Witch Song (Witch Song #1)

Chapter 21

21. DEEP AS A GRAVE

 Senna groaned and clutched the stitch in her side. It appeared Knight wasn't the only one to go soft over the sea voyage. But she didn't dare slow or waste her breath complaining. The moment she'd stepped into the trees, the air had grown more humid until she felt like she was breathing water instead of air. But at least the hat kept the rain off.

 At first, the jungle's thick, broad-leaved plants had been nearly impenetrable. But the farther they ventured, the more scarce the undergrowth became. Senna had never seen trees like these before, with wide, buttressed bases and thin bark. They had almost no branches until high above her head. Even during breaks in the storm, no light filtered through the high canopy of trees. Strange, startling cries sounded all around them. Enormous bugs dove in from all sides to bite and sting. And there were snakes. Big ones.

By the Creators, she thought, I want to bury my head in my arms and hide.

Just when she'd given up all hope of stopping, Kaen halted next to a sharp incline. Bending down, he tugged at a flat rock. "Help me!"

Hunching down, Joshen heaved. After a great deal of grunting, the rock slid to the side, revealing an inky black tunnel. "Get in and don't come out until I come for you. Understand?"

Senna shot an anxious glance down the dirty tunnel. "I could sing for the trees to take us high."

"That's one of the first places they'd look for a Witch," Kaen responded. "If you want my help, you must do as I say."

Senna shuddered as she peered inside the cramped tunnel. Who knew what kind of bugs lived in the dark? Not to mention she would be buried under miles of solid rock. "I'm not sure I can go in there."

Joshen wriggled in and set his musket beside him. He held out his hand. "Come on, Senna. I'll be right here with you."

She took a step back. "Joshen, I can't."

"Yes, you can. Come on."

Her chest felt tight and she couldn't seem to draw enough air. "No, I can't."

His hand dropped. "Senna, stop it! You're not afraid to jump into the middle of the ocean and chase after a whale or traipse after the most powerful Witch in history, but you can't hide inside a hole? Now get in here, before I come out and get you!"

Senna took a deep breath and held it, then squirmed in next to him. The bottom of the hole was lined with a woven mat, which might have helped if it hadn't been musty and dirty. The man tossed Joshen a small leather bag. "There's some fruit and water inside. Use it sparingly. I don't know when it'll be safe to pull you out."

He positioned himself behind the rock. Joshen helped to roll it over them. Senna watched the last of the light disappear. As her eyes adjusted, she made out roots dangling white above them. She stretched herself out and her toes brushed the end. "Not much deeper than a grave," she murmured.

"Well, at least we're out of the rain."

Senna grunted. Then, something tickled the back of her neck. "Joshen!" Frozen, she held her breath as numerous legs wriggled over her skin. "On my neck!"

He snatched the bug. "Ouch!" He hurled it against the wall. "It bit me!" He pounded it with the flat of his hand. Senna shrieked. What other things resided, unseen, in the dark? She began to tremble uncontrollably.

Joshen sucked his finger. "A Witch afraid of bugs?"

She buried her head in her hands.

Without a sigh, Joshen gathered her in his arms and stroked her hair. "I'm sorry. I was just teasing. It's okay, Senna. It's just a little hole in the ground."