Neverwylde (The Rim of the World Book 4) by Linda Mooney Read Free Book Online Page A

a tube light over the hole.
    Kelen eyed the crack in the floor. It looked to be a good three to four meters across. “There is no way any of us can jump that.”
    “Yeah. This way is a wash.” Jules flashed the light down the tunnel. “Guess we’ve been abandoned. Anyone want to place bets that Hoov comes back for us? Or doesn’t?”
    “If we cannot go forward, we will need to go back. Find another route,” Tojun stated what they all already knew.
    “I noticed we passed an air duct about half a kilometer ago,” Gaveer informed them. “It should lead us to one of those hidden tunnels.”
    “But we have no idea where that other way leads,” Fullgrath said.
    “Do we have any other choice?” Kelen asked.
    Jules took one more glance at the hole, shook his head, and started back down the tunnel the way they’d come as Fullgrath took the lead.
    They’d barely taken a dozen steps when the rumbling began again, rolling toward them like an invisible monster.

Chapter 8
    Concern
     
     
                They ran. Behind them, the oncoming quake advanced at an inconceivable rate of speed. There was no way they could outrun it. It would reach them and seize them in its destructive grip within seconds.
                As they rounded a small curve, Mellori stumbled to a halt. “We won’t make it! Flatten yourself against the walls!”
                They could barely hear him above the growing roar, like nearing thunder. Already the tunnel was visibly quaking. The air filled with dust, making it difficult to breathe. Kelen covered her mouth and nose with her sleeve. Her eyes burned from the roiling dirt and grit, warm tears rolling down her face.
                Kyber grabbed her arm and pushed her against the wall, using his body to block the rocks and debris from hitting her. He lowered his face and tried to breathe. Everyone coughed from the pollution.
                She had no idea how long it lasted. When the ground finally settled, they looked around to see if everyone was all right. Once reassured, they picked up their bundles of supplies and resumed backtracking to the next hidden corridor.
                Massapa located the air vent and disguised connecting tunnel. Kelen was grateful to see the row of glowing glyphs lining the bottom of the walls and throwing out a pale luminescence to light the way. They continued to follow the corridor as it swerved and turned. Cracks in the walls, ceiling, and floor evidenced that the corridor had suffered significant damage during the upheaval.
                They had gone nearly a hundred meters when Fullgrath, in the lead, let out an expletive. They continued forward until they caught up with him. Seeing what lay ahead, Mellori echoed the curse word.
                “Anybody got a crowbar?” Jules quipped.
                Kelen eyed the collapsed tunnel and the pile of rock and rubble that filled the narrow space. “We can’t dig through that, even if we had the tools,” she mentioned aloud.
                “If Cooter was here, he could blast through it,” Mellori noted.
                “But he is not here.” Kyber let out a loud sigh. “Unless we can find another alternate route, there is only one way left for us to go.”
                “You mean, back up to the temple?” Jules shook his head. “It’s gotta be dark by now. Too dangerous.”
                “He is right,” Gaveer intervened. “Perhaps it would be wiser if we stayed here for the night.”
                “I agree,” Sandow chimed in. “I can tell by just looking at all of you that we’re at the end of what little endurance we had left. We need to rest. Tomorrow we can make the trek back up top to the temple.”
                “What if another one of those ground shakers occurs?” Tojun questioned. “Could we not be buried further