"The best accidents are the ones you plan in advance."
***
The sound rolled through the tunnel like distant thunder. Reverberated off the stone walls. Seemed to come from everywhere at once.
It wasn't loud. Not exactly.
But it carried a promise of violence that made the hair on the back of my neck stand straight up.
We all froze.
Marcus's manual slipped from his fingers. Hit the stone floor with a sound like a bone snapping. The pages scattered. Absorbed moisture from the damp ground and immediately began to warp. His face went pale in the torchlight. Shadows pooled in the hollows of his cheeks.
Thomlin's hand flew to his sword hilt. The motion smooth and instinctive despite his earlier complaints. His knuckles went white around the leather-wrapped grip. His stance widened as he prepared to face whatever was making that noise.
