Free Trespass: A Tale of Mystery and Suspense Across Time (The Darkeningstone Book 1) by Mikey Campling

path. I looked back at my trail of trampled plants. It was clear to see where I had been, but there was no trace that anyone else had ever been there. So either I had blundered off in completely the wrong direction, or…“She lied to me,” I whispered. I sighed and closed my eyes for a moment. She’d made a fool of me. Her whole story of professors and archaeological digs was just too far-fetched. Surely, if there’d been a dig in the quarry I’d have heard about it. It would’ve come up at school and my dad would definitely have talked about it. It was just around the corner from my house for goodness’ sake. And protesting druids? That would’ve been on the local news. “Druids,” I said contemptuously. “Give me a break.” I trudged on up the slope. Apart from some spindly trees, the ferns and wild plants seemed to go on forever. A few druids , I thought, would brighten the place up .
    But then, there was the stone. Cally hadn’t made that up. And if she wasn’t really on a dig, then what the hell was she doing there? I chewed my lip. I didn’t have any answers. I grabbed hold of a tree trunk and rested for a second. I was starting to get hot. And thirsty. I looked at my watch. It’d been a long time since I’d had anything to eat or drink. And I just wasn’t getting anywhere. I could bumble around for hours and never find the path.
    I looked back down the slope. “I could go back,” I said. It would be a bit embarrassing, but I didn’t have to admit I’d got lost. I could make up some excuse. Perhaps, if we could pretend that I’d never tried to chat her up, things would go a bit better with Cally. I’d certainly like to ask her a few more questions. I wanted to know more about that stone. I’d almost made up my mind up to go back, when I heard it: a girl’s high-pitched scream, suddenly cut short. It came from below me. It could only be Cally. And now I knew what I had to do.

Chapter 19
    3,500 BC

    “ WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?” Burlic snarled. “It’s almost nightfall. I looked for you but I couldn’t find you. I’ve waited here all day.”
    Tellan held out his arms toward Burlic, his palms open. He kept his voice calm and level: “Yes, and I have something important to tell you. But let’s keep our voices down. We do not want to be overheard.”
    Burlic narrowed his eyes and glared at the younger man. His lip twitched. But when he spoke, he lowered his voice to a muted growl: “I was beginning to think the old man had done away with you.”
    “Well, as you see, I am unharmed,” Tellan said. “Sit down, and I’ll tell you all that I’ve seen.” Burlic didn’t move. Tellan forced a smile. “Burlic,” he said. “Sit down, my friend. We have much to talk about.”
    Grudgingly, Burlic squatted on his haunches. Tellan did the same, sitting close so that they could speak quietly. “For much of the time,” Tellan began, “Waeccan works on the stone. I wasn’t close enough to see how he works—it wasn’t worth the risk.” Burlic snorted and shook his head, but Tellan carried on. “But just as I got there, before it was even properly light, Waeccan climbed straight up the rock face.”
    Burlic pulled a face. What nonsense. He opened his mouth to speak, but Tellan didn’t give him time. “He has a secret path, cut into the rock. It’s hard to explain, but it gives him…footholds—it makes it easy for him to climb. I went closer to see for myself. And there’s something else…” Tellan paused, but Burlic was not about to interrupt; he was waiting, open-mouthed. Tellan continued. “Somewhere up there on the rock face, Waeccan has some sort of secret hiding place. He stayed there for some time, but I could not follow without being seen.” He looked Burlic in the eye. “If only,” he went on, “we could see inside Waeccan’s hiding place.”
    “Ha,” Burlic said. “We can see for ourselves. If an old man can climb to it, then I know I can.”
    “I suppose so,”