A rhythmic tapping woke Kate. Sitting up, she discovered she was back near the door with the blue keyhole, but the creature she'd been sleeping beside was gone.

The keyhole light went out and the tip of a white rod appeared, twisting around. Three sharp clicks were followed by the door opening slowly toward her and flooding the tunnel ahead of it with blue light.

Jorad walked into view, holding a hand over his eyes as he peered into the gloom. "Kate? Are you there?"

Kate was about to respond when a huge shadow rose on the path in front of Jorad. The creature roared as it charged down the incline. Jorad backed away, stumbling, and falling to the ground. The animal was almost upon him when Kate leapt out, holding up both hands to the animal. It skidded to a halt, bumping into her, and growling at Jorad over her shoulder.

"Easy there, easy." Kate stroked the creature's cheek. "The man won't hurt you."

The animal sank back on its haunches and searched Kate's face.

"Good boy." She backed up a few steps and the creature inched forward and let out a low whine. Kate patted its face and felt the connection return. It did not want to be left here alone. "You can't come with me." The huge face dipped down, and the eyes glistened. "I'm sorry, but I have to go, and you must stay here." She pointed back up the tunnel. The creature slumped lower to the ground. "It's okay. I'll try to come see you again." The eyes blinked and the face turned away from her as it lumbered up the incline. It turned back once and Kate waved it on, watching until it was lost in the shadows.

Retrieving her duffle bag, Kate met Jorad at the door. His face was white and covered in sweat. He nodded as Kate passed him, then pulled the door shut and locked it with a round cylinder. Leaning his back against the door frame, he shook his head in amazement. "I've heard stories of people who could communicate with animals, but I always thought they were just tales we used to entertain the little ones." Wiping the sweat from his brow with the sleeve of his robe, he bowed slightly. "I owe you my life, Kate, and I pledge myself to your well-being and protection." He looked at the door. "How did you do it? What made the burak listen to you?"

"I don't know,” Kate said. “I've always liked horses and dogs and . . . I just touched it and told it I wasn't going to hurt it." She held up her hand as if the animal were still in front of her.

Jorad grabbed her hand and flipped it over to examine her palm.

"Where did you get this mark?" The intensity of his tone startled her.

"I don't remember."

"Did you have it the last time you entered through this door?"

Kate shook her head.

Jorad traced his finger around the star-shaped burn. Kate took a step back, and he let her hand go. Nervously, she walked away to where the pathway lead downward. The cavern was much larger than she had remembered.

"Do you recall anything about your last time here?" Jorad asked from behind her.

"Not much." She pointed overhead at the blue lights that dotted the ceiling of the vast cavern. "I remember those lights, but mostly I wandered through dark streets . . . and a huge face watched me. I couldn't get away from it."

Jorad came up beside her and took her arm to give her a better view of the entire cavern. She stumbled on a loose rock at the edge and Jorad pulled her close to his side. Her face grew hot, but it was nice to know he was looking out for her.

"Watch your step." He said, pointing down and to the right. "Look down there. Those are the streets you walked through the last time."

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At the bottom of the cavern, a city was laid out in concentric circles. A band of dark water swept the closest side.

"And there's the face that watched you, though it's covered for the time being."

A statue rose above a group of larger buildings around a wide plaza on the far side of the city. The face was covered in a shroud that made it look sad instead of frightening.

"That is my home. The city of Kadir." Jorad said.

Kate nodded. "It's nicer than I remembered."

"The close side of it was destroyed, so we built the wall that goes through the center to keep the broken out, but Kadir could be beautiful once again, if only Tyreth would only listen to me."

"Who?"

"The High Priest's daughter. The woman Corvan saved from the water at the temple Karst, that round wall and pool over there at the base of the statue."

"He didn’t tell me about that."

"Ah." He paused. "Does he still carry the white scarf Tyreth gave him?"

Kate nodded slowly. So that's where he'd gotten that smelly thing. She had seen him wear it in the cellar and sitting out on the rock on clear nights, holding it close to his face. No wonder he had become so cold towards her. He was in love with this other girl.

"I asked Tyreth to be my counterpart, but she refused me." The sadness in his statement turned to bitterness. "I believe she is hoping your Corvan will return and help her rule the Cor."

"He's not my Corvan." The words rushed out, and she quicky followed them up with a softer tone. "Did I meet Tyreth? I don't remember her at all."

"No. You were dying in the settlements over there." He pointed to the left where the river met the cavern wall. “But then Corvan left you there to rescue Tyreth. I told him not to go, that you might die any time, but he would not listen to me."

"She must be very pretty," Kate said wistfully.

Jorad's jaw tensed, and his gaze turned inward. "Yes, she is beautiful." He focused his attention back on Kate. "Is Corvan coming back to Kadir?"

"I don't know. I thought the tunnel I was following would go to the Red Creek mine, but I got lost."

"I do not know this place called Red Creek."

"It's where Corvan works—a place where men make tunnels underground."

"They are trying to reach the Cor?" he asked.

"No, they don't go that deep. They only take the coal out of the ground."

"Why?" Jorad asked.

"We burn the coal to heat our homes."

"You are allowed fires in your world? Doesn't the smoke hurt your breathing?"

"Only if you stand too close,” Kate said. “The smoke usually goes up in the air."

"It doesn't kill your lumiens?" He pointed to the blue globes hanging high above from the cavern ceiling.

"We don't have a roof with lumiens, only the sky."

"But what holds that up?"

"Nothing, it just hangs there."

Jorad shook his head. "That can’t be true. You obviously don’t know what holds it up since your cavern is so large."

Kate clenched her jaw. She hated it when people treated her like she was too stupid to think things through. He was the one who didn't understand.

Jorad was gazing at her neck. "May I see the medallion you carry?"

Kate hesitated. She wasn't totally sure she could trust Jorad, but she needed his help.

Shielding herself from his view, she pulled out the medallion she found in the bones and held it out.

He reached for it, then pulled his hand back. "Do you mind if I hold it for a minute?"

Kate pulled the tarnished chain over her head and dropped bone nest medallion into his open hand.

Jorad brought his own out to compare them side by side. He looked eagerly into Kate's eyes. "Did you meet anyone else in the chamber?"

"No. Only you."

"There must be others who still carry the medallions. If I brought them all together . . ." His voice trailed off, but excitement shone in his eyes. "We should get going. I have to be back in the city before the lumiens come to light." He hesitated, then stepped aside for her to go first. After she had passed him, he dangled the medallion over her shoulder. "You must keep this in a safe place. I don't want you to wear it at night until we discover more about how they work."

Kate took the medallion from his hand and jammed it into her pocket. Who was he to tell her what to do with her medallion? Jorad and Corvan were the same. Her mother was right, guys only pretended to like you so they could talk you into doing what they wanted to do.

Jorad caught up to her and pointed to the path cut into the side of a steep cliff. "As promised, I will be your guide. I will take you wherever you wish to go."

Kate let her gaze wander over the city far below. Even though she was angry with Corvan she still wanted to find him. At least now she knew where to look.

She stopped and turned to face Jorad. "I want to meet Tyreth."