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The air was acrid as though something had been burning, yet it was also chill and clear, and there was no sign of any recent fire. All was desolate, and there was no sign of life let alone the kind of life that might want the cheer of a fire. Renedwen was more unsettled than ever, even though she was not alone. Lissi at least came along with her, and though they did not talk together, her presence at least was a small comfort.
Renedwen was now troubled with her son. Since his birth he had been remarkably quiet, and this had been a blessing on this journey, but he had begun to grizzle when they left behind the daylight, and now they were deep underground, he had begun to cry. The noise echoed in the dark passageways and she saw how the others winced at the sound. If there was anything living down here, it would surely hear them now. Seeing the disquiet on the faces of her companions, she only felt worse. There was little she could do, as she dared not let go the hand of little Gilly, who now clung to her as though she were his own mother. If she did not have him to care for then she could attend to her son, comfort him, but now she had two to care for, two frightened boys.
Something in the cries of her son chilled her heart. It was more than cold or hunger, as she had made sure he was not suffering from either of those; it was terror. She knew that coming into this dark place, leaving behind the wide open skies, had awakened a dim memory of the terror that had assailed them back in the city. It was as though a curse had been placed upon them and the child was voicing what no adult dared to mention.
If she could but speak with someone, she might get some help, but she was frozen not just with foreboding but with fear of her companions. She knew she had been aloof and had made sure they could see she could cope; it was her way of withdrawing after her grief, and now that the silent tears had passed she did not know how to approach anybody. She looked at Lissi when she thought she would not be noticed doing so, wondering how to speak to this other woman who had been so helpful many weeks ago, but she could not find the words.
The company stopped in one of the passages and Renedwen, busy with the boys, walked on, not noticing that her companions had halted. Gilly tugged on her hand and eventually let go. Panicking, Renedwen spun about and looked for the boy, but stumbled backward. Her fall was halted by something soft, but instead of standing up again, she found she was unable to move, suspended with just her toes touching the ground. The more she tried to stand upright, the further she got from the floor, until she was hanging there, held by something sticky she could not see in the gloom.
Remembering a familiar childhood tale, a chill went right through her. She tried to scream for help but the words stuck in her throat. Like a nightmare she could not wake from. And then her cry for help suddenly echoed along the passageway, but the nightmare did not stop.
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