His Dark Obsession

28. In the Crypt

ZEDKIEL.

“Maybe if I can get in and try to see if something is stuck…” Zlahra says, falling to her knees and peering into the tiny opening.

“None of us are going to fit down there.” I say, unease filling me.

“And you may be the smallest of us all, but I think you forget that your ass is far from tiny.” Kash says bending down beside her.

“Piss off.” She hisses, shoving him right where he’s injured.

He curses as he clutches his shoulder and looks forward again.

“Force won’t work. The building is in ruins.” Ziahra says, looking up.

“Let’s try to pry it open.” I suggest, letting go of Evelyn’s hand as she steps back silently.

It takes the four of us to pry the sandstone entrance open, pulling and pushing the rocks that should have repositioned themselves.

I hear something crack and break and the stones begin moving again and we all move back.

“Thank the gods,” Ziahra says.

“More like us for getting it working. You were giving up hope, remember?” Kash reminds her arrogantly.

“I doubt you did any of the hard work. You’re pretty useless with that injury.” She taunts him back as she edges forward.

That darkness I can feel, the chilling, sinister vibe of this place growing stronger.

“Should we draw straws to see who goes first?” Kash mocks and exhales done with his antics.

Can he not feel the evil? He smirks as he pushes past me.

“I’ll lead.” He offers, brushing past Ziahra who was about to take her first step. He smirks mockingly at her.

“I do hope you fall and break that face of yours.” She sneers.

“You sure you want to ruin this face?”

What the fuck is with these two?

He confidently takes the first few steps. Ziahra steps onto the first step slowly, the stone crumbling from beneath her feet.

your hand?” Kash asks,

fine. Don’t tell me you’re

your presence.” Kash shoots back. “Even the dead would

I will push you.” She snaps, giving him a

growls, grabbing the walls for balance, and

the weight of the situation once again settling over all

quiet, following Kash down, her

in next,

be ok.” I

She nods.

stairs are never ending and I don’t let go of Evelyn, who is right behind

reach the bottom Ziahra says a single word, and torches held in sconces come alive, bathing the entire area

glance around makes it clear that we are not just in

stare at the twelve tombs that fill the room. Each one sits on a 1-foot pedestal,

open, the lid leaning against the

be putting me in there?” Evelyn asks, and for the first time, I

as she heads to the altar that overlooks

Ziahra began lighting some old candles

crypt? This screams

call the ancient arts something as cheap as magic.” Ziahra

stop me…” Kash

instead of her.” She shoots back, her eyes darting to the tombs. “That one there looks

flickers to Evelyn and t think I see the flash of sympathy in his eyes, but it’s gone as fast as

he notices the large black stone coffin that’s being

wonder how the ivy got on the tomb… Was there a time when this place breathed any bit of life in

surface, the air is

in there?” Ziahra

coated in sugar,

be, shame you will be covered in spiders and who knows what else, if you

stop fucking bickering!” I growl, my eyes

irritation and stress I’m feeling aren’t helping with these two

turns to the

“Gray…”

a name for

to

his head to