Well, that part of the tunnel, at least. Gabe had been expecting they'd be away from the area at the time. Now that eventuality seemed to be just a little more difficult.
"We'd better hurry, then," Gabriel said, and fell into step beside the detective as they moved down the tunnel. Skul was right--it wasn't all that long before they rounded a tiny bulge in the wall and there, around it, was an offshoot. Gabriel gripped Skulduggery's arm and then darted just inside the entrance, whirling around with his chalk in hand.
Swiftly he began writing on the walls. These wards weren't nearly so intricate as the last; a glamour to keep the tunnel-entrance from being seen, a time-delayed sleeping spell to prevent the Faceless Ones' servants from coming up behind them again. The latter he extended through the tunnel with carefully-placed sigils on the opposite side, ones hidden by shadow and crags.
Then he darted back into the tunnel-entrance and closed the glamour's spellwork. With a hum it snapped into place, invisible to the naked eye. (Or eye-sockets, as the case may be.)
None too soon. They weren't waiting for long before the sound of footsteps became audible, and one by one the Faceless Ones' servants passed their little hiding place. Gabriel watched as they passed through the gentle weave of magic that was the sleeping spell, every one. He put his hand on Skulduggery's arm again and waited, counting.
There came a series of thuds from just down the corridor, fifteen seconds after they had all passed through the spell, as each of the servants fell into a heavy asleep. Gabriel nodded and glanced at Skul. "Any movement?"
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"We'd better hurry, then," Gabriel said, and fell into step beside the detective as they moved down the tunnel. Skul was right--it wasn't all that long before they rounded a tiny bulge in the wall and there, around it, was an offshoot. Gabriel gripped Skulduggery's arm and then darted just inside the entrance, whirling around with his chalk in hand.
Swiftly he began writing on the walls. These wards weren't nearly so intricate as the last; a glamour to keep the tunnel-entrance from being seen, a time-delayed sleeping spell to prevent the Faceless Ones' servants from coming up behind them again. The latter he extended through the tunnel with carefully-placed sigils on the opposite side, ones hidden by shadow and crags.
Then he darted back into the tunnel-entrance and closed the glamour's spellwork. With a hum it snapped into place, invisible to the naked eye. (Or eye-sockets, as the case may be.)
None too soon. They weren't waiting for long before the sound of footsteps became audible, and one by one the Faceless Ones' servants passed their little hiding place. Gabriel watched as they passed through the gentle weave of magic that was the sleeping spell, every one. He put his hand on Skulduggery's arm again and waited, counting.
There came a series of thuds from just down the corridor, fifteen seconds after they had all passed through the spell, as each of the servants fell into a heavy asleep. Gabriel nodded and glanced at Skul. "Any movement?"