“Okay,” she said with resignation.
“Okay?” Charlie repeated in disbelief.
“Yeah, it’s a good plan,” said Ranelle, giving Lara a nervous smile.
Lara beamed, visibly overjoyed that Ranelle approved of her suggestion.
“Should Lara and I collect the wood and bring it back while you get Gideon ready to move?” Charlie asked as he climbed to his feet, looking eager for a walk.
Lately, Ranelle suspected that Charlie wanted alone time with Lara. She couldn’t blame him in the least. Ranelle was literally counting each passing minute as she waited for the Gideon that she knew to be at her side once again.
“Sounds good to me,” Ranelle said, “I’ll cook up more poultice before we leave and get the gear ready.”
“Is there anything else on the beach you think we could use?” asked Charlie as he and Lara each shouldered their water bladders.
“I don’t think so, just long pieces of wood, I suppose,” said Ranelle as she thought for a moment and then added a warning, “just make sure you don’t go in the water.”
“How come?” asked Charlie, raising an eyebrow.
“We have no idea how deep that lake is or what kind of creatures live in it,” said Ranelle, thinking back to the skeletons they’d found in the tunnels a few days ago. When she looked at Charlie, his eyes appeared glassy and unfixed, as if haunted by his encounter with the skincrawlers.
Lara nodded, poking Charlie in the shoulder to bring back his focus as she retrieved the lantern near Gideon’s head. Thanks to Ranelle’s discovery of fresh bloom, their cookstove had a healthy supply of fuel, allowing them to save the lamp for small jobs like changing Gideon’s dressings.
“I guess we’re ready then,” said Lara as she filled and lit the lantern before joining Charlie at the head of the cave, “if you need anything while we’re gone, just give a holler and we’ll head straight back,”
“I will,” said Ranelle, giving them a smile and a wave, “stay safe while you’re out there.”
She watched as they left, waiting a few moments until Ranelle realized she was holding her breath for some reason. Letting it out slowly, she immediately felt silly, but couldn’t help feeling anxious knowing the others were out there alone.
They aren’t alone, you are.
Her thoughts always betrayed her.
Kneeling at Gideon’s side, she gently brushed his dark curls away from his forehead with the side of her hand, watching as he took a deep breath at her touch. He then resumed his normal breathing a moment later.
A smile crossed her lips.
“You know I’m here,” she whispered as he slumbered on, eyes fluttering beneath his eyelids softly.
Feeling encouraged with their plan to move forward across the large cavern, Ranelle rose to her feet, taking the time to make more red-needled poultice before packing their things. Since the pyrus stove was her only source of heat and light now that their lantern was guiding Lara and Charlie’s way on the beach, Ranelle left it for last.
By the time she completed her tasks, however, the others still hadn’t returned. She decided to pass the time by searching through their supplies, looking for fabric to make a sling across the wooden frame they planned to construct. Finding the spare blanket Abree had used while injured, Ranelle smiled as she examined it, realizing it was the perfect size to use for the stretcher. Satisfied it would work for their need, she pulled out a pyrus-fiber rope they’d collected from station two as well.
As she laid out the blanket and rope, she saw a flash of light in the entrance of the cave. It started dim, just a flicker of light growing more and more steady until she heard voices and sounds of effort.
Eventually Charlie and Lara returned, each dragging several long, thin pieces of wood behind them.
“Great job!” Ranelle praised.
“Thanks!” Lara declared as she and Charlie dragged their haul up to the other supplies Ranelle had already laid out.
“This should work,” said Ranelle, looking down at the bounty they’d found. She knelt to the ground, arranging the wood pieces to see if there was enough to form a frame.
Realizing the length of cord they had was too long for their project unaltered, Charlie pulled a knife from one of the bags and began cutting it into smaller, more manageable pieces.
“If we match the logs to find ones that fit well together, we can wedge the blanket in between the pieces, then bind them,” Ranelle suggested, “I think it’s the best way to make sure the blanket can handle his body weight.”
