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“By the looks they’ve been long dry, “Qynn remarked, kicking the stone and causing a cloud of dirt.
“Do you really think it goes to all the cities?” I asked.
“I do. And it’s brilliant as a travel route because you don’t have to deal with storms or a raging hot sun. And travel by boat can be quite quick when done right.”
“Boats in the desert?” The idea sounded insane.
“It’s only a theory,” Jrijori admitted. “I don’t know for sure. The records of that time are sparse. And not just in Ulkruuba. Weztroga. Jaaman. Even the forest south of here, none of them have much history to explain, just crumbs indicating something happened a long time ago that took a highly civilized society and reduced them to hardship for many generations. Knowledge was lost, including the construction and purpose of these tunnels and other old ruins discovered around our world.”
The fact they’d even been built boggled my mind. I trailed my fingers over the stone. It appeared seamless, and was it my imagination or did it brighten where my flesh passed?
We walked for a long time. Long enough I’d stopped flinching, imagining monsters following behind us. Long enough I’d stopped listening to the giants’ offkey singing.
When we did finally halt, I missed the signal and slammed into Kya’s back. She steadied me as I blinked in fatigue.
“Why are we stopping?” I asked.
“Time to rest.”
Less rest and more like collapse of exhaustion. I hit the ground and slept before they’d passed out the rations. I woke to find myself tucked into a familiar body. I snuggled closer to Daksh, who had us wrapped in his cloak. His grip on me tightened.
I woke with the fabric we’d used as blanket and no king. But he had left me with a skin of water. I sat up and drank then chewed the dried fruit I had tucked in my pocket. A glance showed Yaanik and Daisy stretching and yawning. Qynn was leaning into Kya for a hug.
My attention was drawn by Daksh, striding back from farther up the tunnel, expression grim. Everyone grabbed their things in preparation.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, scrambling to my feet, clutching his cloak, not ready to lose it.
“There’s some cracking in the tunnel ahead,” he announced.
“You think it might collapse?”
“Hopefully not.”
“That is a rousing speech, Your Majesty.” My sarcastic reply was meant to hide my fluttering heart.
“Stay close to me and nothing will happen.”
Oddly, I believed him.
As it turned out, everyone buddied up. Daksh wanted us to go through the damaged section in pairs, hugging the walls on each side so as to not stress the dip in the floor. The giants with their heavier steps would pass last. Everyone understood we took a risk. I knew enough about sinkholes to understand the chance of collapse, but I couldn’t show any less bravery than the rest of the group. I chewed on some nutty bread as the first pair crossed. Aber and Keen stepped lightly and quickly through the section, and it reassured to see nothing shifted, cracked, or burped sand.
Next, Kya and Qynn headed for the other side, my mentor dancing swiftly across. Kya was less graceful, and my eyes went to the ceiling when I heard a creak. I didn’t worry about Jrijori, who’d paired with Palla. She was the one looking a tad uncertain. She wasn’t one to tread softly. But she made it.
Without me.
The King chose me as his partner to cross. Not entirely unexpected given his actions of late, and I wouldn’t deny it pleased me immensely.
Our turn arrived, and I waited by my side of the wall. Daksh appeared distracted. He kept peering back the way we came.
Then Jord started looking too.
My stomach clenched.
Daksh pointed to Daisy. “Watch over Asharee.” His gaze flicked to me. “Go.”
I wanted to argue he should be crossing too, but I knew an order when I heard one. In this moment, he was the one in charge. I shouldn’t distract him.
Daisy hugged her side of the wall, and I crept close to mine. The cool stone brushed against the cloak I dragged with me. The floor underfoot showed a hint of a crack. I stepped over it. My hand braced against the wall. I wanted to look back, but—
