What had started as an open roadway whenHawk and I first entered into Hell was now a cave-like tunneldrawing us deeper into the pits and closer to solving the mysteryof what was causing the seals to fall. I was more than a littleafraid we wouldn’t like what we discovered there, and what if therewas no way to stop it?
I refused to let myself think about that asI stayed close to Kobal. At the end of the tunnel, he stopped whenit split into two different directions.
“Which way do we go?” a skellein asked.
“This way,” Kobal said with a jerk of hishead to the right.
They unfailingly fell into step behind him.The walls began to widen out around us once more, and what had oncebeen a constricted tunnel expanded with every step we took. I hadno idea what we would find at the end, but I certainly wasn’texpecting the immense boulder in the middle of the way.
Or not a boulder, I realized, but a giantslab of rock. It blocked the end of the tunnel that was now twentyfeet over my head and a foot beyond my arms if I stretched them outat my sides. “It’s a dead end,” Hawk said.
“No, it’s not.” For the first time, Magnusdidn’t sound smug or condescending when he spoke. In fact, hissilken voice held a tone of awe.
CHAPTER 35
River
“This is…” Corson’s words trailed off as hestared at the slab before us.
My eyebrows drew together as my eyes weredrawn back to the rock. Taking a step closer, I tried to see moreof the rock, but I saw nothing marking it as anything other thanwhat it appeared to be.
I may not be able to see anything specialabout it, but the skelleins weren’t bringing their torches anycloser as they stared at it. Corson and Bale flanked Kobal, and thelook of amazement on their faces mirrored the one Magnus wore.
Despite its innocuous façade, my fingersitched to touch it as I sensed power washing off it. I remainedunmoving with the others as the crackling fire of the torchesbecame the only sound within the tunnel. Their flames cast shadowsall around us, and for the first time, I realized the shadows thathad slithered and danced throughout Hell didn’t surround usanymore.
“What is it?” I whispered.
“The entrance to Hell,” Kobal murmured ashis gaze ran over the rock.
“Aren’t we in Hell?”
“This is the Hell only one demon alive andthe hounds have ever seen before,” he said. “The center ofcreation.”
“Who has seen it before?” Hawk asked, hisvoice low and respectful like the others when he spoke.
Kobal didn’t answer. He didn’t have to, atleast not for me; I already knew who it was. Resting my hand onHawk’s arm, I drew him back a step. He glanced at me questioningly,and I gestured toward Kobal. Hawk’s eyes widened before they wentback to Kobal.
“This is the entrance to where you and thehounds were created?” I asked.
“Yes,” Kobal answered.
“How do we get inside?”
“Only Kobal is able to do so,” Corsonreplied.
“Are we allowed in there?” Hawk asked.
“Only myself and the hounds have everentered and left before,” Kobal said. “But this is the fastest wayto the seals. If the rest of you are unable to travel through withme, I will go on alone.”
All the demons glanced at me. Kobal tookhold of my hand and briefly entwined his fingers with mine and gavethem a squeeze.
“It will let us in,” I whispered.
“No matter what happens, make sure she stayssafe,” he commanded the others.
“With our lives,” Corson vowed.
“Should we take her back to the forest?”Bale inquired. “With the trees to protect her, she may be safestthere.”
