Each of us seemed lost in our thoughts. That was fine with me. This was not a place for talking or living. This was a place of death and sadness and destruction. I couldn’t stop thinking about the mysterious people who had once belonged to this city.
Where had they gone?
Thoughts of these mysterious people filled my mind, occupying me as we walked on.
Eventually, the rocky landscape changed. I could count the remaining structures on one hand as the path narrowed substantially. We left the hollow valley behind, walking into the gloom.
A cold breeze blew past, and I shivered, drawing my cloak tighter around myself. Time and time again, I checked the compass. The direction never wavered. We kept going until the city was but a distant memory.
We had been walking for several hours before we came to a stop.
“Now what?” I asked. Three tunnels stood in front of us, each branching in different directions.
Xander’s grip on my hand tightened. “We’ll have to pick one of them.”
Each entrance had a carved stone plaque hanging above it, the writing smooth and nearly illegible. Upon closer inspection, I confirmed it was not written in the Common Tongue.
“Can you read this?” I asked Xander.
He shook his head. “No.”
Maiela and Kysha walked up behind us, but neither of them could read it, either.
What good were directions if no one could read them?
Frowning, I tried to decide what to do next. The compass seemed just as confused as I was, pointing down all three tunnels. Unease settled on me like a thick cloak, bearing down on my soul and making it hard to breathe. I frowned, taking a deep breath as I sought to rid myself of the feeling, but it did not work.
Xander’s arms wrapped around me as he pulled me against him.
Are you cold?he asked, pressing a kiss on the top of my forehead.
I shivered, despite the heat coming off my dragon shifter.More… apprehensive than cold.
A growl rumbled through Xander, and I could feel his concern through the mating bond.
He asked,Did you hear something?
He stiffened, reaching for his sword, but I shook my head.
No. It was a feeling, more than anything.Out loud, I added, “This place is just… off. I have a bad feeling about it.”
“I agree.” Kysha shifted from one foot to the other. “We need to get out of here.”
“What does your gut tell you, Aileana?” Xander asked, releasing his hold on me.
Pursing my lips together, I paced in front of the tunnels. The first two felt… strange. My stomach twinged, and that sense of apprehension worsened. That feeling lessened as I stood before the third tunnel. Of course, it was the darkest of the three.
“This one,” I said, gnawing on my bottom lip. “I think.”
Doubt ran through my mind. What if I was wrong? I didn’t want to be responsible for causing more pain than I already had.
Xander rested his chin on my head. “I trust you, Aileana. You’ve gotten us this far, and you are so much stronger than you think.” I looked up, and he kissed me, the meeting of our lips at once brief but forceful. With every moment that passed in his arms, I felt more at ease. Xander’s touch was a reminder that even in times of trouble, we had each other.
“In the past, I may have… doubted you,” he said.
“Which was stupid,” I retorted, getting some of my spark back the longer he held me, “considering how I stabbed you the very first time we met.”
His lips twitched, and he snorted like he was trying to hold in a laugh. “Let’s just say that wasn’t the finest moment of my life.”