Dragonhold (Book 2) by Brian Rathbone

natural formations. The river that runs through this place is a big part of why the keep exists at all. It has worn away the soft rock over the millennia."
    "You really are a know-it-all," Pelivor said, elbowing her in the ribs. The physical contact, no matter how minimal was thrilling.
    "Sorry. I spent a lot of time studying, and I find these kinds of things interesting."
    "Don't be sorry. That's one of the things I love about you."
    The words were said before Pelivor could take them back, and the silence that hung after his statement was increasingly awkward. Searching for words, he drew a breath. Catrin gave him a sad smile, and he was about to apologize when someone knocked the world sideways. There were things in life that were part of the background, like the ringing in his ears, but when suddenly amplified and shifted to a frequency that set everything on edge, those things became unbearable. Reeling from the sudden change in the energy around them, Pelivor caught a glimpse of Catrin, her head cradled in her hands. He could not imagine how much worse it must be for her.
    For years Pelivor had struggled to eke enough power from the air to fly the Dragon's Wing , and he couldn't even imagine how it must feel to have access to all the power all the time. The small amount he was able to draw was an elixir that left one wanting more. He knew the extent of Catrin's powers, and it frightened him if he thought too much about it.
    "What is it?" Pelivor asked without realizing he was speaking.
    "That fool Allette," Catrin said. "I think she damaged the Fifth Magic without actually disabling it. Why doesn't anyone listen to me?" She didn't give him a chance to answer. "We are powerless to do anything about the barrier. It's still there but now it's distorted; I can feel it. We must press on and hope we find some other way out soon."
    Pelivor let the silence hang. The initial shock of the ringing was wearing off, and now it felt as if his teeth were going to crack. Catrin leaned on him for a moment; he put his arm around her. Why did it have to be so hard for them, he wondered, but he carried on nonetheless.
    Only when they reached the stone forest did Pelivor really see the world around him again. His sole purpose was to take Catrin to the infernal ringing's source and make it stop. Thousands of trees, painstakingly carved with unmatched accuracy and detail, temporarily made the pain go away. For a moment the majesty erased all other thought. No guard could be seen, but evidence of their presence remained. Supplies and foodstuffs were stacked nearby, a cot tucked into a side hall not far from where the forest began.
    Trinda might have recalled the guard, but Pelivor wasn't so sure. Perhaps it was the lifelike forest, or maybe it was the occasional carved inhabitants of those trees that unnerved Pelivor. Either way, he felt as if they were being watched. The hairs on his neck stood.
    Neither wished to prolong this exploration, and they ate strips of dried beef while walking through the silent grove. Catrin unnecessarily motioned for silence. Others would be listening across the world in places just as improbable as this. Instantaneous global communications pushed the limits of imagination, yet it existed and Pelivor stood inside it.
    While the high-pitched whine threatened to relieve Pelivor of his sanity, other noises indicated more immediate threats. No matter what anyone said, some of those deep booms were not thunder. Catrin had never said they were, and both knew the kind of danger they might face. It gave Pelivor great pride to walk beside Catrin into the unknown. They had fought overwhelming odds before, and though they hadn't always won, they had survived.
    When Catrin drew a sudden breath and grabbed his arm, Pelivor wasn't certain they would again.
     
    * * *
     
    The maze beneath the Black Spike appeared to have been built by someone who was losing his sanity. Many tunnels went nowhere, some ending in vertical shafts.