The Land of Miu (Land of Miu, #1, 2nd ed.)

Chapter 6

Bewildered, Kate stared at the tiny particles of light passing through the gaps in the fallen rocks.

Alara and Siptah are trapped on the other side. Now what are we going to do?

She sighed and turned to look around, but the light wasn’t strong enough to see by. “Emma? Where are you?” she called.

“I’m here,” came Emma’s just audible reply.

Kate followed the voice, tripping on loose pebbles and falling to her knees. Realisation hit her. She and Emma were alone. She took a deep breath, and on her hands and knees, she edged her way forward until one hand found Emma’s foot.

“Are you all right? Are you hurt?” Kate pulled her sister into her arms and held her tight.

“I tore my pyjamas.”

“That doesn’t matter. Come on, stand up,” said Kate, helping Emma to her feet. “You’re not inju—”

A stone clattered across the ground.

Alarmed, Kate pushed herself up onto her feet. She grabbed Emma’s hand and pulled her farther down the tunnel, her fingertips gliding along the wall to guide them.

“Kate? Emma?” It was Siptah. “Why are you running away from me?”

Kate let the breath leave her body. “Thank heavens. I thought you were on the other side of the cave in. I thought we’d have to find our own way. I didn’t know what we were going to do.”

“We were right here all the time,” he said.

“Alara is with you then?”

“Of course.” He sounded surprised. “She’s right here. What’s wrong, can’t you see her?”

“No. I can’t see anything,” replied Kate.

“I can see you,” he said, his voice matter-of-fact. “I think the wind was knocked out of Alara.”

Kate was confused for a moment, then she realised why Siptah could see them but they couldn’t see him. “Aw, you have cat’s eyes. You can see much better in the dark than we can.”

Suddenly a figure moved into the tiny beams of light. Kate jumped, surprised that she had been looking in the wrong spot altogether. The two shadows grew larger as the princess and her bodyguard walked along the tunnel towards them.

“We can see quite well when there is a light source,” said Siptah, “but in complete darkness, we are just like you.”

Kate nodded. “We need a torch.”

“We don’t have one,” replied Siptah. “We must leave here now.”

“But ...” Kate didn’t finish her protest. Why bother? They didn’t have a torch and there was no point complaining about it.

“The tunnel is narrow. It will be difficult to guide you.” Alara spoke in short gasps.

Kate heard the princess try to clear her throat.

“Hold out your arms,” Alara continued. “We will move slowly, and the tunnel walls will help guide your feet. We will tell you when there is an obstacle in your purr-path.”

***

Kate wasn’t sure how much time had passed. Her arms ached from holding them out at right angles to her body, her fingertips were sore. She had dust in her eyes, up her nose and down her throat. She needed a drink.

No one had said a word for ages. She supposed they would be concentrating on where they put their feet, but realised that only she and Emma had difficulties in the darkness.