Outcast (The Darkeningstone Series Book 2) (38 page)

Suddenly, there was a hand on his shoulder. He turned with a start, but it was only Tostig. Hafoc took a breath and tried to calm himself.
I didn’t hear Tostig moving
, a
nd then he was right next to me
. The strange buzzing noise must have hidden the soft sounds of Tostig creeping through the grass. Yes—that was it. And if Tostig could move without being heard, then they could all get close to the Wandrian without difficulty.

Tostig saw that Hafoc understood. He nodded then held up his bow and placed an arrow against the string. Hafoc did the same, and then they moved swiftly forward. In a moment, they would crest the brow of the hill and see the Wandrian. Hafoc breathed deep, flaring his nostrils. He’d been nervous a moment ago, but now, he was ready. He was ready to wipe his enemies from the face of the earth.

Chapter 38

2018

“I CAN’T SEE A THING,” Andrew said.

“No,” Cally admitted. “Me neither.”

Andrew ran a hand across his forehead. “This is stupid. It’s too dark. We’re wasting our time.”

“Just a little longer,” Cally said. “You never know what we might find.”

“I don’t see the point,” Andrew said. He sighed under his breath. “Listen, Cally, I don’t know how to say this, but we didn’t meet by accident.”

Cally twiddled with her phone, trying to make its flashlight brighter. She looked across at Andrew, but it was impossible to make out his expression in the gloom. “What do you mean? Like it was fate or something?”

“No,” Andrew said. “No, I mean, I was sent here to meet you.”

Cally turned away and walked a few steps farther into the tunnel.
I knew it
.
I knew he was too good to be true. Now it turns out he’s into magic crystals or something
. “That’s an interesting idea.” She held out her phone, playing the soft white light along the damp stone walls.

Andrew followed her. “I know this is going to sound strange, but Crawford sent me.”

“What?” Cally wheeled around to face him. “What are you talking about?”

Andrew held up his hands. “It’s OK. It’s like I told you. I work for the government.”

Cally stepped back and her foot sank into a puddle. She shifted her weight to keep her balance, but the only way to save herself was to step farther back. Now both feet were in the puddle, and the icy water covered her feet, soaking into her jeans. “Shit!”

Andrew stepped forward and held out his arm. “Here, let me help you.”

“No,” Cally said. She backed away. Now, the water was even deeper, but so what? Andrew had lied to her, deceived her—there was no way she was going to let him get his hands on her.
I’ve been so stupid
. She bit her bottom lip. She was usually so careful, but she’d let her guard down, allowed herself to be swept along. Now she was trapped underground in the dark with a man she’d only just met. She had to think quickly. “We’d better get out of here. Helen will have missed us by now. She’ll have told someone. There’s a procedure.”

“I’m sure there is, but it’s OK, we can leave in a second. I just want to explain. There’s no need to be frightened. I would never, I mean, you must know—I’d never harm you.”

“Fine,” Cally said, trying to keep her voice level. “I’m sure it’s all fine. But let’s just go. We’ll go outside and we’ll get some fresh air, and then we can talk outside.”

For a moment, neither of them moved, neither of them spoke.

Cally stared at Andrew’s dark outline. He was bigger than her, stronger, and he was standing between her and the exit. Slowly, she raised her phone, aiming the beam of its LED flashlight directly into his eyes. Andrew narrowed his eyes against the light, his face deathly pale in the phone’s white glow. Cally’s throat tightened, and when she spoke, her voice was strained. “You go first. I’ll follow.”

But Andrew didn’t move away. He shook his head. He extended his hand to her. “Please, let me help you up. You’re getting wet.”

“No. I can manage. Just step back. Give me some room.”

“OK.” Andrew held up his hands in surrender and backed away. “OK. But listen, you’ve got to let me explain—about Mr. Crawford.”

A man’s voice rang out in the darkness. “This is going to be interesting.”

Andrew whirled around. “Crawford? I don’t believe it.”

