ROMAN.
“Let’s hope he’s not,” I mumble.
Monica looks at me, frowning. But a small smile is spreading on her face. “Only you can make a joke out of this situation.”
“I’m not joking.” I cup her face and kiss her. “I really hope there’s no more danger waiting for us. But even if there is… I’m ready to fight.”
She nods, resting her head against my chest for a couple moments before glancing at the hole again. “This is it. Maybe it’s going to end here. He’s there, I can sense it.”
With that confirmation, I anchor my rope around a tree and drop it into the opening. I hold out my hand and pull Monica close to me.
“Let’s do this together.”
I wrap my arm around Monica, and she puts her weight on me as I pull us down, scaling my feet against the cave wall. The place is dark, with a strong musty smell that seems to burn through my nose.
There’s a different scent in here: the stench of rot.
We land, and I can’t help but note the disgust on Monica’s face. She touches the wall and find a rusted chai
