He jumped, almost as if forgetting she were here. Cara smiled at him, still too leery of the mouse. But the [Knight] turned opaque in the cheeks again.

“I’ll, ah—just put this in a safe place.”

He secured the mouse in one of the stone coffins, double-checking the lid. Cara backed up further—but came over once the lid was shut and Dalius was back to inspecting the wall. She looked at the mass of dark dirt and shuddered.

How deep were they? There was no telling. Dalius had pulled down a small hill’s worth of dirt, yet it didn’t seem to even make much of a hollow in the wall. He was talking to himself and her, happily. Cara looked up, trying to see daylight, sense how deep they were.

Nothing. She looked back at the doors. Gulped down more air and began to cough. The [Knight]’s cheerful voice rang in her ears, oblivious.

“It certainly seems as though the enchantments have failed, here. Just dirt and stone protecting the wall. If I dig with my sword…hm. Aha!”

He produced the greatsword and thrust it into the wall. With a heave, he made more dirt cascade. Cara saw Ser Dalius nod to himself.

“I can dig you a path out, Miss Cara. That seems quite doable. And thankfully there are more roots here aplenty, you see? Just sit back—or fashion some sort of shovel? Maybe out of those offering bowls.

Working together, why, it won’t take more than…than…”

She looked at him. Ser Dalius trailed off.

They looked up. And up.

The ceiling of the Tomb of Afiele was too high for Cara to see, even with her iPhone’s light. They were on the ground. How much dirt and stone would need to be excavated to dig up…? And that was assuming the ceiling was right below the surface.

Cara felt sick. She looked at Ser Dalius. He gave her an encouraging smile.

“Thankfully, I don’t tire. And there is a supply of food—and water with my nature. We can make a camp here. It won’t take more than a few…weeks…months…? Well, we have to see how far I get today, don’t we?”

She peered at the sprinkling of dirt on the floor. Then back at the opening in the wall. She focused on one thing.

That crack. The doors were sealed so firmly there was not a hint of light. Not even the imagination of it.

But it was a promise. She reached out, hesitated as her hand felt his deathly chill.

“Dalius. The…protection on the door?”

He was digging at the soil with his hands. The [Knight] glanced over.

“The runes? Painful. Not harmful to me, I should imagine. I could probably hurt myself, but I am quite well, thank you for inquiring.”

Cara hesitated.