Free King of Mist (Steel and Fire Book 2) by Jordan Rivet Page B

unnoticed.
    With a final glance around the kitchens to make sure no one was there, Siv pulled back the cupboard blocking the secret tunnel and descended into darkness. He brought no light, relying on the feel of the dry stone beneath his fingers to guide his path. He loved the musty, earthy smell as he made his way through the heart of his mountain. This was where he belonged, not trapped up in the glass parlor at the top of the tower.
    At the end of the tunnel, he listened for noise and then pushed open the creaky door. The street was dark and deserted. The black figure of a zur-sparrow swept overhead. Siv wrapped the brown cloak around himself, hiding his face, and strode into the night.
    He made it to Square without incident, arriving just in time to see Dara and Berg leaving the dueling school. He would have felt rather foolish if he missed them after all this effort. Berg’s shape was big and square, like a monster from a story. Dara was unmistakable, with her long golden braid and her confident, athletic stride. She always walked like she knew where she was going, even when she didn’t. Siv could follow her anywhere.
    He stayed at a distance as Dara and Berg made their way through the street. He didn’t want them to notice him until it was too late to turn back. They talked in low voices, and he couldn’t make out their words. Dara would fill him in eventually, he was sure.
    They walked for a long time, leaving the more populated side of Square behind. Siv hoped Pool hadn’t discovered he was missing and raised an alarm. He’d have to tell him about the tunnel, and then he’d never get away with something like this again. Siv may be the king and Pool may be the guard, but that didn’t mean Pool wouldn’t put his foot down and insist on blocking the tunnel to protect him. He didn’t want his stairs to the kitchens sealed off either. That thing was useful when he wanted dessert in the evening. No wonder his father had had trouble losing weight!
    They approached the outskirts of Square. The houses scattered the slope at sparse intervals here, but the rocks were numerous, making it impossible to decipher anything resembling a true road. Footpaths and winding steps connected the structures seemingly at random. This left plenty of places for Siv to hide as he followed the pair through the darkness. He had to duck beneath the boulders with lightning speed whenever Berg looked around, which was often. This was turning out to be a decent workout. Dara would be proud.
    Berg finally stopped beside a humble shack. Siv crouched behind another rock, waiting for something to happen. The rustle of ponies sleeping in a nearby paddock was the only sound. When he peeked out from his hiding place, Berg and Dara were gone.
    Siv swore under his breath and approached the shack. It was empty, apparently abandoned. The moon provided just enough light to reveal a pile of branches leaning against the decaying wood like an overgrown crundlebird. Sure enough, when he pulled the branches back there was an entrance to a hidden tunnel. He glanced around one more time then ducked into it and followed Berg and Dara underground.
     
     
     

8.
    The Caverns
    THEpitch dark of the tunnel hovered around them, unnerving in its stillness. Dara stuck close to Berg, his shuffling footsteps her only guide. He hadn’t brought an Everlight to illuminate the way, but he seemed to know this passageway well.
    They crept through the darkness. Sometimes Berg had to stoop to squeeze through narrower spaces. Dara ran her hands along the rough earthen walls, which eventually gave way to stone. Every once in a while a draft or sudden emptiness indicated more tunnels heading off from their path. Some must lead all the way out to the mountainside, because little pockets of mist flowed through them, moistening their faces.
    As they crawled deeper into the mountain, Dara noticed a strange sensation in the rock. She had become increasingly sensitive to the Fire that