Piece by piece, Thisbe cleared out the rest of the debris. After dragging out the last bits, she climbed into the hole, coughing and choking on the smoke and dust. But there was no light at the end of the tunnel leading into Rohan’s crypt. Crawling in to figure out why, Thisbe slammed into something solid where the other end of the tunnel should be.

“What is this now?” Thisbe said, exasperated. She started feeling all around, finding a flat piece of something that spanned the diameter of the tunnel opening. “Rohan, are you in there? What’s covering this?” She pounded on it.

“It’s a sheet of gold,” came Rohan’s muffled reply from the other side.

“Oh.” Thisbe paused to catch her breath. “Well, I suppose that makes sense. You’d better stand back. Like, way back.”

“Aye, Captain,” said Rohan. Thisbe could hear bones knocking together as he scrambled out of the way. “Ready when you are.”

Wearily Thisbe backed out of the tunnel to get some distance. Then she pointed her less-tired-and-singed hand at the gold panel that separated her from Rohan. This time she aimed a narrow, laserlike line of fire at the gold plate that blocked her way, making a circle. Soon she could see hazy light appear as the sparks burned through and melted the precious metal. After she made it all the way around, the solid middle disk that remained fell out onto the bone pile in Rohan’s crypt.

They both coughed and waved away the smoke. Eventually, when it was easier to breathe, Thisbe went inside the tunnel once more, dirt-covered and sweaty, and collapsed. When the opening on Rohan’s side was sufficiently cooled off and no longer smoking, he climbed up and peered into the tunnel at Thisbe. She patted the space beside her. Rohan stepped over the molten bits and slid into place. “Hi,” he said.

“Hi.” Thisbe’s heart swelled.

“Just like old times,” he said, beaming.

Thisbe grinned. Though she was exhausted, filthy, and triumphant, she never wanted the moment to end.

News from Underground

Tell me everything,” said Thisbe. “Is Maiven okay? I’ve been anxious to ask ever since I saw you without her. I thought you must have been captured. I pictured Maiven in the dungeon again . . . It was so depressing.”

“Maiven is—” Rohan stopped abruptly, as if thinking something through. Then he glanced at Thisbe’s worried face. “Oh, she’s fine. Wonderful, in fact.” He flashed a smile. “I would have let you know what happened if I could have. But I thought you were compromised by the Revinir, just like you thought I was.”

Thisbe grasped Rohan’s hand. “Thank goodness we are both such good actors,” she said with a laugh. “And you haven’t had any training!”