The Thief (A Tale of Heroes & Demons Book 2)

Chapter 16

Sealed Paths

Twisting the dagger, Orelius tried to dislodge the stones near the top of the pile—anything to help circulate the airflow in the confined space.

A groan broke through the air and Orelius spun to see Johna cracking his eyes open. Orelius knelt beside him and helped the young man into a sitting position.

"How long was I out this time?"

Orelius shrugged. "It's hard to say. It's hard to gage time in the darkness." He twirled the dagger in his hand and pointed to the impenetrable wall behind them. "And it doesn't look like we're getting out anytime soon."

Johna grimaced and adjusted his leg where it lay bound and prone before him. It had taken many long, dark minutes to dislodge the stones that had kept it pinned, peppered with many curses from both Johna and Orelius's mouths.

Luckily, it appeared that nothing had been broken in the fall, but the leg was still bruised and too swollen to walk on. The pain had been so pervasive that Johna struggled continuously to stay conscious; this was the second time he had passed out from the pain.

"We're out of luck, aren't we?"

Orelius laughed and ran a hand through his hair. "Looks like it, doesn't it?" Sighing, he leaned his head back against some of the rocks. The cold seeped through his hair and clothing to the skin, tingling and prickling.

"Well, this sucks." Johna winced and leaned back next to Orelius. "I didn't think I would die in a hole."

Chuckling, Orelius closed his eyes. "Cave. Or, more correctly, tunnel. We're going to die in a tunnel."

"Ah, there's the Orelius Stryder we all know and love." Johna coughed and turned to give Orelius a wide grin. "It's been a while."

Shifting, Orelius broke Johna's stare. "Yeah, well, there hasn't been much to joke about the last few months."

Johna's hand landed and gripped Orelius's shoulders tightly. "There's always time for laughter." Coughing again, Johna took a rattling breath before he leaned back and closed his eyes. "Orelius?"

"Yes?" Orelius lifted his hand and wiped away the sweat that was beading on his brow.

"Do you think there is any chance of them winning?"

"What do you mean?"

"Whatever's going on out there. Where you took off with all that time ago. After that demon. Do you think they're going to win?"

Orelius's eyebrows drew together as confusion flitted around his face. Silence reigned for a couple minutes as Orelius pulled his mind through the fog quickly growing in his mind. Sighing, Orelius replied, "I honestly don't know." He shook his head slowly. "I like to think they can, but..." A racking cough burst through his lungs, burning through his chest and rattling his bones.

A thought struggled to the forefront of his mind.

Coughing.

Sweating.

Confusion.

They were running out of air.

With a curse he lurched to his feet and shuffled around the space, once again trying, trying, to find a way out. He was not going to let Johna die here. He was not going to abandon the others. He would get them out.

He dug and scratched, shifted stones—anything to get them out. But nothing changed. No light through the cracks, no air whistling into the space. They were still trapped.