Connell saw it first. His every step faltered slightly now, and his hoarse breathing echoed loudly in the tunnel. Their footsteps sloshed and the dogs roared and still the bell sounded. But through his film of sweat-drenched hair, Connell cried, “Up ahead!”
Far in the distance glowed a faint light, one that should not have been there. But which ignited in all three of them enough strength to accelerate.
With each step the light grew stronger. Their footsteps lifted out of the water now, and they all grunted with each stride. The bags clinked loudly, and Dally’s dug into her shoulder. Despite it all, she loved the run. She fought the fatigue that seeped through her bones, willing it to burn away in the race toward the light and safety.
A young voice called, “Who goes there?”
But they were too busy drawing enough breath to force their bodies forward. The light was strengthened until it illuminated both them and the torrential rain that blasted down through the hole in the tunnel ceiling.
“It’s them!” The young lad’s relief lifted his voice to where he sounded like a frightened little girl. “It’s really them!”
They halted and let their sacks fall into the water by their feet. Dally’s body ached now that she was able to stop. All three of them stood on trembling legs, gasping desperately for air. Connell faltered and would have gone down had the young mage not caught him.
Together they lumbered the last few paces, over to where rain-swept light spilled through a massive hole in the tunnel’s roof. The opening at street level was fully fifty paces wide. The closer they came, the deeper the water grew and the harder the going. Up ahead of where they stood, beyond the rough-edged portal, a vast pile of rubble jammed the tunnel. Water seeped through in tiny driblets.
Connell halted where the rain fell straight into his face and stood there, the water streaking his grin, as he looked up and said, “Alembord!”
Half a dozen faces peered over the edge. The guards captain demanded, “What took you so long?”
Edlyn staggered over to Dally and said, “Call your dogs, my dear. Their work back there is done.”