Cally stared, wide-eyed. A man was marching toward them, holding a flashlight at shoulder height and picking his way confidently around the fallen blocks of stone. The bright beam from his flashlight bobbed as he walked, sending splashes of light to dance across the damp tunnel walls. “
You’re
Mr. Crawford?”

“Yes,” Crawford said, “but please—don’t let me interrupt.”

Andrew opened his mouth to speak, but Cally beat him to it. “What are
you
doing here?” she said. “Did Helen send you to find us?”

Crawford stopped in front of them. “No. Though I must admit, I was hoping to find you sooner.” He paused and shone his flashlight at Cally’s feet. “Ah—I see that I’m too late.”

Cally looked down as the flashlight’s bright beam played across the water.
What the hell?
She hadn’t just stumbled into a puddle—she was standing in a shallow, rectangular pit. She frowned. The pit had been cut carefully into the ground. Its sides were straight, its corners square, and it measured at least two metres long and one metre across. Her eyes grew wide. The pit was exactly the same size and shape as the Black Stone of Scaderstone, the same size as the mythical stone she’d once dreamed of discovering. Could the very thing that she’d hoped to find be right there beneath her feet? “I don’t believe it,” she murmured.

“Now, if you wouldn’t mind stepping out of there,” Crawford said, “I’m sure we can straighten everything out.”

The man’s voice was so calmly authoritative, Cally almost did as he asked. But she hesitated.
He never explained why he’s here
. “Wait,” she said. “What’s going on?”

“Oh I’m sorry, I can’t have made myself clear.” He took a step forward and held out his hand. “You must let me help you up. We don’t allow people into this area.”

Cally’s mind raced. She glanced toward Andrew. Had he been colluding with Crawford all along? Had they planned to trap her down here? No. The trip to the tunnels had been her idea, and while Crawford had tried to keep her away from this place, Andrew had pulled the gate from its hinges to let her in.
So are they in on this together or not?
She stared at Crawford’s outstretched hand; if she took it, if she accepted his help, she’d be committing herself, taking his side.
I don’t know. There’s something about him I don’t like
. She took a step back and lowered her phone, slipping it into the back pocket of her jeans. She didn’t want to risk dropping it if she had to run away. “Why are you here?”

“I might ask the same question,” Crawford said. “You know, you have a lot of explaining to do—entering the tunnels without a guide and without buying a ticket, forcing your way past the locked gate.” He tutted under his breath. “Some people, the police for example, might see these activities as breaking the law. I’m afraid the authorities at the university will not take kindly to your behaviour.”

Cally felt the blood drain from her face. Crawford was right. They could throw her out of university for this. She’d lose everything she’d worked for, everything she’d ever hoped to achieve. But would he really do that to her? Would he really set out to ruin her life? She chewed the inside of her cheek. What would Gemma do? She’d say he was bluffing, trying to blackmail her—and she’d be right.
I’ve had enough of this
. She stood up straight. “You’re not going to report me,” she said. “You know exactly why I’m here. The real question is, why have you always tried to stop me coming here? What are you trying to hide?”

But Crawford carried on as though she hadn’t spoken. “I’ve known students thrown out of the university for much smaller offences, and I’m sure my old friend, Doctor Seaton, will be horrified at the way you’ve brought his department into disrepute.”

Cally put a hand to her mouth. “You know Doctor Seaton?”

“Wait a minute,” Andrew butted in. “You can’t get her thrown out. It was my idea to come in here. It was me who lifted the gate.”

Crawford turned to Andrew in surprise, as if seeing him for the first time. He paused and looked him up and down. “Keep out of this,” he snapped. “
You
have made a complete mess of this operation from start to finish.”

“Hang on,” Cally said. Her mind reeled. “So, he was telling the truth. You
did
send him here to find me. Why?”

Crawford smiled. “First things first. It’s best if you come with me, Callisto. I have a car waiting. I’ll see that you get home. There’ll be time for your questions later, but I must insist that we leave now.”

