“Ruskin Zarnovsky, you come back here right now!” Alexander leapt up into a run after his dog.
Riley grabbed the other four specimen bags and threw them over her shoulders.
Lissie snatched Ruskin’s carrying bag. They all took off running after Alexander.
The dog dashed into a tunnel. Cora called ahead, “We have to remember the way back. Should someone wait?”
Lissie looked behind her. Niko was filling the space in the tunnel. He shook his head. Lissie yelled, “I don’t think we should separate.”
Lissie could hear Alexander though he was far away. His words echoed back. They bounced between promised treats or play and outright threats. She tried to stay steady on her feet, the tunnel was getting narrower as they ran.
It was also getting darker. Without the mushrooms, the light dimmed to glimmering strands through the rock. Even those became sparse as they went.
Cora and Riley were ahead of her, drawing away. Lissie could see the bobbing bags of glowing mushrooms hanging off their backs.
At least it is not a magical darkness.
The ground sloped ever downward. Alexander’s voice was distant. “That damn dog! I can’t fit through this.”
Lissie felt cold at her back and she turned around. Niko was approaching, and then he pushed the wall to his side and it collapsed under his hand. It shattered like a snowman. Lissie pressed herself against the other wall and closed her eyes to the dust.
She opened her eyes and he was ahead of her. She followed the trail of debris. Cora and Riley were stopped, and Lissie said, “I don’t think we will have a problem finding our way back.”
The air was thick with dust, Lissie put her sleeve over her nose. She could feel grit on her tongue. The sound was intermittent and explosive.
Alexander and Nikolai were talking about how to proceed. Lissie caught every other word through the crashes.
“— turns, he’ll die — touches you?” Alexander asked.
“If he is left — cave, he is sure to — the Blind,” Niko replied.
Alexander sounded resigned. “Do it.”
The passage was flooded with light. A rush of cold, fresh air, carrying shimmering snow. Lissie laughed with relief.
Riley whooped. Lissie stepped carefully over the rubble and into the morning sun.
The light was blinding. Alexander yelled, “Stop peeing on that tree! It’s the best tree I’ve ever seen.”
Lissie climbed through the piles of rock and snow. The sky was brilliant; it hurt her eyes. She drank it in.
Riley had her hand shading her face. “I see the Northgat Tower!”
Ruskin left the tree and trotted up to the group. He put a paw on Lissie, and she patted his head.