Born of Flames

Chapter 23 ~ An Entrance Without a Door

    The sun was rising when Noxbane deposited them at the site Neeri had described. Crimson sunlight bathed the mounds of dirt like shrouds of blood and Morana fought back a shiver. She turned to Neeri, preparing to tell her to wait, but her friend had already started towards the burial site.

    Her jaw was set and tension cornered her mouth. "It's like nothing happened," Neeri said, her voice falling heavy with despair. "There aren't even tracks left."

    Morana rested a hand on her shoulder with a light squeeze. "Arlon knows how to take care of himself. He'll be fine."

    Neeri just shook her head and sank to her knees. She hid her face in her hands and Morana heard the hitches in her breath. Guilt laced her own. While Arlon and Neeri were facing undead abominations, she had been at odds with Tarion over seemingly nothing. How easily this could have happened to them too. It could have been Tarion taken instead of Arlon.

    That did happen, her thoughts reminded her. He was taken by Astaroth, and entombed once more.

    That won't happen to Arlon, Morana rebuked herself. I won't let him or Neeri go through what we have.

    Magic sparked around her fingers as she stepped onto the charred soil. Morana tensed, half expecting corpses to start groping for her, but the ground remained still. Her magic swept over it in a wave of crimson light and Morana closed her eyes as it fed the landscape back to her.

    The dirt beneath their feet stretched down and down, seemingly endless, until a hollow structure appeared throughout it. Morana allowed her magic to follow it, tracing the shape in her mind and building upon it until she could see it clearly.

    "There are tunnels," she said in disbelief. "They're narrow and deep underground, but they're there. Arlon must've been dragged into one."

    Neeri shot to her feet. "Can you see him?"

    Morana shook her head with an apologetic glance. "He must be too far out of reach. I don't sense anything living down there."

    "He might not be," Neeri whispered.

    "Don't say that," Morana commanded, taking her by the shoulders once more. "Like Tarion said, this must have been deliberate. That means Astaroth wants him for something and I'm willing to bet he needs him alive for now. That gives us some time to find him. And we will," she added, looking squarely in Neeri's gaze. "I promise we will find him."

    "What are we going to do now?" Neeri asked.

    "We're going back to Ophir and finding the entrance to these tunnels. If we can't find one, then we'll tear this place up and create our own entrance. And like it or not, you will rest and eat something. I know you won't want to stay behind when we do get inside the tunnels, but I want you to be strong enough to take care of yourself before then."

    To her relief, Neeri raised no dispute. She seemed slightly relieved, but most of her tension remained, bringing with it a question Morana couldn't help but ask. "Has something changed between you two?"

    Neeri averted her eyes and grew rigid. "I...I'm not sure.

    "All right. You don't have to explain." Neeri didn't look at her when Morana held out a hand. She simply took it and Noxbane carried them back to Ophir in a single breath.

•༻☽☾༺•

    True to her word, Morana deposited Neeri in a warm, bustling kitchen as soon as they reached the palace, and left after instructing the servants to feed Neeri and keep her off her feet for a few hours. The servants had done exactly as they were told.