A Valley of Darkness (A Shade of Vampire #52)(53)

There was a wooden jetty extending from the small beach strip. Given its height and width, it was big enough to serve as a breakwater, protecting this section from stronger waves, and there were several large bolts drilled into it to confirm that boats could be docked here. However, it looked quite old and was partially covered in algae. No one had been down here in years, for sure.

The wall at the base of the mountain was even more interesting. Three large tunnels had been carved into it, spacious enough to fit a two-lane highway each, separated by fifteen feet of stone. They were dark, and it was impossible to tell how far they went, but it was safe to assume they all went through the mountain’s innards.

Hansa and I stared at the tunnels for a while.

“What do you think these were used for?” I muttered.

“I’m not sure,” Hansa replied, then looked at the jetty again. “Maybe they brought supplies in from other parts of the coastline. And the tunnels are access routes into the city. Or maybe the tunnels are escape routes from the city, and there should’ve been boats anchored here to take people away, to safety.”

“Given what we’ve seen in Azure City so far, Minah’s murder included, I’m inclined to think these are escape tunnels, and someone got rid of the boats,” I said, walking toward the wall.

“I think we should ask the Five Lords first, and see what they say.”

She had a point, and I certainly didn’t like the prospect of looking at Vincent as a potential murder suspect. Given that he was a Roho and that Arrah was terrified of coming forward about Sienna’s disappearance, however, it really didn’t look good for him at this point.

Minah’s death didn’t help, either. The topic had been bugging me since we’d left the infirmary, as I had trouble looking at the charming and slightly mysterious Vincent and seeing a killer. I’d been around for long enough to know that when two seemingly unrelated crimes happened in the same place, there was a connection between them. We just weren’t seeing it yet.

I took out a metal pick and carved a hole into the wall. Hansa gave me Patrik’s satchel from her backpack and I stuffed it inside. The whole mountain trembled slightly, prompting us both to take a couple of steps back. The tremor went as quickly as it had come.

“I wonder where the tunnels lead,” I said, moving closer to the one in the middle.

“I don’t think they take you anywhere other than the city itself.” Hansa stayed behind, inspecting the jetty. “There’s nothing else around, besides the plains and the Valley of Screams, and both have their own shore access. Frankly, I’m more curious about what happened to the boats…”

I stepped inside the tunnel, and noticed an old iron torch on the wall. I’d taken a page from Caia’s book and had learned to carry a lighter with me at all times. It did come in handy, as I used it to set fire to the torch. I took my goggles and head cover off and stared at the walls for a while.

“This was all done by hand,” I said to Hansa over my shoulder, hearing footsteps at the tunnel mouth while I moved forward. “They scooped it all out…”

I touched the wall, my fingers passing over the rough surface, with dents and scratches left behind by handheld metal tools. Some had even left residual traces that shimmered slightly under the torchlight.

“Why don’t we go in deeper and see where this one takes us?” I asked, focused on the path ahead. The darkness swallowing it retreated as I took a couple more steps.

A thud echoed from outside. I turned and saw two dark figures at the entrance, now thirty feet away. I drew my sword out of reflex. Were they real? The background was blinding light against the tunnel entrance, and I couldn’t make out much of anything from that angle. It was one thing to see in the dark, but my eyes could not work out exactly what or who the figures were, because of the sunlight shining over the entrance.

“Who are you?” I called out.

The figures vanished to the side, further confusing me. Had it been a sun glare or some tree shadow playing tricks? Or were they the same dark figures I’d heard Patrik mention?

I ran toward the exit but stilled as two loud bangs shook the entire tunnel. A heavy rumble followed, and, before I could even think of a reaction, the entrance cracked and crashed, sealed by massive chunks of stone.

“No, no, no!” I rushed to it.

I placed the torch back on the wall and touched the massive slabs of stone that had collapsed into the tunnel. I tried moving them, but there were too many, and they were too heavy even for me. I pushed hard, beads of sweat blooming on my forehead, but none of them budged.

“What the hell!” I cried out with frustration.

I kicked and punched, cracking and chipping away at the stone slabs, but I soon realized it would take hours for me to get out through so much stone. I couldn’t hear anything beyond the rocks. Not even Hansa.

“Hansa!” I shouted. “Hansa! Are you there? Is there anyone else there? Can you hear me?”

There was no answer. I glanced around, surrounded only by silence and the torch’s warm orange light flickering against the round walls. I coughed from the substantial amount of dust released by the tunnel’s collapse.

“Hansa! I’m going to try and get out the other way, okay?” I called out, hoping she could hear me. “If it doesn’t lead anywhere useful, I’ll come back and punch my way out, but it will take some time unless you get some help from the city!”