The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

“I’m assuming that didn’t happen last time,” Vonetta
remarked.
“Nope.” I threw up a hand as clumps of dirt pelted my
face and arm, and the ground burst open between Casteel
and me.
Another funnel of dirt exploded directly in front of Emil,
forcing him back several steps. He coughed. “That was
rude.”
The ground steadied as the dust and dirt fell back to the
earth. “Is everyone still with us?” Delano asked, wiping at
his face.
We were.
“Careful.” Casteel knelt near the opening between us.
“This is one hell of a hole.” He looked up, meeting my gaze
and then Kieran’s. He rose slowly. “I have a feeling we may
have triggered something.”
“Triggered what?” Emil asked, peering over the edge,
squinting. “Wait.” His head tilted to the side. “I think I—holy
shit!” Jumping back, he stumbled over his feet, catching
himself a second before he landed on his ass.
“What?” Vonetta demanded, reaching for her swords.
“Details. They would be helpful at the—”
Between Casteel and I, the bleached bones of a hand
appeared, fingers digging into the loose soil.
“What in the world of nightmare fuel is this?” Casteel
muttered.
Those fingers were connected to an arm—an arm that
was nothing more than a skeleton. The top of a skull
appeared. My eyes widened in horror. Dirt poured out of
empty eye sockets.
“Skeletons!” Vonetta shouted, unsheathing her swords.
“Couldn’t you have said that you saw skeletons in the hole?”
Casteel cursed as another bony hand appeared, this one
clutching a sword in its grip.
“Armed skeletons!” Vonetta yelled. “Couldn’t you have
said you saw armed skeletons in the hole?”