mind ourselves."
The man looks at the rest of us with the specific expression of someone being polite while also thinking this is a terrible idea.
It’s not the first time our group has been looked at like that. Hell, it’s not even the first time today. Whatevs. We have a job to do, the same as everyone else.
We follow Freya under the arch.
The quality of the air changes the moment we step through the entranceway. It’s warmer, denser, carrying that musty smell that comes from damp stone and earth.
It’s also dark. The enterprising light that’s making it through the mouth of the cave is enough to lighten the first five or six feet inside.
After that, it’s full dark.
Wylder raises a hand, and his palm fills with a steady flow of soft, green plant magic channeled into light.
Henrik does the same on the other side of the group, his spirit affinity offering us a soft, blue light.
Freya pulls something from her bag and slides it onto her forehead. When she clicks the button, it brightens everything in our path for a hundred feet in front of us. No magic, just a high-powered headlamp.
She opens the folded paper that the guard gave her and frowns. "We’ll take the left passage at the first fork, then keep straight on till the tunnel opens out.”
“Is there a problem?” I ask.
“Aye, there could be. We’re not sure if it’s the old wardings on the cave or something your demon friend has done, but the passages won’t stay put. Every day they’re different, which means there’s no taking the same road to the ritual chamber twice.”
I step closer and look at the map she’s studying. The Order's cartographer has neat handwriting and easy-to-read artistry. Lily would be impressed.
“So, you’re thinking we follow it here?” I point to the way she said we should go and trace a finger toward what I assume is the ritual chamber.
“Aye, that’s where I’d put my money, but this whole stretch here is new. Nobody’s mapped it yet, so your guess is nearly as good as mine what we’ll find.”
I shrug. “If we have to backtrack a bit, we’re fine.”
She shakes her head. “It’s not the walking that worries me, love, it’s what we’ll run into. Over the last two days, our teams have found traps, spells, and every manner of magical deterrent. I’d rather not see any of you taken down by one.”
Oh, sweet. “Thanks. We’ll be ready for anything. And luckily, we’ve proven to be pretty resilient.”
Freya gives me a kind smile. “Let’s hope that’s enough. Come on then. We’ll see what the cave has in store for us, shall we?”
"Lead the way." Wylder falls into step beside me near the front, close enough that the light from his hand spills across the map in my hands.
Behind us, Asher is studying the walls with the delighted attention of a kid at a theme park. Orion has one hand on him, tugging him along. And Henrik and Rowan are walking side-by-side, taking up the rear.
"How deep do the tunnels go?" Henrik asks.
"The sections we’ve mapped reach about forty meters below the surface." Freya doesn’t turn back when she speaks to us. She keeps the beam of her headlamp solidly pointed into the shadows ahead. "We know there are unmapped sections considerably deeper, but the teams didn't go further than the lockstone chamber."
