Trapped & Sealed

Trapped & Sealed
Chapter 123:

The oxygen was depleting faster than they could say Jack, the deeper they went, all of them trying not to gasp and suck in too much air. The tunnel continued to slope downward, the ceiling dropping lower until Lucien had to tilt his head down to keep moving. The flame from the torch wavered, throwing uneven shadows across the slick walls.

The sound of dripping water echoed from somewhere unseen, the drips hitting the stone like clockwork. 

Aria’s hand brushed along the wall for balance. It was cold. Too cold. “How far down are we?” she asked, her voice low.

Lucien didn’t answer immediately. “Far enough,” he said finally. “Keep close.”

They turned another corner. The space opened again, just enough to breathe in a sufficient amount of air, and for a moment, it looked like they had finally reached the end of the tunnel. Until Lucien raised the torch.

The flame caught the glint of something metallic on the ground.

A dagger.

He crouched, lifting it carefully. The blade was clean, silver-edged, reflecting the torchlight. The hilt was carved with a symbol that made Kael’s jaw tighten the second he saw it.

“That’s assassin work,” he said, voice cold. “Same make as the ones that hit us near the ridge.”

Lucien nodded once, his expression unreadable. “They left it here.”

“Why?” Aria asked.

“It could have been they wanted to send a message,” Kael said before Lucien could. “They want us to know we’re being watched.”

Lucien rose slowly, eyes scanning the dark corners of the room. “Then the only right thing to do, is to give them a show they'll never forget.”

He moved toward the far wall, and as the torchlight followed, it revealed something faint, a seam in the stone, running vertically like a line cut by careful hands.

Lucien pressed against it.

At first, nothing. Then the wall gave a low, grinding groan, shifting under his palm. Dust fell from above as a crack split wider. A draft of cold air swept through the chamber, sharp enough to sting.

Kael tensed, stepping forward. “You found a door.”

“Or someone wanted us to,” Lucien murmured. “Why else would they leave a dagger right in front of it?”

The gap widened enough for him to slip through. Beyond was another stairway, spiraling downward into blackness. The air coming from below was even colder, and laced with something.

Aria hesitated, eyeing the passage, “Lucien, maybe we shouldn’t…”

But he was already moving.

Kael cursed under his breath and followed. Aria took one last look at the healer before stepping after them. “Stay behind us,” she said, but the woman didn’t need to be told twice.

The steps wound tight and steep, carved straight from the rock. The air was dense, tasting of ash and rust. When they reached the bottom, the torchlight revealed another chamber, smaller this time. Empty, except for a single chair in the center.

The same kind as before.

Lucien approached it carefully, scanning every angle. No traps. No figures hiding in the dark.

But there was something on the seat, a strip of burned leather.

He lifted it, frowning. “This is fresh.”

“Another message?” Aria asked.

“Or a warning,” Kael said.

A sharp click echoed behind them.

Lucien spun. The torchlight caught movement, the stone wall they’d come through was sliding back into place.

“Lucien!” Aria shouted, running for the stairs.

The door slammed shut with a grinding thud that shook dust from the ceiling. The sound echoed through the chamber until silence swallowed it whole.

Kael slammed his shoulder into the wall. It didn’t budge. “Damn it!”

Lucien cursed softly, running his hands along the seam, searching for a catch. “They’ve sealed it.”

Aria’s pulse spiked. “How could they have… We didn’t see anyone!”

“They didn’t need to be seen,” Lucien muttered. “They were probably waiting.”

Kael sheathed one of his blades and stepped back. “Move.” He struck the stone with the hilt of his dagger, once, twice. Sparks flew, but the wall held.

He kept striking at different points until Lucien called, “Wait!” He stepped forward, beside him and pressed an ear against the surface, knocking lightly. The sound that followed was different, hollow. “It’s thin here,” he said, glancing back at them, “If we can break through, we might reach another tunnel.”

“Or a drop,” Kael warned.

Lucien’s eyes glinted. “We’ll just have to take our chances.”

They worked fast. Lucien wedged the dagger into the seam while Kael struck with his boot, over and over. Stone cracked, small pebbles scattering across the floor, the smell of dust thick.

Aria stood back, torch held high, scanning the shadows. Then she heard it.

Footsteps.

Soft. Slow. Coming from beyond the sealed door.

Her heart stuttered. “Lucien.”

He didn’t look up. “Keep the light steady.”

“No,” she said, louder now. “Someone’s out there.”

Kael stopped mid-swing. The sound came again, clearer this time, deliberate steps pacing just on the other side of the wall.

Lucien straightened, eyes locked on the stone door. “They’re toying with us.”

The footsteps stopped.

Silence.

Then something heavy scraped against the stone from the other side, like metal dragging across rock. The sound crawled under Aria’s skin.

“Lucien…” she whispered.

He stepped back, gripping his sword. “Stand clear.”

Kael raised his daggers, back to back with Lucien. The healer pressed herself against the far wall, eyes wide.

Then, without warning, the sound stopped, and time seeed to stand still. Even the torch flame stopped flickering.

A crack split the quiet, the faintest click, and the wall groaned again, moving just enough for air to rush through.

Lucien didn’t wait. He drove his shoulder against it, forcing it wide enough for Kael to wedge his dagger in. Together, they pried it open until the gap was wide enough to slip through.

Lucien grabbed Aria’s arm, pushing her through first. Kael followed, then the healer, before Lucien came last, forcing the stone shut behind him.

They were out.

But the relief was short-lived.