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now.”
    One thing is sure, Jesse decided as he stepped over a pile of rubble, I will have many questions to ask this History Keeper .
    Bern stopped as they were almost to the edge of the ruins, tilting his head back where they came. “I hear voices,” he said simply.
    Though he heard nothing, Jesse’s eyes widened. Captain Demetri. It has to be.
    â€œThere are others,” Jesse said hurriedly, his words slurring together. “Other humans. Evil ones. They’re following us.”
    Bern just grunted and held his spear high, toward Rae again. “No, you fool,” Rae snapped. “This is no rescue party–they wouldn’t care if you threatened me.”
    â€œThey’ve come to kill us,” Jesse said, “and then they’ll kill you too.”
    That, at least, Bern understood. “To the mines,” he said, hurrying as fast as his short legs would take him through a second, smaller archway. This one was made of the same glowing stone that lined the tunnels.
    Jesse followed, but Silas pulled the dwarf back. “We cannot run from them,” he said firmly. “They will not stop until they find us, even if they have to search these caverns for days.”
    â€œAnd if you try to give us up to them, we’ll tell them about you and your people,” Silas said. “They are Patrol.”
    Bern winced at the word. Clearly, he remembered something about the destruction of Urad.
    â€œThey will try to wipe you out again,” Silas continued. “Do you really think you can defend yourselves from them?”
    Jesse began to feel nervous. Now, even he could hear shouts as the Patrol members found tunnels hidden in the shadows and called for others to join them. They were wasting precious seconds.
    Silas must have known it too, because he spoke more quickly. “We have to block the tunnel somehow. Keep them from getting to us. It is the only way.”
    Bern looked confused, glancing from Silas to the tunnel and back again. The voices got louder. “Yes,” he finally said. “Come.”
    Bern led them into what Jesse guessed were the mines, although he didn’t see the deep pits he imagined were a part of mines. There were, however, mangled pickaxes and other supplies scattered about, and a few large, overturned carts. Bern began picking through the rubble, muttering to himself.
    â€œStay here,” Bern said tersely. Jesse noticed he was no longer holding his spear. Instead, he clutched a small barrel in one hand and the torch in the other. Without another word, he ran back into the tunnel.
    Jesse started to follow, but Silas shook his head. “Let him go. He seems to know what he’s doing.”
    Jesse wasn’t so sure, but Silas seemed confident enough, so he didn’t move. Rae paced the cave nervously, while Silas bent down and picked up Bern’s spear. He tested the point carefully. “Silas….” Jesse warned.
    â€œDo you want to give it back to him?” Silas pointed out. “He was threatening to kill Rae.”
    â€œJust don’t do anything foolish,” Jessie warned. Silas stiffened, but gave a slight nod.
    A few seconds later, Bern came running back. “Under the Miner’s Supply,” he shouted, pointing at a thick steel overhang jutting out of the stone wall. A few wooden boards attached to framework hung like a mouth full of broken teeth. The rest was ash and debris. It’s a building of some sort , Jesse decided, or at least, it was.
    Only the roof, welded to the rock wall and held up by a few metal supports, was still intact. Bern threw his torch to the ground and stomped it out, then ran to one of the overturned carts, pulling it under the steel overhang.
    â€œYou,” Bern said, nodding at Silas, who was closest to him. “Help me!” He saw the spear in Silas’ hand and froze, fear flickering in his squinty eyes. For a moment they stood there, looking at each