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CHAPTERTWENTY-FOUR
PALLA
We let the rat cook and satisfied a different kind of hunger first. I couldn’t resist. The giant hadn’t tired of me yet. On the contrary, a grinning Yaanik lay afterwards on the cloak he’d spread, holding me to his side. A big lunk of a man. An idiot. But I liked him quite a bit. Which meant it would hurt when we went our separate ways. I had my job with Asharee. He would return to his kingdom.
As I dressed, I took stock of our strange location. Yaanik had smeared his goop on some of the rocky walls to give us light. We appeared to be at the bottom of a large cave, the rocky ceiling far enough overhead I couldn’t see it.
The sense of moisture teased me. I could feel my parched flesh soaking it in from the air. I snared Yaanik’s axe-torch and ventured out farther into the cave. The owner of said axe followed, his pants hanging low on his hips.
Did he do it on purpose to tempt me?
A glance around showed fallen rocks all over, including a rather large pile of them, taller than Yaanik, in front of a far wall. I clambered up the pile and shone the axe as high as I could reach. Not as high as Yaanik could when he joined me and held the torch aloft. Overhead, stone spears hung, ready to plunge if their weight became too much. Most likely what caused the mound of them by the wall. In front of the mound was a glimmer of wet, as if of a puddle.
I raced back down and placed my hand on the thin moisture caught in a depression. Definitely wet. I sniffed. Sure seemed like water.
I eyed the rocky cairn. Could there be a spring hidden behind it? I yanked the closest rock to the puddle. It came free, but nothing happened.
“It will take a while to clear these,” Yaanik remarked.
“We don’t need to move them all. Just enough to get to the water. Help me shift some rocks.” With his help, we began rolling stones.
It took more rock than I liked before we finally had more than a trickle. In his excitement, Yaanik slammed the pommel of his axe on a stone, splitting it, and a geyser of water shot out.
Yaanik and I drank and sprayed our faces. It felt good. We filled our skins with water, which was when Yaanik remarked, “I wonder if this is where the water in those tunnels used to come from.”
I eyed the pile of rocks. Then back where we came from. The water would have to rise pretty high.
Which reminded me of the steep slope we likely couldn’t climb. A cave we couldn’t escape. Not without help. How to get to the top of the tunnel? A tunnel that used to be filled with water.
“You’ve got your thinking face on,” Yaanik declared.
I eyed Yaanik. “Can you swim?”
“Like a fish.”
“Can you keep me from drowning too?” I explained my idea about moving some more rocks in the hopes water pressure would then take over and do the rest. If this water used to fill the canal, then it would have to rise. And while it rose, we would float along for the ride.
By the end of my explanation, Yaanik nodded. “Not just a pretty face and a courageous warrior, lassie, you’re smart, too. I think it’s a great plan. Go wait for me in the access shaft while I handle a few rocks.”
“Shouldn’t I help?”
“We only have one axe. Don’t worry. I’ve got this.” He dragged me in for a sound kiss. “Can’t wait to get wet with you again, lassie.” His wink had me tingling head to toe.
He turned to the rock pile, and I quickened my pace as he began pounding. I’d hate to get killed by a falling spear of rock.
I reached the bottom of the sloping tunnel that led up and out and gathered our things, few as they were, tying them to my body while watching him swing that axe. The muscles of his back rippled in the light from the fiery head of his weapon.Clang. Crack. Bang.
Swing after swing, water began spraying more and more, causing his flames to sizzle. When a huge jet suddenly soaked Yaanik and the light went out entirely, I called for him.
“Yaanik! Are you okay?” Because I didn’t know how I’d help him if I couldn’t see him.
“It’s okay, lassie. I’m all right. Don’t move and I’ll come to you.”
“Don’t tell me giants see in the dark?”
“This giant’s following his heart.” He neared, and I understood what he meant because I didn’t see him and yet knew to throw my arms around him when he got near. He hugged me soundly back even as water swirled around our ankles. The chamber had already begun to fill. An ominous rumble had me tensing.
“I think the dam’s about to burst. You ready?” he asked.
