Page 42 of Spectral Seas (Spectral Worlds #2)

X ANDER LED ABBY and the Umbra back up to the main tunnel. Sss’kyrone and Sss’kali were next, with the rest of the freed monks and Lupo trailing behind. The trek was silent. More than once a remnant of the shift dizzied Abby and the worn stone steps sank spongy beneath his weight, but he said nothing. They ascended the stairwell, passed the empty cell block, and were nearly to the grand concave cavern when Xander’s hand flew up flat. “Someone’s coming,” he said.

“I’ll check it out,” Leta said, then abruptly vanished from view.

Xander smirked.

“You get used to it,” said Abby.

“It’s,” Xander paused in thought, then added, “disconcerting.”

“Really,” said Abby. “You get used to it.”

A moment later, Leta reappeared a meter up the path. “It’s a queue of workers,” she said. “They’ve just entered the branch at the fork, where the others went earlier.”

“That fork isss the way to their quartersss,” said Sss’kali.

“It’s clear then?” asked Xander.

Leta nodded.

“Okay,” he said. “Then let’s press on.”

A short time later, the group found themselves immersed in the soupy blue mist of the great carved tunnel.

“Odd,” said Abby.

“What’s that?” asked Leta.

“We didn’t see a single guard.”

“That’sss becaussse,” said Sss’kyrone, “the othersss are gathering on top of the mountain. It’sss where we should be asss well.”

“Leave that to us,” said Xander. He waved four Lupo forward. “The train will be coming this way soon. When it passes, my brothers will assist you aboard, then escort you back to the portal.”

“We mussst remain. We mussst stop Sss’kallion before it’s too late.”

“But we need reinforcements,” said Leta.

“There may not be enough time,” rasped Sss’kyrone, then he waved two Indici forward. “Thessse two will accompany your men to secure reinforcements. If you care to assist, the ressst of usss will lead you up to the top of the mountain.”

“All right,” said Abby. “The Mag train is coming.”

This time, the high-pitched whir came from the direction of the mouth of the mine.

“The six will go then,” said Xander. He held up his arms to usher those staying behind to the safety of the wall.

Abby nodded to Leta and from a pocket she withdrew a small transparent vid card and handed it to one of the monks Sss’kyrone had chosen. “Take this,” she said. “Give this to the Homeland officers at the portal.”

The monk slipped the card into his robe, then spun to join the others setting up to catch the hover .

Again, the whir grew to a rumble, then to a thunderous roar. The mist riled and billowed, a great gust of forced air thrust upon those standing beside the wall, and from the blue veil of fog emerged the speeding mag train.

Neither the Lupo nor the Indici standing in wait appeared inhibited by the racing mechanical beast and as soon as the engine and forward cars were clear, the six ran toward the long trailing row of container cars. They extended their arms, clasped for the passing hover, and one by one were whirled from the floor of the tunnel.

The train continued to roar past, then disappeared into the mist. As the rumble dissipated back down to a whir, Abby scanned the eddying fog for the school of eels that had trailed the incoming hover. His skin crawled at the thought of them. He found none.

“How long you figure before they return with help?” asked Leta.

Abby shrugged. “To and from the portal? Two, maybe three hours.”

“We have no time to wassste,” said Sss’kyrone.

“Alright then,” said Xander. He stepped away from the wall and turned back toward the tunnel entrance.

“No,” said Sss’kali. He reached a long reptilian finger toward the direction of the fleeing train. “There isss a ssshorter way.”

~*~