Cally looked from Crawford to Andrew and back again. Against the glare from Crawford’s flashlight, she couldn’t see their faces clearly enough to read their expressions, but there was something odd in the way Andrew hung back in silence, his head lowered, his shoulders squared.
He’s angry with Crawford
,
but he daren’t speak up
. Cally pursed her lips. A few minutes ago she’d been afraid of Andrew, but had she misjudged him? It was true that he’d lied to her, but he’d been trying to come clean when Crawford had barged in. If Andrew meant her harm, then why would he have admitted his deceit? She looked at Crawford, doing her best to look him in the eye despite the brightness of his flashlight. “What about Andrew? What’s his part in all this?”

“As I believe I’ve already explained,” Crawford said, “there’ll be time for questions later. Now, step out of there and I’ll take you home.”

Cally hesitated. There was something unsettling in Crawford’s tone of voice; an edge of restrained anger, the hint of an unspoken threat. “I’m not going anywhere with you,” she said. “Helen will be here any second—I’ll go with
her
.”

Crawford cleared his throat. “I’m afraid Helen may already be stirring up trouble for you. The sooner we get out here, the sooner I can straighten things out. It won’t take me long.” He paused. “You do want me to straighten things out, don’t you?”

“I don’t know,” Cally said. “I suppose so. But someone will come down to look for us in a minute—I want to wait for them. You two can go ahead and leave, but I’m not going anywhere with either of you.”

Crawford reached into his jacket pocket. “Oh dear, I’m afraid that won’t do. You see, the only way I’m going to help you, is if you come with me. Right now.” He raised his voice. “Now get out of there and do what I tell you.”

Andrew raised his head and stepped forward. “Don’t listen to him, Cally. Don’t go with him. He’ll take you away. I don’t know why, but that was always his plan.”

A chill ran the length of Cally’s spine. “What? Take me where?”

“I don’t know,” Andrew said, “but you can’t trust him. Believe me. I know I lied to you before, but I’m telling the truth now. You mustn’t go with him.”

Crawford let out a deep sigh. “This is all very charming, but we’re wasting time.” He took the Taser from his pocket and held it at waist height, pointing it at Andrew. With his other hand, he shone his flashlight in Andrew’s eyes. “Stand back, Andrew,” he said. “Go back toward the gate and wait there.”

Andrew blinked in the flashlight’s glare. “No. I’m not leaving. I won’t let you take her.”

Without warning, Crawford raised his arm and fired, but Andrew was just fast enough—he dived to his left, launching himself into the gloom.

As Cally watched, Andrew landed hard on his side, his shoulder slamming into the stony ground. He roared in pain and rolled clumsily onto his back. Above him, the Taser’s probes smacked into the stone wall and Crawford let out a hiss of frustration.

Andrew scrambled to his feet, pushing himself forward. It looked like he was getting ready to charge toward the older man.

“No!” Cally cried out.

Andrew hesitated. “Cally, get back!” he yelled.

But Crawford wasn’t looking at Cally. He was holding his flashlight between his teeth, and by its light he was calmly fitting a new cartridge to the Taser.

Andrew scowled and lunged forward, but Crawford was already taking the flashlight from his mouth, and now he aimed his Taser squarely at Andrew’s chest.

“Don’t move,” Crawford snapped. “I won’t miss again.”

Andrew staggered to a standstill, growling in frustration. “Bloody hell!” He took a breath, exhaling noisily, pushing the air between his bared teeth.

“What the hell do you think you’re playing at?” Crawford demanded. “I’ve been in the field for over a decade. Do you think I’d let myself be beaten by a backroom boy like you?”

Andrew shook his head slowly then he held out his hands, showing Crawford his empty palms. “OK—you win. There’s no need to fire that thing. Just…tell me what you want me to do.”

Crawford gave a hollow laugh. “About time. Now, listen carefully. You’re going to stand still and do as you’re told. Yes?”

“Fine,” Andrew said. “Whatever you say.”

Crawford glanced toward Cally, though he kept the Taser trained on Andrew, and his aim did not waver by a hair’s breadth. “I told you to get out of there, young lady,” he said. “Now move.”