Marius squeezed Vivienne’s hand. There was no time to appreciate the softness of her skin, the lack of callouses, or the way her fingers fit his so perfectly.
He said, “We stay together, no matter what.”
The path that had opened up when the mountain shifted was wide enough for two people.
“You’ll hear no argument from me, Your Highness. Let’s get out of here.”
This time,they weren’t careful as they made their way along the path. They ran, hands clutched together, as the sounds from the predator below got louder and louder.
They had to keep going.
Every so often, Marius wondered how they would get out of there once they found the dagger. Just as quickly as the thoughts appeared, he cast them from his mind. What good was worrying about the future when they first had to survive the beast behind them?
Their surroundings slowly shifted. The rocks got lighter as they climbed, and more crystals were scattered through the space, illuminatingthe walls. Unlike the lower part of the mountain, rudimentary drawings were carved into the shale.
Marius stopped at one such etching, his eyes widening as he stared at what he could’ve sworn was a crude depiction of a vampire. Wings were extended from a figure whose face was twisted in displeasure as dark shadows streamed from their flying form.
Below them was a huddled mass of people. Their faces weren’t visible, but terror ebbed off them, nonetheless.
Vivienne tugged on his hand. “We can’t stop, Marius!”
Another roar came from the pit, emphasizing her point.
He cast one last glance at the drawing before hurrying after her.
The carvings continued. Some were primitive, but others were more elaborate. Where had they come from? Had people once lived in this mountain?
In the past, during the Rose Empire, human slaves had fled the evil Emerald Empress’s rule and ran north, finding refuge in the mountains. Had they come here? Or had another group of people lived here, only to be killed by the monster pursuing them?
He’d probably never know.
The ground quaked as the creature drew nearer.
It felt like they’d been running for an hour before Vivienne shouted, “There! Do you see it?”
A bright blue glow, just like the one they had encountered at the House of Forgotten Shadows, broke through the darkness. The path led them into a chamber where four steps—true stairs carved into stone, unlike the ghost of a trail they had followed earlier—led up to a marble platform.
And on it…
Marius’s heart sped up, and his fingers tightened around Vivienne’s.
“It’s real,” hebreathed.
Thank all the gods, they found it.
He drank in the sight before him. The brilliant blue glow came from hundreds of crystals lining the walls, the ceiling, and the floor. They all pointed towards the black marble dais, as if proclaiming, “This is what you came for.”
The dagger was vertical, its tip embedded into the marble as if someone had slammed it into the surface. It was made of shimmering obsidian, which glistened as if it contained entire galaxies. The black hilt was covered in intricate carvings of leaves, vines, flowers, and bats.
It was a thing of beauty.
They reached the first step as another roar came from behind them. It was louder than the others, echoing through the chamber.
The crystals clattered.
Marius’s heart sped up.
“It’s coming.” Pulling her hand from his, Vivienne drew her sword.