The Shadowseeker - Victor Kloss Page 0,8
Ben was almost getting used to the sensation and even Charlie had stopped groaning when the lift finally slowed and came to a gentle stop. The door opened with a soft ding.
A stone corridor greeted them, lit by torches hanging from the walls. Ben found himself grinning, remembering their astonishment the last time they had been here. Ben and Charlie joined the small throng of people walking two abreast along the passage.
They walked until they reached the small security chamber, where a small line had formed. When it was Ben's turn to enter, his eyes immediately went to the small sign that had so astonished him on his first visit.
“Warning:
“Electronics at serious risk of spontaneous combustion beyond this point. Please dispense with all such items before proceeding through the arch.
“Maximum penalty for smuggling science: £10,000 and three years in prison.”
A large lady beckoned him forwards and Ben approached the stone wall on the left. He quickly spotted the tiny slot between the stones that had so baffled him last time. He inserted his ID card and watched in fascination as the stone in front of him faded away, revealing a small empty cubicle within the wall. He put his phone in, removed the card, and the stone faded back into existence. Then it was through the archway embedded with the large green eye, which watched Ben closely as he passed underneath.
“You know what I can't understand?” Charlie asked, glancing back at the arch before they continued on their way. “How did the dark elf get through all this to make it to the lift? How did it even get onto the Dragonway? It's not like it was hard to spot – it was riding a huge panther thing.”
“I was wondering the same thing,” Ben said. “Do you remember Alex's reaction when he identified the dark elf?”
“As a Shadowseeker,” Charlie said, nodding. “I've never seen him that concerned, and we've seen him facing a few tight spots.”
“Maybe Natalie will know what a Shadowseeker is.”
“She doesn't.”
“What do you mean?” Ben asked, slowing down in surprise. “You've asked her?”
Charlie's sizeable cheeks reddened. “I emailed her when we were in Starbucks.”
“You have her email address?”
Charlie's words came out in a sudden rush. “She gave it to me before we left. I knew how difficult the apprenticeship was going to be, so I wanted to pick her brains and learn as much as possible. I know I should have told you, but somehow it never came up.”
Charlie was fiddling with one of his shirt buttons, his brow furrowed.
“That's great, Charlie,” Ben said, with a reassuring smile. “It makes sense to learn as much as possible.”
“You're not upset?”
“Of course not.”
Charlie's eyes narrowed. “Did she give you her email address too?”
“No, she didn't,” Ben said. He looked ahead, suddenly hoping to see the Croydon Dragonway station.
“So you haven't been in touch with her these last couple of weeks?”
Ben sighed. “We've texted each other a few times.”
“What?” Charlie's voice rose an octave. It echoed down the tunnel and several people looked round. Then in only a slightly softer voice, he said, “How did you get her number?”
“I asked her for it,” Ben said. “It's not a big deal. I don't have a fancy phone with email and my internet connection at home is useless, so I got her number instead.”
As he feared, Charlie suddenly looked like a deflated balloon.
It was time to play the white lie card.
“We only spoke once or twice,” Ben said. “Talking to her about the Institute just made me miss the place more.”
That seemed to do the trick. Charlie's face relaxed and he even managed an embarrassed smile. But whatever he was about to say was cut short by a sudden gust of wind. The London Underground symbol was hanging from the ceiling in front of them – a red circle with a blue horizontal bar, which had the word “Croydon” written on it.
Thoughts of Natalie vanished. They grinned at each other and rounded the corner.
“All aboard! Nonstop to Taecia. Hop to, ladies and gents, she's not going to hang around.”
The cry came from a pot-bellied goblin, who was waving people onto the Dragonway. Despite the warning of departure, Ben found it impossible not to stop and stare. A long dragon with scaly skin and stubby leathery wings sat on all fours, attached to a dozen bright red carriages. The half-doors were open, with passengers of all shapes and sizes getting on. Ben was reminded of the trams at theme parks, which took you