The Tales of the Wanderer Volume One: A Book of Underrealm (The Underrealm Volumes 4) Garrett Robinson (poetry books to read TXT) 📖

“I would feel faithless if I turned from the two of you now,” said Yue, though her usual fire was missing. “I only … Albern, you do not have to go along with her in everything.”

“I know that,” I said. “And deep down, she knows it, too. But while I am joining in her foolishness, I am glad you are with me.” I leaned in and kissed her.

Smiling despite herself, she shook her head. “You are soft, Telfer. But fear not. I will harden you. Come on.”

She dove into the darkness while I flushed and tried to concentrate on finding a way to slide down that would not break something vital. When eventually I landed catlike beside Yue, Mag had already taken a few steps down the tunnel. The moonslight vanished almost immediately, leaving us in total darkness beneath the earth.

“I have torches,” I said, reaching for my pack.

“No,” said Mag quietly. “If they see us coming, they will raise the alarm for certain. We shall have to feel our way along.”

Yue groaned. “Mag, one of us could trip, and the sound of the falling might alert them anyway. Do you honestly expect us to push forwards into the darkness without a light to see by?”

Mag paused for a moment, thinking. “I suppose if they have posted sentries, they will have torches of their own. But still, I do not want them to see us coming. If you must light a torch, stay far behind me. I will push forwards in the dark, and if I see anything, I will run back to you and alert you.”

“Fine,” I said. “But if you wish to sneak up on them, you have to take off your armor. Leave it here at the entrance, and we can recover it when we come back.”

“I can move quietly with it on,” she groused.

“Not quietly enough,” I said. “Come, Mag.”

“Fine.” She undid the straps that held her scales tight to her body and shucked them off, dumping them by the tunnel entrance with a heavy clank. Then she turned and stalked off into the darkness, one hand on the wall to her right. Soon she had vanished.

“All right,” I said. “Get your flint, and let us have some light.”

In no time, Yue and I had the torch going. Once it was lit, I used it to light a second, which I gave to Yue. Together, side by side, we headed down the tunnel after Mag. She was gone in the darkness ahead of us, and we kept our pace slow, to let her have plenty of space from the glow.

But it was not long at all before Mag came running up to us out of the tunnel ahead, emerging into the torchlight so suddenly that my heart jumped. We stopped short, and my hand strayed to my sword.

“What is it?” I said, my voice hushed. “What is wrong?”

“Nothing,” she whispered. “I spotted a Shade guard ahead. He has a lit torch, which made him easy to see from afar.”

Yue and I shared a glance. “Well, if there was any doubt that they went this way, that ends it,” said Yue. “Now what?”

“He looks to be standing at the entrance to a larger cavern,” said Mag. “If we can remove him, I believe we will reach the Shades’ main encampment. Then we can find and slay Kaita.”

I sighed. “It might be easiest with an arrow. But if there are other guards within sight of the first, it may raise the alarm.”

“That is a risk we shall have to take,” said Mag. “I cannot approach him undetected, for he trains his eyes on the tunnel. And if he raises the alarm, you get your wish: we retreat to Kun and the others.”

“Hooray,” I said, my expression deadpan.

Mag smirked. “Spoilsport. Now go and end this fool.”

“And there is no chance I can persuade you to go tell Kun, now that we know for certain the Shades are here?” I said, knowing the answer already.

“None at all,” said Mag cheerfully.

“All right,” I said. “Take my torch and give me some space.”

She did as I asked, and I advanced into the darkness of the tunnel. Soon I saw what Mag had seen: a faint glow of torchlight reflecting from the rocky walls around me. It made my going easier, and I was able to take more care with my steps, reducing the sound of my passing to no more than a mouse’s scurry.

Soon I had the Shade in sight. He did indeed seem to be standing at the entrance to a much more massive cavern. That had to be where the rest of the Shades were. This guard was staring down the tunnel, and it felt as if he was looking right at me. But he held his torch in his hand, rather than finding some way to prop it against the wall behind him. It made his vision in the dark almost worse than useless.

I sighed and nocked an arrow. The angle would be hard. I could not fire too high, or I would strike the tunnel ceiling. But if I fired too low, the curve of the flight would carry the arrow into the floor instead of my foe.

I drew. I sighed. And I loosed.

The arrow sank perfectly into the Shade’s throat. Jian would likely have scolded me if she saw me aim for anything but the chest, but I was trying to keep things quiet.

The torch fell from his hands, and he clutched at his neck, seizing the dart and trying in vain to stanch the sudden gout of blood. Slowly he collapsed to his knees, and then to the floor.

I held still for the longest moment I have ever experienced in my life.

No alarm sounded.

Sighing in relief, I turned and stalked back down the tunnel. Mag and Yue’s faces were tense as they watched me emerge from the shadows.

“The door is clear, and no alarm raised,” I said. “But we had best be quick. They