Wicked Deal (Shadow Guild: The Rebel 2)

Cordelia maintained her position, teeth bared at the specters.

I gave them one last look as I hurried down the stairs, the Devil behind me. Had he heard the ghost?

He gave no indication.

Cool darkness enveloped me as we descended. Deep below the church, the air was silent and still. The ghosts stayed above, driven back by Cordelia, no doubt. Finally, I reached the bottom—a narrow hallway with a dirt floor.

It was nearly pitch black, and the Devil drew a lighter from his pocket. He flipped it on and lit the torch on the wall.

Golden light illuminated the long hallway, highlighting the tiny doors set into the walls on both sides. Each door was roughly one square meter in size, just big enough to fit a coffin. They were stacked six high and stretched endlessly down the hall.

There had to be dozens. Hundreds, even.

“Each of these must contain a body.” I ran my fingertips over one, feeling a prickle of magic.

“You said you saw a symbol on one?”

“Yes. It’s hers.” I walked down the hallway, searching the little stone doors. Each was marked with a different name or symbol, but none were the one I sought.

Finally, at the end, we found an empty hole in the grid of doors located roughly at chest level. The interior was so dark that it was impossible to see inside, but prickling magic spilled out.

A shiver raced over me. “The door is gone.”

“Down there.” The Devil crouched, running his hand over a slab of rock that lay on the ground. “They aren’t hinged, so when the crypt is open, the door must be left on the ground.”

I looked down and spotted the sorceress Mariketta’s symbol. “They’ve beaten us here.”

The Devil stood, slowly reaching toward the interior of the small crypt.

I leaned closer, trying to peer into the darkness. “Can you see anything? A body?”

He drew a small charm from his pocket and flicked his wrist. The stone began to glow a bright gold color that shed light inside the small space.

Shock lanced me. “It goes back forever.”

“A tunnel.” The Devil grinned.

“Why do you look so happy?” Nerves chilled my skin. “Do you have ulterior motives?”

“If I did, I wouldn’t say so.” He shook his head. “But no, I don’t. I just like when the unexpected happens here in Guild City.”

“Like the door in front of the altar.”

“Yes. Immortality is a long time, and boredom is my enemy.” He looked down at me, impossibly handsome, his eyes gleaming with interest. “Ready to explore?”

I nodded. “Can you give me a boost?”

“Yes.” He stored the glowing gem back in his pocket and gripped my waist in his strong hands. A shiver raced through me, and he hoisted me up.

I crawled into the tunnel, then tumbled forward into a much larger space. It was tall enough that I could stand, a strange trick of magic. I rose slowly and stepped out of the Devil’s way.

He climbed up to join me, and we stood side by side in the tunnel. It was a tight fit, close enough that I could feel his warmth and smell the fresh scent of his soap as I pressed myself back against the wall.

“I’ll lead.” He pulled his glowing charm from his pocket to light the way and started down the tunnel.

I followed, sticking close behind him, glad to let him face whatever monsters might lurk in the dark. The path descended deep underground, sloping downward sharply.

“We must be going back into town,” I said, my innate sense of direction kicking in.