“Sounds good to me,” Lara agreed.
“There’s a shorter piece to make the bottom end and a longer one for the top,” said Charlie, “so that it will stick out on each side to use as handles.”
Surprised, Ranelle couldn’t help but notice how Charlie’s mood had transformed since they’d returned. He was obviously enjoying himself as he grinned foolishly while he tinkered, licking his lips and squinting with concentration as he completed each task.
“Feels nice to accomplish something,” Charlie said as he put his hands on his waist with satisfaction, his smug attitude immediately confirming Ranelle’s hunch.
They needed some alone time.
Ranelle was jealous; she missed her interludes with Gideon. She’d grown to depend on him far more than she ever desired to. Heart heavy as her smile faded, Ranelle began to help build the stretcher to carry the man she’d grown to love.
As the three of them worked laying out the logs by length, Ranelle began to bind the blanket between the pieces, securing each corner and along the sides with rope. Lara helped by pulling on the opposite side that Ranelle was working on, keeping the fabric taut as Ranelle fastened.
After a sweaty hour of effort, they’d managed to build a sturdy stretcher that Ranelle felt might be strong enough to hold Gideon’s weight.
“How’ll we test it?” asked Charlie, “I could hop on and see how it holds up.” He looked positively gleeful at the prospect of having the girls tote him around.
“Gideon weighs far more than you, so we might as well just load him on and see how it goes,” Lara rebuked, looking at Ranelle and giving her a wink.
Ranelle had to force a straight face, noticing Charlie’s forlorn look. “Let’s just put him on, add his pack, and try it out,” she said, picking up one of the handles on the wide end of the stretcher to drag it over next to Gideon.
Lara quickly grabbed the other handle, helping to pull it along, laying it down next to Gideon’s feet. While Ranelle heaved under his armpits, Lara gently lifted his legs the best she could as they shuffled him onto the stretcher while Charlie held it still.
Ranelle then straightened, retrieving Gideon’s pack and laying it on top of his legs on the stretcher.
Charlie collected Gideon’s sword and extra satchel, holding them out to Ranelle with a grimace. “I don’t think we can take all these,” he said, his eyebrows raised, “there’s even more in that other bag.”
Ranelle peered down into the bag as he held it open, observing a large pile of daggers of various shapes and sizes.
“Wow,” Lara added as she joined them and saw the collection of knives, “our boy sure does like his weapons.”
Charlie nodded.
Ranelle sighed as she retrieved the second bag, gazing down at yet another pile of daggers that had obviously come from station two.
“Charlie’s right, we don’t need all of these,” said Ranelle, unsure why Gideon would bring so many weapons when they didn’t even have that many people in their group.
“Should we leave them all?” asked Lara, glancing down at the collection with a grimace.
“Why don’t each of you each take one or two extras, just in case,” said Ranelle, remembering the voraciousness of the skincrawlers. She didn’t want to get caught without a way of fending them off, but she knew that hauling Gideon, even on the stretcher, would take its toll on their bodies. There was no way they could carry all the weapons along with th
em.
Charlie and Lara chose a few daggers from the bags before discarding the satchels to the side of the cave.
Ranelle retrieved the long sword, checking that it was tucked safely within its scabbard, and set it next to Gideon on the newly built stretcher. Leaning in, she ran her hands delicately through his black curly hair, whispering to him, “keep this safe for us” as she bent over, kissing his cheek. She took a moment to watch as he slept, his eyelids fluttering slightly. Ranelle smiled to herself, covering Gideon with a blanket and tucking it in around him to keep him warm. As she stood, she gave a sideways look at the bags of weaponry they were discarding, hoping the time wouldn’t come where they’d be needed.
“How do you think Abree got him down to the beach in the first place?” asked Charlie as he peered down at the sleeping figure.
“Oh, that’s easy,” said Lara with a smile, “you obviously aren’t very observant.”
