The Buried Symbol (The Ruins of Issalia Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

the house. An empty sitting room with a brick fireplace was to his left, a small kitchen area with a dining table to his right. Other than the glowlamp, there was no sign of activity.
    He climbed the stairwell across from the front door. Other than minimal furniture, the rooms on the second story were also empty.
    Brock crept back down to check the closet under the stairs. It was dark and completely empty. He returned to stand near the lamp.
    He had inspected the entire house. Where were they? They hadn ’ t left out the front door and he hadn ’ t found any other exits.
    Mentally retracing his steps, he tried to place anything odd. It occurred to him that the closet under the stairs was completely empty. Why was there nothing inside a closet?
    He opened the closet door again and drew his glowstick, activating it. With the added light, he spotted a small knothole in the floorboards. He put two fingers in the knothole and lifted. A trap door swung upward to expose steep wooden stairs leading into the darkness below. He drew his knife and descended into the cellar.
    Holding his glowstick high, he realized that the cellar was empty. He turned and noticed a dark opening cut into the far wall. Two heavy posts and a crossbeam framed the opening, holding the earth in place around it.
    He approached the doorway, the light from the glowstick revealing a tunnel just wide enough for two men. The tunnel sloped downward, likely going under the wall and out of the city. He crept down the tunnel, pausing when he heard noises ahead.
    Hiding the glowstick in his coat, Brock could see faint light coming from around the tunnel bend. He crept forward and peeked around the corner. The narrow tunnel opened up to a larger gallery with another dark tunnel on the opposite end. A single glowlamp sat on the ground, lighting the cavern. Samson was in the center of the cavern, his back to Brock. He was standing over the bundle, speaking to his victim.
    “… and don ’ t worry. You won ’ t have to wait long. My friends will be here soon, and you ’ ll be safe on a ship before sunrise. ” The minister reached down with a knife. “ Now don ’ t move or you might get cut. ”
    The knife sliced the twine binding the blanket wrapped around the kidnap victim. Samson then grabbed one end of the blanket and gave it a hard yank. The person in the bundle rolled away from him, out of the blanket and onto the cave floor.
    Brock could see him lying face-down, his hands tied behind his back and gag tied around his head. The minister stepped closer and used his foot to roll the person onto his back.
    That ’ s when Brock realized it was Tipper.
    Emotion welled up in Brock ’ s chest. He burst in a run and charged the man, stabbing with his knife as he collided into the minister ’ s back. They flew over Tipper and tumbled to the cave floor. Their momentum caused the minister to roll on top of Brock, continuing so they rolled again to end with Brock on top and Samson beneath him face-down.
    Brock regained his feet, ready to defend himself. Samson didn ’ t move. Brock noticed the knife sticking from the back of the man ’ s neck. He was dead.
    He spun and ran to Tipper, pulling the gag from his mouth, down to his neck.
    Tipper spat and coughed. “ Boy am I glad to see you. I thought I was done for. ”
    “ Are you okay? ” Brock asked.
    Tipper nodded. “ I ’ ll live. Just cut me loose so we can get out of here. ”
    Brock ran over to the minister to reclaim his knife. When reaching for the blade, he noticed something at the base of the man ’ s hairline. Parting the hair with his fingers, he saw a mark in the shape of a hand.
    Shaking his head to refocus, he gripped the knife to pull it from the man ’ s neck, but it didn ’ t move. Using both hands for a better grip, he pulled harder and it came loose. As the knife slid out, it made a nasty slurping sound and blood spurted from the deep wound. Brock gagged, his stomach cramping as he turned to