Chapter 272 The tunnel

Chapter 272: Chapter 272 The tunnel

Talia’s POV

The darkness swallowed us whole.

I could not see my hand in front of my face. The air was cold and damp, and I could taste the earth on my tongue. The walls were close, pressing in on me from both sides.

Kaelen’s voice came from ahead of me. "Talia, are you okay?"

I blinked, trying to see through the blackness. "I am fine, Kaelen. But I cannot see anything."

He reached back and found my hand. "I will go first, Talia. You follow behind me."

I squeezed his hand. "I will stay close, Kaelen."

The tunnel was narrow, and I had to turn my shoulders to fit through. The walls were rough and uneven, and I could feel the cold stone against my arms.

"Kaelen," I said. "How far do you think this goes?"

He paused. "I do not know, Talia. But we will find out together."

We walked deeper into the tunnel, and the darkness pressed in around us. I could barely hear my own footsteps over the sound of my heartbeat.

Then I remembered my pendant.

I reached up and touched the pendant. It was cold against my fingers, but I felt a faint warmth beneath the surface.

"Kaelen," I said. "Wait."

He stopped. "What is it, Talia?"

I focused on the pendant, and I willed it to glow. At first, nothing happened. Then a faint light flickered, soft and golden.

"It is working," I whispered.

The light grew brighter, casting a warm glow around us. I could see the walls now, that were rough and uneven. I could see Kaelen’s face, with his gray eyes that were reflecting the light.

He looked at me. "Your pendant is glowing, Talia."

I nodded. "It is our only light, Kaelen."

He squeezed my hand. "Then we follow it."

The pendant lit our way, and we walked deeper into the tunnel. The walls were still close, but I could see more now. The stone was dark and rough, and I could see cracks running through it.

Then Kaelen stopped.

"Talia," he said. "Look."

I looked ahead, and I saw it. There was a thin wire stretched across the tunnel, that was barely visible in the dim light.

I felt my blood run cold. "It is a trap, Kaelen."

He nodded. "Made of Silver wire."

I looked at the wire, and I felt the fear rise in my chest, because one wrong step, and Kaelen would be burned. One wrong move, and we would be caught.

"Kaelen," I said. "We need to get past it."

He studied the wire. "There is room to step over it."

I looked at the space beneath the wire. "Are you sure, Kaelen?"

He squeezed my hand. "I am sure, Talia. Follow my lead."

He stepped over the wire carefully, and I followed. My heart was pounding, but I made it across.

Kaelen looked back at me. "We made it."

I let out a breath I did not know I was holding. "We made it."

We continued walking, and the tunnel grew darker. The pendant’s light flickered, but it held steady.

Then I noticed something on the ground. The floor looked different in one spot. The stone was lighter, like it had been recently disturbed.

"Kaelen," I said. "Stop."

He stopped. "What is it, Talia?"

I pointed to the ground. "There. The floor looks different."

He knelt down and examined it. His voice was grim. "It is a pit trap, that is covered with a thin layer of stone."

I felt my stomach drop. "If we step on it, we fall."

He nodded. "We need to go around it."

I looked at the walls, and they were too narrow to climb. The only way was walking forward.

"Kaelen," I said. "How do we get past?"

He studied the ground. "There is a narrow path along the left wall, but it is barely wide enough for one person."

I looked at the path. It was narrow and uneven. One wrong step, and we would fall.

"Kaelen," I said. "I am scared."

He took my hand. "I will go first, Talia. If I make it, then you follow."

I shook my head. "Kaelen, what if you fall?"

He squeezed my hand. "I will not fall, Talia. Trust me."

I looked into his gray eyes, and I nodded. "I trust you."

Kaelen slowly moved along the narrow path, with his back pressed against the wall. His feet were careful, and his hands were steady. I held my breath, watching every step.

Soon, Kaelen made it across.

"Talia," he said. "Your turn."

I stepped onto the narrow path, and I felt my heart pound. The stone was uneven beneath my feet, and I could feel the empty space below.

"Keep your back against the wall," Kaelen said. "Take it slow."

I moved carefully, one step at a time. My hands pressed against the cold stone, and I kept my eyes forward.

Then I reached the end, and Kaelen pulled me to safety.

"I made it," I whispered.

He pulled me into his arms. "You did, Talia."

I pressed my face into his chest, and I let myself breathe. "That was terrifying."

He pressed his lips to my forehead. "But you did it, Talia."

I pulled back and looked at him. "How many more traps do you think there are?"

He shook his head. "I do not know, Talia. But we will face them together."

I took his hand. "Together, Kaelen."

We walked deeper into the tunnel, and the darkness swallowed us again.

I looked back at the path we had crossed. The pit trap was hidden now, and the silver wire was far behind us.

"Kaelen," I said. "Your hands. Are they okay?"

He looked at his hands. The cloth was still wrapped around them, but I could see the redness peeking through.

"They are fine, Talia."

"They do not look fine," I said.

He looked at me. "I am fine, Talia. Focus on the path ahead."

I shook my head. "Kaelen, if the silver affects you too badly..."

"Talia," he said. "I am fine. I promise."

I looked at him, and I wanted to believe him. But I could see the pain in his eyes.

"Kaelen," I said. "If you cannot go on..."

He stopped walking and turned to face me. "Talia, listen to me."

I looked at him. "What?"

"I am not leaving you," he said. "I am not stopping. And I am not giving up. Do you understand?"

I felt the tears prick at my eyes. "Kaelen..."

He cupped my face with his hands. "I promised you, Talia. I promised I would be with you every step of the way."

I nodded. "I know, Kaelen."

He pressed his forehead to mine. "Then trust me."

I closed my eyes. "I do trust you, Kaelen."

He pulled back. "Then we keep going."

We walked forward, and the tunnel stretched out before us. My pendant lit the way, and Kaelen’s hand was warm in mine.

I did not know what else was waiting for us. Maybe more traps, more darkness or probably light soon, or maybe more danger.

But I knew one thing. I knew that we would face it all together.