Landyn could feel the tension among the group as they trudged deeper into the tunnel. He felt desperation starting to take hold in the others. Yet, Sage continued to press on, her focus on the translation mounting with each step. Landyn’s doubts began to creep in—was there another way out? Was Sage’s determination a risk to them all? He pushed these thoughts away. He had to believe that whoever had dug this tunnel had another way out.
“There!” Sage called and rushed into the darkness with the torch.
The stone wall of the cave sheltered a rectangular black, dirt-encrusted door. It was simple and unadorned, with a single lock above the handle. The door was caked in a layer of dried mud, and a heavy blanket of webs obscured its texture.
Sage reached out cautiously, brushing away some of the webs from the door handle. She firmly curled her hand around the grip and squeezed. Nothing happened. She stepped back and surveyed the door before planting her feet firmly and shoving. Still, it refused to open. “It’s locked.”
Conflicting emotions ran through Raven as she tentatively touched the necklace that her father had wanted her and her sisters to have. Could this be the key to this door? She slid the cord over her head and looked at the key in her hand. Her father’s key. Was this the reason why he had wanted them to have it? Tingles danced along her skin as she looked at the door before her and then back at the key. With a trembling hand, she extended the key toward the lock.
“Wait!” Sage called.
Raven glanced at her and saw Sage’s lips pressing together in a thin line and her eyebrows pulling together in a deep frown.
Sage shook her head. “It’s not right. That key is much smaller than the lock. It won’t fit.”
Raven examined the lock on the door just above the handle. It was larger than her key. It wouldn’t fit. Her shoulders sagged. “We can’t get in?”
They stared at the door as Raven replaced the cord around her neck.
“Are you sure there was no more to those directions?” Landyn asked.
Sage peered at him through slitted eyes. With a low and dangerous voice, she warned, “If you ask me that again…”
They all stood in silence, eyes glued to the door, the source of their frustration.
Raven scratched her forehead. “There must be something we missed. Did you try the handle?”
Sage pulled at the handle again. “It’s locked.”
“Is it locked or stuck?” Raven asked.
“The handle won’t budge. It’s locked.”
Raven stared at the door, irritation bubbling inside her.
“We can attempt to break it down,” Marcus offered.
“Break it down?” Christian snapped in disbelief. “Do you have a battering ram?”
Raven raised her knuckle and rapped on the door. A metallic clang drifted from the door. She silently agreed with Christian’s disbelief about breaking through a metal door.
“Doyouhave any ideas?” Marcus retorted.
Christian inhaled and shook his head, his nostrils flaring as he clenched his jaw. He balled his right hand into a fist and slammed it against the door. His voice came out almost like a growl. “Now we’re stuck here?”
A small, dry clod of earth dislodged from the top of the door and tumbled to the ground.
Willow laid a gentle hand on Christian’s back, making soothing circles with her fingertips.
“We must have missed the key somewhere,” Landyn suggested.
“Where? In the tunnel?” Marcus asked in disbelief. “No keys were lying around.”
Raven spun to Marcus, warning, “Don’t talk to him like that. We’re all tired. We are all trying to work this out. Let’s take a moment to figure this out.”
“I’m saying we need to find a key to get inside,” Landyn replied tightly. “Otherwise, we’re trapped down here.”
Marcus and Landyn faced off, their postures tense. Willow eased between them, her gaze fixed on a narrow line at the top of the door where a piece of dirt had fallen from. She reached up and scraped some soil away. Flakes of dried mud fell off, revealing a faint outline. “There’s something here,” she said in a hushed voice, her fingers continuing to dig out more of the hardened earth.