“Wha–what do you mean?” sputtered Charlie, taken aback by the unexpected insult.
“Yeah,” Ranelle piped up. She’d already wracked her brain as to how Abree had been able to traverse the vertical cliffside while Gideon was knocked out, “I can’t figure that out either.”
“When we were collecting wood, I saw that the cliffside isn’t the only way down to the beach from the top of the hillside. The sides of the hill slope downward, eventually meeting the beach at the far back of the cavern. We just didn’t take the time to look around because we were in a hurry.”
Ranelle raised her eyebrows. Lara had inadvertently found a way of escape in case there wasn’t a path forward and they were forced to turn back. “Good eye, I walked all over that beach and never even noticed!”
“Thanks,” said Lara, a broad smile forming on her face as she relished the compliment.
Ranelle nodded. She motioned toward Gideon as he slumbered on the stretcher, “I think I’ve got him ready to move, you both set for some heavy lifting?”
“Yep,” said Lara, her smile faltering.
“I guess,” Charlie replied with dismay.
“Why don’t Lara and I take the first turn pulling the stretcher, and you lead the way with the lantern?” Ranelle suggested, immediately noting the relief on Charlie’s face.
“Okay!” he said, picking up his satchels and Lara’s, placing them over opposite shoulders and grabbing the lantern before looking back at them, “what about the stove?”
The girls glanced at the center of the cave where, sure enough, the pyrus stove was still burning.
“I forgot about that,” said Ranelle with a grimace.
“It’ll take quite a while for it to cool down enough to carry. Let alone the added weight with all that we already have to bring,” Lara commented, looking at the stove with apprehension.
Ranelle nodded while she thought, trying to figure out if they had the means to take it with them. After a few moments, she knew there was no other option. “You’re right, we’ll have to leave it behind.”
“But, what about when we need to set up camp again?” Charlie asked with concern, “will the lantern be enough for us?”
“Would you like to carry it?” asked Ranelle, putting her hands on her hips and looking at Charlie pointedly.
“Well, I guess we could leave it behind,” he said as he immediately withdrew, obviously disinclined to sport the extra weight.
“We have enough pyrus for the lantern, plus if we leave it here burning and can’t find a way off the beach, at least we’ll have light and heat waiting for us when we get back,” Ranelle suggested.
Charlie and Lara were satisfied.
Confidentr that they were finally prepared, Ranelle and Lara lifted the head of the stretcher, elevating Gideon up off the cave floor. They struggled for a moment to get the right balance so they could both pull effectively.
“Why don’t you try to stand behind the handle and push forward instead?” Charlie suggested.
Looking at each other, the girls huffed, then decided to follow his advice. They each set their side of the stretcher down and repositioned themselves behind their handle. Together they lifted again, holding the head of the stretcher level with their midsections, Gideon laying comfortably between them.
“Feels better this way,” said Lara to Charlie, “good suggestion.”
The boy grinned, watching as the girls pushed forward, the end of the stretcher sliding easily on the sandy floor of the cave.
“I think this will work nicely,” said Ranelle with optimism, as she motioned for Charlie to lead the way.
With a broad smile, he obliged, holding the lantern ahead of them to light the path forward.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Ulenna sat amongst the others, too shocked to speak. She couldn’t believe her ears. She couldn’t believe everything they’d told her.
Mayge, realizing the young woman was horribly stunned, got to her feet and walked over to comfort her. “The shock will wear off, dear,” she said as she patted the young woman on the shoulder.
Ulenna realized she’d been holding her breath and began to let it out slowly, feeling her head spin. “This can’t be possible.”
Brutus, the large gruff-voiced man, crossed his arms defiantly, “I assure you, it can.”
Ulenna looked at him, judging his resolve. “Do you have proof of any of this?”
“You must understand, our organization is vast. It’s made up of many people who’ve risked everything to make these discoveries,” replied the stall owner Tess, a look of gravity on her face.
“And so?” pressed Ulenna. “What proof do you have?”
