Hunters' Shadow (Book one of the Hunter Chronicles)

Chapter Fifty Seven

Small passages led to run-off caverns. once used as sleeping quarters, they were full of camping beds and sleeping bags, discarded and abandoned like the rest of the caves. The air was colder here - much colder - in the late autumn chill and enclosed deep in the rock, the temperatures within the caves could drop below freezing on even mild days. Each open area had a well stocked fire pit and heaps of blankets, furs and throws still littered the floors, left behind by the fleeing rogues.

"They left in a hurry," Marcus observed, his nose wrinkling with distaste as the scent of rogue flooded the tunnels, permeated into the rock. "and they were here a while," he added.

"Right under our noses," Blake agreed sourly.

Despite nearly every section of the caves being stripped of anything even vaguely useful, Blake was surprised to find one small cavern that provided a plethora of wealth. Clearly once used as a makeshift office or study, piles of abandoned documents, ledger and various records littered the rock floor, tossed about as though someone had searched the area in a hurry.

Issac's face lit up as he ducked under the low hanging entrance and scanned the mess they'd left behind. "I do love it when they help us out like this, he murmured.

Blake grinned, his eyes taking in the thin spidery script that covered many of the loose pages on the floor.

There has to be something here we can use, he murmured to Rothan, then sighed. It's going to take some finding though.

Rothan rolled his eyes. Sometimes I think you forget we're the Alpha, he reminded his human dryly. There's a reason we have a hierarchy, you know. They find things. We use things. Remember?

Files had been thrown carelessly about the enclosed space, their contents spilling out of the sheaths and several lock boxes piled precariously in one corner, some already flung open and void of contents.

"I wonder if they found what they were looking for?" Issac commented, scooping up a half-filled ledger carefully as he picked his way across the floor. "Funny, I never really pictured rogues keeping accurate records."

"Better for us that they do," Blake observed. "Search it," he ordered the young warrior. "If you find anything of use, bring it straight to me."

The young warrior nodded his understanding. "What am I looking for?"

"Evidence," Blake grunted. "Anything that can link this place to Elmwood." He looked around. "Do you need help?"

Issac shook his head - "No, I got this." - and settled down on the floor to begin the arduous task of sifting through the loose papers.

Marcus meanwhile had found his way much deeper into the interlocking tunnels, relying as much on his nose to find his way as on the wavering light of his torch and, after several wrong turns, Blake found him facing an archway carved roughly out of the rock and fitted with a sturdy wooden door. A lone warrior was working on the lock with little sign of success.

"What's in there?"

"No idea," Marcus mused. "we can't get it open."

"It was purpose built," Blake murmured, his eyes tracing the rough grain of the wood. "There must be something important on the other side."

"You think?" Marcus asked dryly, then sighed and passed a weary hand over his face as Blake raised his eyebrows. "I'm sorry, Alpha. The lack of sleep is getting to me."

Blake slammed the palm of his hand against the wood hoping to gauge its thickness, perhaps it could be forced open? The heavy, dull thud as his hand made contact suggested otherwise.