We walked through the tunnels under the dragon’s mountain. Despite my misgivings, the princess had healed Kull. I wasn’t sure he understood what he’d agreed to at the time, but at least the princess had been true to her word. She’d used her crystals to heal him completely, so that not even scars remained after she’d finished. She’d also removed the spell that was causing his visions, though I had no idea how she’d accomplished such an enchantment. I would have never been able to pull off a spell like that, which made me feel humbled to be in her presence. And also a little frightened.
The princess walked ahead. She held her necklace, using it as a lantern to guide us through the cavern. I didn’t feel prepared for what lay ahead. I didn’t know what the dark creatures were. At first I’d believed them to be the Regaymor, but the more I learned about them, the more I doubted that conclusion. What did the princess know about them? Obviously, she knew more than she was letting on. Perhaps it was time to find out.
“What do you know of the dark creatures?” I asked. “And don’t tell me you know nothing, because I’ll know you’re lying.”
She didn’t answer. Our footsteps echoed, lending an eeriness to the dark, sulfur-smelling caves.
“You must tell us,” Kull said as he walked beside me. “We must know everything about our enemies to be prepared. It is the only way to defeat them.”
“Yet I have taken an oath not to reveal what I know,” she said. “It is impossible to tell you anything.”
“Then don’t tell us everything. Tell us only what you can,” I said.
“I cannot.” She pursed her lips.
What oath had she taken? Why would she need to take an oath in the first place? This was getting out of hand. She wouldn’t discuss the creatures, so maybe she’d fess up about something else.
“The dragon caves were built with elven architecture,” I said. “Any idea how it got there?”
“My people have traveled many places. Not all of their journeys have been recorded. The dragons’ caves may be evidence of one of these adventures, but I cannot say for sure.”
I wasn’t thrilled with her answer. “Yet you made no mention of the architecture while we were there. It almost seemed as if you expected it.”
She gave me her shrewd glance, the one that made me feel two inches tall. “Are you always so observant?” she asked.
“Only when I need to be. I’m also very persistent. Just ask Kull.”
“It is true,” he said with solemnity.
“So how did the architecture get there?” I asked.
She sighed.
“I think it would be wise to answer,” Kull insisted.
“Very well,” she answered. “An expedition was launched long ago, before modern times, in an age when dragons were slaughtered and our people had yet to learn the principles of peace they now uphold. It was a perilous journey. My people almost died, though they managed to make it to the smaller island. Most records of their journeys were lost, though a few were preserved in our libraries. There is one document in particular that tells of their journey.”
“Is this the document you spoke of earlier? The Pa’horan prophecies?” I asked.
“Yes, part of it. Pa’horan commissioned the trip to the outer isles. It was a highly controversial move. The isles were considered cursed.”
“Why did he commission the trip?”
She gave a sidelong glance at Kull. “Because there were some things meant to be kept secret, and there was no better place to store those secrets than on the isles.”
I recalled our earlier conversation. “Are you speaking of the elven torture?”
“Yes,” she answered. “The voic-py’anah.”
“I thought you said he wanted to do away with violence.”
“Yes, he did, but he also knew that destroying all knowledge of the magical torture would be foolish. It was a great power, and to destroy all knowledge completely would be unwise. He sent the information to the place he thought safest—to Verutith Island.”
I tried to put the pieces together. It sounded as if we traveled to some sort of library where knowledge of the torture was kept. If that were so, were we going to destroy that knowledge? And if we were, wouldn’t there be a few people angry at us for doing so?
“The dark creatures guard the knowledge of this torture,” the princess said, “but my people have decided that simply guarding it is not enough. The knowledge must be destroyed. And,” she added, “we must bring down their temple in order to do that.”
“Temple?” I asked. “Was that the labyrinth you showed me in the maps?”
She nodded. “The temple uses Verutith’s magic to guard it, but with the magic gone, the knowledge can no longer be protected. That is why it must be destroyed. Once it is, and once the temple has been demolished, the blossom will be able to flourish once again on Verutith.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?” I asked.
