Page 41 of Midnight Reign
That’s when I spot a faint shimmer in the air ahead of us. It’s barely visible, but my fire-attuned senses pick up on the subtle distortion. It’s like a heat haze, but colder, sucking the warmth and life from the air around it.
“There!” I gasp, pointing. “Some kind of barrier. I think it’s what’s draining the air.”
Zephyr squints. “I see it. But how do we get through?”
I step forward, my mind racing. Fire needs oxygen to burn. If I can create a concentrated burst of flame, maybe I can overload the barrier, force it to let us through. It’s risky, but at this point, we don’t have many options.
“Stand back,” I warn the others, my voice hoarse from the thinning air. They press themselves against the tunnel walls, giving me as much space as possible in the cramped passage.
I take a deep breath, gathering what little oxygen is left in the air. My lungs protest, but I push through the discomfort. Then, focusing all my concentration, I unleash a jet of white-hot flame. The fire roars down the tunnel, so intense that the stone seems to waver in the heat. The light is blinding, and I hear the others gasp behind me.
For a moment, nothing happens. The barrier shimmers, resisting my assault. Sweat beads on my forehead as I pour more power into the flame. Then, with a sound like shattering glass, the invisible barrier breaks. Fresh air rushes in, and we all gasp gratefully, filling our lungs.
“Nice one, Ig,” Corvus says, clapping me on the shoulder.
I grin. “All in a day’s work.” But inwardly, I’m relieved. That was closer than I’d like to admit.
We continue on, more cautious now, aware that other traps might lie ahead. The tunnel twists and turns, and it feels like we’re being watched. The shadows seem to move at the edge of my vision, but when I turn to look, there’s nothing there.
Sure enough, we haven’t gone far when Addy, who’s taken the lead, suddenly yelps and stumbles backwards. She collides with Zephyr, who steadies her with a hand on her waist.
“What is it?” Zaiah asks.
“The floor,” she says. “It’s disappearing!”
Zephyr catches her as he starts to drop and whisks her away in a cloud of shadows to the other side of the chasm, some way down the tunnel. “Hurry!” he yells.
I grab hold of Corvus and Zaiah and transport us by flame to the other side.
“Fuck!” Corvus yells when I rematerialise, and his arm is on fire.
“Sorry,” I mutter. “Hazard of the job.”
“Thanks for the save, but seriously, leave me to drop next time,” Corvus growls as Zephyr’s shadow smothers the flame. It’s like the supernatural version of rock, paper, scissors.
“Noted,” I snarl and push past him. “Ungrateful arsehole.”
“Hey,” Addy says, running up behind me and placing her hand on my back. “Tensions are high. Let’s just find our way out, and we can all be friends again.”
“Agreed.”
With a decidedly frostier atmosphere simmering between us, we continue on, the tunnel gradually sloping upward. The air gets fresher, and a sense of relief washes over me. We’re getting close to the surface. The thought of emerging from these dark tunnels, of feeling the night air on my skin again, spurs me on.
When we round a bend in the tunnel, we find ourselves face to face with a massive stone door. It looms before us, ancient and imposing. Runes are carved into its surface, glowing faintly with magickal energy. The air around the door feels charged, tingling against my skin.
“Well, shit,” I mutter, running a hand through my flaming hair. “Anyone know how to read ancient runes?”
Zaiah steps forward, his white eyes scanning the inscriptions. His form shimmers slightly as he taps into his djinn knowledge. “It’s a riddle,” he says after a moment, his voice filled with wonder. “We need to solve it to open the door.”
“What does it say?” Addy asks, peering at the glowing symbols. Her curiosity seems to momentarily override her fear.
Zaiah clears his throat. “It says: ‘I am not alive, but I grow; I don’t have lungs, but I need air; I don’t have a mouth, but water kills me. What am I?’”
We all fall silent, pondering the riddle, but it’s obvious to me. “Fire,” I say, a grin spreading across my face. “It’s fire.”
The others look at me, then back at the door. For a moment, nothing happens. Then the runes flare brightly, pulsing with energy. With a grinding sound that reverberates through the tunnel, the stone door swings open, revealing a staircase leading up.
“Ignatius, you beautiful genius,” Corvus laughs.
