Chapter Seven The KeepersMai saw flames at the end of the tunnel. Fojan walked behind the children with Long still in his arms. Aque walked beside him. Mai watched the fire reaching and curling but all she could think of after being so cold for so long was the warmth it would soon offer.
‘We made it, Mai,’ Kalin said excitedly. ‘We actually did it.’
‘We did it together,’ Akra added, smiling at them both.
‘Yes, with help from Aque and Fojan,’ Mai said.
Slowly they walked down a graded decline towards the fire. The chowks walked beside Aque. Fojan was bent almost in half as he walked because the tunnel was not made for a giant of a man like him. As they neared the fire, Mai saw it was contained in a huge metal pot. On either side of the fire were statues of men in a sitting position. The
