Shadow of a Shade

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Addiane crept through the winding tunnels that led down into the mountain. As she had suspected they were steep for quite a ways, leading deep into the ground until the packed dirt gave way to cold stone under the fingertips that she trailed against the wall.

After what felt like an eternity of walking in silence, Addiane's fingertips fell away from the wall. She could see a dark hole to her left, and almost hadn't noticed it because her vision was pretty much black and white with the Shade energy.

She stretched her consciousness out into the hole hesitantly, trying to figure out whether or not it was anything helpful.

It wasn't. Just a divot in the wall that went in about four feet before ending in another stone wall.

Addiane sighed and stepped into the space, closing her eyes and stretching her consciousness along the walls of the tunnel for as long as she could.

The way she had come she felt only the single column, a lack of solid material between herself and the sunlight. She hadn't missed anything on the way down the tunnel, so that was good.

The other way, the walls began to seem as if they'd been pockmarked by some huge creature, slamming holes in their sides and opening up new hiding places. She stretched farther, trying to find any sign of life.

Nothing. Addiane gritted her teeth, adjusted her grip on her sword, and stepped out of the divot, back into the main tunnel.

She kept walking, listening closely for any signs of people coming her way. As she moved along the path, she checked every opening on the walls to see if any of them led to bigger rooms. One or two did, but they were all empty, so she kept moving.

As Addiane stepped into one hole to look check how deep it was, she heard the sound of metal clanking farther down the tunnel. Clapping a hand over her mouth immediately, she pressed herself against the wall silently and waited, trying to see who was coming past.

A few armored men were escorting someone shorter than them through the hallway. Addiane caught sight of a flaring cape swishing around the person's ankles as they walked.

She reached out hesitantly with her mind.

It was definitely Will, because as soon as she touched his consciousness she was blasted back by a single, constant mantra.

'ADDIANE. NYRIEM. ADDIANE. NYRIEM. STAY AWAY. STAY AWAY. ADDIANE. NYRIEM. ADDIANE. NYRIEM. STAY AWAY. STAY AWAY.'

'Not a chance. Hang in there.' Addiane whispered to his mind. She silently cataloged which room they stepped into, then slipped out into the tunnel again, moving more quickly.

The next room she came upon had two consciousnesses inside, and Addiane knew who they were immediately.

"Kath?" She whispered as she crept into the room, keeping a hand on her sword.

His head snapped up. "Addiane? What in Rhialle's name are you doing down here?"

"Getting you, obviously. Are you two okay?" She walked over to him, summoning a small werelight with a soft spell. 

Kath was not okay. His face was a mess of bruises and cuts, and he squinted at her with one good eye.

"What happened?" Addiane frowned, crouching in front of him and gently touching her fingertips to his face. She began to whisper a healing spell.

"She knows... she knows one of us is a Rider...." Kath shook his head.

"She tried your brother first." Halt provided quietly. He seemed calm, but Addiane could sense painfully restless energy radiating from him and she knew he was worried for his former apprentice.