Page 3

Thomas nodded. ‘No problem. We want this solved so everything can go back to normal. This is Leif Ericsson, the mine supervisor.’ He turned to Leif. ‘This is the Nomo, Gunnar Johanssen, and Bunny Barrington, Nomo Officer.’

Leif didn’t acknowledge us but continued to look surly and bored. I addressed him politely. ‘Leif, what can you tell us about the death?’

He stared at me blankly and gave no indication that he was going to reply. Oh-kay, then. I pushed some more. ‘For example, it would be helpful if you could tell us who discovered the body. How long did it remain undiscovered? A timeline of his activities would be great – and anything else you think could be relevant.’

Leif grimaced, but this time he started to answer, albeit grudgingly. ‘The inspector came in and started the inspection. At some point, he stepped into a shaft he shouldn’t have and lost his guide, a miner by the name of Aaberg Allan. They were separated for less than fifteen minutes, and when Allan found him he was already dead. That’s all I know. We called the ambulance and they took the body.’ He shrugged. ‘Never saw anything, but there’s no way he dropped dead without help.’ He leaned forward. ‘It was the hag. I know it was.’

‘Tell me about the hag,’ I prompted.

His lips pursed under his shaggy beard. ‘We have a hag that lives on the mine property. She’s tried to shut us down several times in the past, insists we’re on her territory and we’re disturbing her. Things have been quiet recently, but it’s clear that’s set to change.’

‘Have you spoken to her?’

‘Not since the 1920s.’

I blinked. ‘Have you seen her since then? I mean, are you sure she’s still alive?’ I was also wondering how long dwarves lived for, but given how tetchy he was it didn’t seem prudent to ask. I looked him over; he didn’t look a day over fifty, if that.

Leif barked a single derisive laugh and shot me a supercilious look. ‘Hags areimmortal,’he sneered. ‘Unlessthey’re killed,’ he added, ‘and it’s almost impossible to kill one.’ The suggestion that he’d tried to do so hung in the air.

‘Do you know how we can contact her?’ I pressed. Gunnar was standing back, letting me ask the questions, but he leaned in to hear the answer.

Leif shrugged. ‘I can show you one of the known entrances to her den, but you take your life into your own hands if you try to get her attention. You could end up like Helmud – and don’t say I didn’t warn you.’

It wasn’t a nice thought but I was determined; if Leif was convinced that this hag had killed Helmud then we needed to speak to her despite his dire warnings. ‘After we’re done examining the scene here, I’d be grateful if you’d show us to the entrance of her den,’ I told him.

‘Your funeral,’ he groused, stalking off in a visible huff.

Thomas gestured that we needed to follow the grouchy dwarf. He led us out of the office and up a series of wooden steps. I guessed we were climbing the mountain to the mine lift; at least I hoped we were because if there wasn’t a lift my thighs were going toburn.

At the entrance to another building, Leif stopped briefly to make sure we were following then opened the door. The place was full of lockers, coveralls and hard hatsand was obviously where the miners prepared for work. There was also a bathroom and a small break room.

Leif gave Gunnar and me mining helmets, complete with head lamps, and showed us how to adjust the fit; Thomas grabbed his own helmet and adjusted it like a pro. Next Leif walked down a longish corridor to the lift room. He didn’t check to see if we were following; he was a really nice fellow.

‘Are any of you claustrophobic?’ Thomas asked.

I didn’t know if I was, but the thought of plunging down into the depths of the earth wasn’t something I was feeling warm and fuzzy about – but who would? I shrugged. Fluffy gave an almost inaudible whine; he wasn’t thrilled at the idea either.

‘You and me both, bud,’ I murmured. ‘Stay close.’ He pressed into my leg and I gave him a reassuring pat.

I was relieved to see the lift, but that relief was instantly washed away when I realised how rickety it was: it was an open cage with steel mesh over the inner cart with a single bulb hanging from the top for illumination. You could even see the cables that ran it. I gulped. I liked my lifts to be a mystery, a shiny box with mirrors and good lighting, maybe some nice lift music. This shit didn’t look safe and my stomach clenched.

Leif opened the first part of the cage, then the lift door and stepped inside. We followed. I had a sudden urge to blurt out something about another appointment but I stomped on it. The cage door slid shut with an ominous clang.

The dwarf picked up a device that hung by a thick metal-bound cord and hit a button. The lift lurched downwards and we headed into the cold dark depths below.

Yay.

Chapter 3

Even with my lower-than-human body temperature, my breath puffed out in clouds as we approached the level where the inspector had died. Fluffy pranced a bit and I wondered if he was cold or nervous; as he was wearing his vest, I was betting the latter.

He wasn’t the only one: even Gunnar looked a little spooked. Maybe the deep dark wasn’t his favourite place to go. I could tell immediately that it wasn’t mine. Vampires needed the dark but this wastoodark: there were no stars, no moon – it wasunnaturallydark. I could see well enough thanks to my supernatural vision, but I’d have preferred a little more light. Besides, I was a weird-ass vampire that actuallylikedthe sun, and thanks to my charmed necklace I was able to enjoy it often enough.

The tiny circle of our headlamps and the weak lighting in the shaft felt fragile. Ignoring the rest of us quivering behind him, Leif marched along. Thomas also looked comfortable – but I had yet to see him ever lookuncomfortable, even when he’d been faced with the beast beyond the barrier. Thomas took ‘cool under pressure’ to a whole new level – and since he part owned the mine, he was probably familiar with its tunnels.

As we walked down a long wide corridor, I realised I hadn’t seen another miner or any other people and I wondered why. It wasn't meal time, although when you worked in the dark I guessed your meal times could be anytime depending on your shift. Had the miners been cleared out because of us? Nosiness demanded that I ask.

‘Thomas, where are the miners?’