Dawn of Cobalt Shadows (Burning Empire Book 2) by Emma Hamm (best e ink reader for manga .txt) 📕

She staggered back to her feet, trying not to groan at the pain in her back. Sticks were something. Maybe the person was deeper in the cave, dead or simply gone. They might have left a bedroll, or a blanket. Something that would help her keep warm while she dried out the clothing she was currently wearing. That would be a good next step.

Her chest warmed for a moment. Hallmar’s approval or the dragon’s, she didn’t know. Both felt as though she’d done something right.

Sigrid looked around her, only barely keeping her jaw open. Another larger pile of wood was braced against the wall of the cave. Heavy pieces were big enough for her to build a fire that would certainly burn throughout the night. She wouldn’t have to worry about heat at all.

Was someone looking out for her?

She shook her head, dashing the thought as soon as it appeared. There wasn’t anyone else out here with her. No one would care that she’d come this far, and she wasn’t that close to the ancients… At least, she didn’t think she was.

Taking one of the smaller pieces of wood next to her, she lit it on the fire that crackled. With torch in hand, she made her way toward the back of the cave.

It appeared that the cave was naturally made. A great chunk of the earth had been taken out of the side of the mountain. Twisting slightly to the left, it was tall enough for her to stand comfortably and not worry about hitting her head. Stalactites hung from the ceiling, dripping onto the floor where their twins grew straight up.

She’d never seen anything like this in her life. Caves were abundant in Wildewyn, certainly, but never something this high up with no reason for it to exist.

A large boulder took up most of the path after she turned down the twist in the cave. Sigrid huffed out a breath. There wasn’t much farther she could go. It felt almost like a disappointment. The cave should have held treasures, but her body wanted to rest and her mind wasn’t certain it could hold up to any more surprises.

She turned to go back to the fire, but then felt a gust of hot air against her back.

“What?” she muttered, turning back toward the boulder and holding out her hand. There was heat coming out from a small crevice the boulder had created. Was there a hot spring back there? She was far too high up for something to be possible and yet… How else could there be heat?

Curiosity had always been her greatest flaw. If someone else had traveled with her, Sigrid never would have risked investigating.

“There better not be another dragon waiting for me,” she angrily said under her breath.

She could light the torch again if it went out, so she placed it on the floor. The fire burned just enough for her to see that the crevice curved a bit at the end, but she should be able to fit through it if she pulled herself along.

“I hate cramped spaces.”

Sigrid moved headfirst into the tight crawl space beneath the boulder. She didn’t want to touch it too much, worried that it might fall onto her head if she moved the wrong way. What a way to go. Searching for the ancients only to end up frozen in a cave where a boulder had crushed her head. The last thing she needed was that.

Slithering through the cold rocks, she reached forward to grasp a small handhold on the ground. She tested it a bit, making sure it wasn’t connected to the large boulder overhead before she used it to leverage herself forward.

Each wiggle made rocks shower down on her head. Tiny gravel stuck to her hair and cheeks as she pulled herself through. Her heart hammered..

Breathing started to be difficult as the air filtered away from the space. Or maybe that was the fear in her chest that was making her palms sweaty. Just a bit more, she could see the end.

The curved part came all too soon, and she couldn’t reach the torch anymore. She should have thought this through better and not just tossed herself into the tiniest crawl space large enough only for a child.

“Stupid,” she muttered, chest suddenly heaving with nerves. The curve was so steep she was almost sitting up once she managed to get herself in position. Rocks pressed against her back and front. If she moved in the wrong way, she’d be stuck.

Gods, she might die here.

Sigrid reached above her head and grabbed the top of the boulder that had fallen. It was the only handhold left, and she had to pray it was wedged in enough that it wouldn’t move if she shifted it. Sigrid wasn’t all that certain it was.

“If anyone is actually looking out for me, please don’t let this boulder move. It’s my own damn fault, and I have no idea how I’m getting out of this cavern now.”

The way back was going to be infinitely more difficult. She couldn’t go headfirst back, but how could she have known the curve was this steep?

How did she always get herself in situations like this when Camilla wasn’t there to take care of her?

One big pull and she slid out of the tiny crawl space like a child being born. Breathing hard, gasping in air like she was a dying woman, Sigrid remained on the cold stone ground for a few moments. Just to get her bearings, even though that wasn’t really why.

She told herself she was brave and strong, but she wasn’t. That was the problem in every aspect of her life. She wasn’t as strong as she wanted to be, and no matter what, she always managed to disappoint herself.

This should have been simple. She should’ve known she couldn’t fit through it and should’ve left. It would only be more cave beyond it, so why should she