“I could not. The very traitor who seeks the knowledge of the torture was aboard the ship. I was not able to determine who this infiltrator was, but it made revealing the truth impossible. I could not reveal more than was necessary. As it is, this infiltrator followed me through the forest, and although I believe they lost my trail, it is only a matter of time before they find it again.”
I held tight to my pack’s strap, feeling the weight of the orb inside and trying to decide if I could trust the princess. Dark crystals grew along the walls. At one time, they most likely glowed with magic, but now, they only reflected the necklace’s light, a strange combination of dark and light colors. An eerie stillness blanketed the caves, muffling the sounds of our booted feet crunching over loose pebbles.
I kept my knife out. The tunnel widened into a gorge. Far below, a river of lava snaked through the crevasse. Heat roiled, creating a breeze that sent embers flying up through the air currents. We followed a narrow path that led us along the wall and into another tunnel.
Time seemed to lose meaning as we traveled. We stopped only for short breaks, eating our dried fruit and drinking a little water. To me, it all tasted of sulfur. The stale air and my sore feet were beginning to weigh me down.
At one point, we set up a small camp on a flat ledge of rocks. With my adrenaline gone, and having little to no sleep for the past several days, I lay on my cloak and fell into a deep sleep. I must have slept several hours before the princess woke me and we began our journey once again.
We spent the rest of the day traveling through the caves. No one spoke. It seemed that if we did, the tunnel’s spell would be broken.
The tunnel branched, and the princess took the path to the left without hesitation.
“How do you know which way to go?” I asked quietly.
“I’ve studied the maps.”
She must have memorized the maps. How did she navigate with such certainty? It almost seemed as if she’d been here before.
“We’re almost there,” she said as we rounded a bend. Up ahead, the tunnel widened and the ground leveled off.
Evening sunlight brightened the tunnel, surprising me. Had we spent all night and a day in the dragon’s mountain? Amber rays reflected off the giant crystals growing along our path. It was only then I noticed the crystals were cracked. Deep fissures ran the length of the beryl-shaped stones. The loss of magic must have been affecting the crystals as well as the creatures.
The princess replaced the pendant around her neck as we walked out of the cave and onto a lifeless, volcanic plain. The bloated orange sun sank below the flat horizon. Pumice stones crumbled underfoot as we walked.
There were no trees, no lakes, no ponds, not even weeds. The air grew cold as the sun set and the wind picked up. I used my cloak to shield my nose and mouth from the sand cloud.
Every now and then, Kull glanced behind us and then straight ahead, as if searching for something. The farther we walked, the more agitated he became. Darkness encroached, so we made the decision to set up camp.
No one spoke as we rolled out our blankets and lay to rest on the rocky ground. When I closed my eyes, sleep wouldn’t come—there was a chill in the air that I couldn’t shake. After finally drifting off, I was soon awoken by Kull kneeling over me. When I sat up, I saw that it was still dark.
“How long did we sleep?” I asked.
“A few hours. The princess got anxious, as did I. We cannot afford to rest any longer.”
He helped me stand up and pack what little we had, and then we continued our journey in the darkness, the sound of the howling wind loud in our ears.
After hours of traveling, with sunrise approaching, I spotted a large mass huddled under the glowing moonlight. When we got closer, I recognized the mass as a large building. Crumbling pillars rose into the sky. Tall, gaunt sculptures of hooded skeletons stood watch over a rusted iron gateway. Chills prickled my skin. We’d found the temple.
Kull glanced back, his eyes drawn with worry.
“Is something wrong?” I asked.
He hesitated. “Yes, I believe so.”
“What’s the matter? Are we being followed?”
“No,” he said, and then pointed to a dark spot on the ground.
“What is it?” I asked.
“A partial footprint,” he answered after the princess was out of earshot. “We are not being followed, but rather, we are following someone.”
“Who?”
He shook his head. “I cannot say. Whoever it is has taken great precautions to hide their identity.”
“Do you think the princess knows?”
“I am sure of it. She knew her way through the tunnels too easily.”
“But, who are we following?”
“It is impossible to say. Although, if I am correct, the infiltrator seems to be one step ahead of us. This path we take is one of grave danger.”