Laurie Penner

Secrets in the Underground Laurie Penner

After the fortress walls of Victory Valley fall, Julyiah and Delwyn Sarroll travel on their disappearing horses, encountering new dangers and wonders on the Outside. Coming back to the valley with exciting opportunities, the Sarrolls find their home fraught with turmoil. Valley dwellers are again divided over how to hear the Music, while young women are disappearing, presumed taken by the evil Underground lord, Darse. Leader Zuriel urges all to listen for the true Music, but a popular new leader, Lansel, teaches how to hear music at will and remain in good places. Zuriel's good friend, Dawnli, keeps remembering her wretched childhood in the Underground, so she follows Lansel's tempting ideas to find joy. But when Zuriel organizes a group to help the Underground poor, Dawnli feels drawn to the effort, which brings her under Darse's watchful eye and her own personal danger. A few valley men and Underground residents scramble to rescue the missing girls from the lower realm, but conflict grows as Darse targets those who betray him. Worse, the dark lord carries a weapon that gives him extraordinary power no one else has. When key members of the community also disappear, additional valley forces must gather to wage a battle in the Underground, but who will lead the inexperienced men in real combat, and will they succeed?