Chapter 277 The Blood

Chapter 277: Chapter 277 The Blood

Talia’s POV

The whispers had faded to almost nothing.

They were still there, somewhere in the walls, but they were quiet now. Like they had said everything they needed to say and were waiting for me to act.

Kaelen’s hand was warm in mine. "Talia, are the whispers still there?"

I nodded, and my voice was soft. "They are quieter now, Kaelen. But they are still there."

He looked at me. "What are they saying, Talia?"

I listened, but the whispers were too faint to understand. "I cannot hear them clearly anymore, Kaelen. It is like they are waiting for something."

Kaelen squeezed my hand. "Waiting for what, Talia?"

I shook my head. "I do not know, Kaelen. But I think we need to keep moving."

We walked forward, and the tunnel stretched out before us. My pendant lit the way, but the light was dim. The darkness pressed in from all sides, heavy and cold.

We walked for what felt like hours. The tunnel twisted and turned, and I lost track of where we were. But the pull of my mother was still there, guiding me forward.

Then I felt it. The ground shifted beneath my feet.

"Kaelen," I said, with my voice sharp. "Something is wrong."

He looked at me. "What is it, Talia?"

Before I could answer, the floor gave way.

I felt myself falling, and I screamed. The darkness swallowed me, and I felt the air rush past my face. I was falling, and I could not stop.

Kaelen shouted. "Talia!" Kaelen’s voice was sharp.

I hit the ground hard, and the impact knocked the breath out of me. I lay there for a moment, gasping for air.

Kaelen landed beside me, with his hand on my arm. "Talia, are you okay?"

I coughed, trying to catch my breath. "I think so, Kaelen."

I looked up, and I saw the hole we had fallen through. It was high above us, too high to climb. The edges were rough and jagged, and I could see the faint light of my pendant still glowing at the top.

"Kaelen," I said, with my voice trembling. "We are trapped."

He looked up at the hole, and his jaw tightened. "We will find another way out, Talia."

I stood up, and I felt the pain in my legs. But I could still walk, and I could still move.

Kaelen stood beside me. "We need to find a way out, Talia."

I looked around. The pit was dark, but I could see a tunnel leading away from where we had fallen. It was narrow and dark, but it was the only way forward.

"There is a tunnel," I said, pointing ahead. "We can follow it, Kaelen."

Then suddenly i heard something.

There was a low, and growling sound, coming from the darkness ahead.

Kaelen’s hand found mine. "What was that, Talia?"

I shook my head, with my heart pounding. "I do not know, Kaelen. But we need to move. Now!"

We ran into the tunnel, and I heard the sound behind us. It was closer and faster.

"Kaelen," I said, and my voice was breathless. "Something is chasing us."

He squeezed my hand. "Then we run faster, Talia."

We ran through the darkness, and the tunnel twisted and turned. I did not know where we were going, because I could not see anything except the faint glow of my pendant.

Kaelen’s voice was breathless. "Talia, which way?"

I shook my head. "I do not know, Kaelen. I am lost."

The sound behind us grew louder. Whatever was chasing us was getting closer.

"Kaelen," I said. "We need to find a way out."

He pulled me around a corner. "There is a wall ahead, Talia. But it is a dead end."

I looked ahead, and I saw it. There was a stone wall blocking our path, and we were trapped.

"Kaelen," I said, with my voice shaking. "We cannot go any further."

He turned to face the darkness, with his body blocking mine. "Then we fight, Talia."

I pressed my back against the stone wall, and I felt the rough surface scrape against my palm. I winced, and I pulled my hand back.

I felt a cut that was small, but bleeding. I felt the broken skin a bit wet with blood, so I quickly cleaned it on the stone wall, in case whatever was chasing us, could be attracted to the smell of blood from the distance.

Suddenly the wall began to glow.

I stared at it, and I felt my heart pound. The light spread from the blood, and symbols appeared on the stone. They were all Silvertongue symbols, and there were glowing bright and golden.

Kaelen looked at me, his eyes wide. "Talia, what is happening?"

I touched the symbols, and I felt the warmth spread through my fingers. "My blood, Kaelen. I think it activated the magic."

The wall began to shift. The stone moved, grinding against itself, and a passage opened before us.

Kaelen grabbed my hand. "Go now, Talia. Now!"

We ran into the passage, and the wall closed behind us. The sound of whatever was chasing us faded away, muffled by the stone.

I collapsed against the wall, and I looked at my hand. The cut was small, but the blood was still there. I pressed my hand against my shirt, trying to stop the bleeding.

Kaelen knelt beside me, his hand on my shoulder. "Talia, are you okay?"

I nodded, with my voice weak. "I am fine, Kaelen."

He looked at my hand. "You are bleeding."

I shook my head. "It is just a scratch, Kaelen. I am fine."

He tore a strip of cloth from his shirt and wrapped it around my hand. "Keep it covered."

I looked at him, and I felt the tears prick at my eyes. "Thank you, Kaelen."

He squeezed my hand. "Always, Talia."

I looked at the wall, and I saw the symbols glowing. They were leading us forward. The light was soft and golden, casting a warm glow on the stone.

"Kaelen," I said. "The symbols. They are showing us the way."

He helped me to my feet. "Then we follow them, Talia."

We walked forward, and the symbols guided us through the darkness. The tunnel was still narrow, but the light from the symbols made it feel less cold, and less frightening.

I looked at my hand, wrapped in the cloth. It was a small cut with barely any drop of blood, but it had saved us.

Kaelen’s hand was warm in mine. "Talia, are you sure you are okay?"

I nodded. "I am sure, Kaelen."

He squeezed my hand. "Good. Because we still have a long way to go."

I looked ahead, and I felt the pull of my mother. She was so close. I knew she was.

"We will make it, Kaelen," I said. "I know we will."

He looked at me, and I saw the love in his eyes. "I know we will too, Talia."

We walked forward, and the symbols continued to glow on the walls. They led us deeper into the earth.

And I knew, with every step, that we were getting closer.