Yeah, I could do that. He was my safe place. He’d always be my safe place. I leaned closer to him and kissed his shoulder. “Okay.”
We made it to the clearing at the end of the tunnel where Kilter had taken me before. My heart raced, but my panic was much less.
Balen knelt and cleared away the dirt from around the square door in the ground. He yanked on an old rusted handle and it creaked open.
I peered into the hole and saw a wooden ladder. Even with my eyesight—that had heightened since the change—I was still unable to see the bottom. It was a hole, just big enough for a woman. That was why Kilter insisted I be the one to go, neither he nor Balen were capable of fitting into that deathtrap. The amulet must have belonged to Hannah. I wondered if somehow Hannah had known the attack was going to happen. Was that why she gave me the key to the box?
“I can do this.”
Balen cupped my chin and turned me to face him. “Yeah, you can. I won’t let anything happen. Okay?”
I took several deep breaths and nodded.
Balen passed me a flashlight and then helped me into the opening. His calm, patient words sifted through my mind as I climbed down the ladder. I kept my eyes closed and moved methodically, one step after the other. My shoulders grazed the earth on both sides, and dirt crumbled. I swallowed as a sudden panic clutched at my chest. I fought to control my thoughts of getting buried alive—trapped.
“Breathe, baby.”
The sound of Balen’s calm voice in my mind made me feel as if he was holding my hand. I took three deep breaths then continued downward.
This damn amulet better be worth it and not some keepsake Kilter wanted to put on his mantel. I’d kill the selfish bastard if it was.
My feet touched the ground and I saw the crawlspace to the right of the ladder. Holy crap, no. No way. I couldn’t do it. My heart pumped wildly and my stomach cramped. I grabbed for the ladder. Escape. Get out. It was like the water, except now I was drowning in earth.
“Listen to my heartbeat. Hear my breath. Concentrate. Match it to your own. Feel your hands, your legs, they’re free. I am here. You’re not alone.”
“Balen, I can’t . . . I . . . I’m scared.”
“I know, baby.”
I gripped the wooden ladder, one foot on the last rung, ready to dart up as fast as I could. Warmth shot from my wrist up my arm and then through my chest and into my stomach. I thought I was hallucinating when I saw the pearl bracelet glow a soft baby blue light. I stared at the bracelet as its warmth soared through my limbs, lending its strength.
Oh, God, Hannah. You knew. You knew.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I could do this. Hannah knew the amulet would be needed. The pearl bracelet grew brighter and the tingling in my limbs disappeared. Don’t give up. Don’t fail.
I let go of the ladder and dropped to my knees. Crawl. One step at a time.
“Danni?”
“I’m okay.”
I made my way through the narrow tunnel. Dirt crumbled around me as my body brushed up against the walls. I guessed Hannah had chosen this place so only a few would be able to retrieve the amulet. There was no chance a male could fit into this hole, and by the indents and crumbling walls, I guessed Kilter had tried.
I sighed when my flashlight lit up on the steel box. I scrambled toward it, and then quickly undid the bracelet and put the latch into the keyhole on the box. I heard a click and lifted the lid. I felt inside until I found the medallion that was hanging on some kind of rope. It fit in my palm, had edges with eight points and some kind of engraving on the surface. I slipped the medallion into my back jean pocket, put the bracelet back on my wrist, picked up the flashlight, and then started crawling backward.
It was a slow process, and now that I had the amulet, I just wanted out as fast as I could. My mind screamed as earth continued to fall around me, and each inch backward became more frantic. My legs hit something and I screamed, afraid the tunnel had collapsed. My heart slammed into my chest and I began hyperventilating. It had caved in. The hole had collapsed behind me and I was trapped. Buried alive.
The bracelet glowed bright blue and jolts of heat shot through my body, but it wasn’t enough.
“Danni. Fuck. Stop. Don’t move. Concentrate. Think about where you have to go. Feel with your hands around you. Slowly. Nice and fuckin’ slow.”
“Damn it, this sucks.” I tried to stand, but my head hit earth and granules fell into my hair.
“Danni!” His voice was so forceful it was as if he’d slapped me. “Do as I say.”
Tears streamed down my face, and my body trembled, but I felt around me until they hit something. Wood. It was the ladder. My feet had bumped into the ladder. I shifted to the side and backed up enough to stand. I latched onto the ladder and raced up the rungs as fast as my trembling legs could take me.
Balen grabbed my arm and pulled me the rest of the way out, and I collapsed into his embrace.
“Okay, I’m officially a wuss.”
Balen smiled at me and kissed each tear away. “I’m proud of you, baby.”
We drove to the location Keir had given us. It took us an hour and forty-five minutes along winding roads with large snowbanks. We arrived at the hotel just after three in the morning.
Jedrik opened the door with a broad grin and his mouth full. “Hey, Delar,” he shouted over his shoulder, “more to join the slumber party. Hope you’re wearing lots of layers because strip poker is on the list of things to do.”
“Oh, that’s disgusting, Arrow. You’re like my brother,” Delara said from the other side of the room.