“We could spend all day listing the evidence that has been collected over the many cycles, but suffice it to say, your parents were part of our organization as well,” replied Mayge with more kindness and sincerity in her tone than the others.
“My parents?”
“I’m sorry to report that they began investigating after their reassignments, as part of our organization, and were lost quite soon after that,” said Brutus, sniffing softly.
“But how…how were they lost?” Ulenna inquired, almost afraid to ask the question.
Brutus sighed, “They were sent to lead their separate mining teams to areas where previous inconsistencies had been found. Tunnels that had been marked off as “unsafe” due to groundshaking. They both led their teams through the tunnels, and neither team made it back alive.” Here Brutus paused to allow the information to sink in before continuing. “When both teams failed to report in at the end of their shifts, more miners were sent to look for them. They found boot prints in both tunnels, but each one ended in what appeared to be a normal cave-in, however there were no groundshakes reported. There were no tools found at the sites.”
“No mining tools?” asked Ulenna with suspicion.
“None, but what was even more strange was there were no bodies, no helmets, nothing. It’s nearly impossible to have a cave-in, let alone two on the same day where no bodies or equipment are found in the rubble. It’s unheard of.”
Ulenna sat in silence. Suddenly, she felt very uncomfortable. Her face was hot and itchy, and she felt overly aware of each pair of eyes on her. “Mayge,” she spoke softly, “why didn’t you tell me any of this before?”
“This information is a closely guarded secret,” Mayge began, looking at her ward with concern, her eyes pleading for understanding. “Until recently, I wasn’t sure who to trust with this discovery. These are very treacherous times, but change is happening. All of this will be brought to light soon, but due to the nature of what we’re dealing with, we haven’t been in a rush. We’ve been watching and waiting until the time is right. In fact, if it weren’t for Obadiah’s actions in the mines earlier, we wouldn’t be telling you all of this now.”
“What do his actions in the mine have to do with all of this?”
“What Obadiah’s doing now, by bringing the miners in to excavate that tunnel, tells us that a critical event has happened,” Brutus explained as he st
ood and sauntered around the circle. “What’s critical to accept is that it’s not fear for his son’s life that has spurred the Regent’s actions. It’s a bigger problem that he’s currently facing.”
“What bigger problem could he possibly have than his son being missing?”
“His primary tunnel has collapsed,” said Brutus as he paused to look directly at Ulenna.
“His primary tunnel?” Ulenna repeated as if the words meant nothing to her.
Several people in the circle nodded, as if this information was indeed meaningful. “You see, up until now we had no idea which tunnel he was doing his business through, as they are all mined to some degree. Each tunnel has had suspicious cave-ins over the cycles,” explained Brutus, as he continued his stroll around the circle.
“But this time, it’s tunnel eight that’s blocked,” said Ulenna slowly.
“That’s right, only Gideon’s team wasn’t supposed to be in eight, my dear. They were supposed to be in three,” said Mayge.
“So, they were mining the wrong tunnel?” said Ulenna, shrugging. “What’s extraordinary about that?”
“Obadiah’s son took it upon himself to defy his father’s orders to inspect a tunnel he’d been ordered to stay clear of,” said Tess pointedly.
Ulenna thought for a moment, “How do you know all of this?”
“Because, Gideon is with us, my dear,” Mayge explained, raising her eyebrows, “He’s reported much to us since he began his fostering within the mines.”
Ulenna couldn’t believe her ears. Gideon, the Regent’s son, was part of their organization too. Her mind simply whirled with all the implications.
Brutus eyed the young woman while Ulenna’s mind buzzed, “Do you see the bigger picture now?”
Ulenna gazed back at him, “But, why would the Regent summon all of the miners to clear the tunnel if he wasn’t worried for his son?”
“Ha!” Brutus cried out, “The Regent wants us to think that’s why he’s taken charge of the mines, but we know the truth.” His face erupted into a nasty smile.
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