Gideon's expression darkens further. "Legend has it the isle be cursed, haunted by the restless spirits of long-dead explorers and treasure hunters. They say it be home to untold treasures, riches beyond yer wildest dreams. But no one who's ever set foot on its shores has lived to tell the tale."
I feel a stirring of old memories at his words. The thrill of the unknown, the rush of adrenaline that came with each new horizon...
I shake my head, trying to clear the cobwebs of nostalgia from my mind. "What kind of treasures are we talking about here, Captain? And why has no one ever made it back alive?"
Gideon leans in, "They say the island be home to a great temple, lad. A place of ancient power and forgotten magic. Within its walls, there be said to lie a treasure beyond compare, a relic of the old gods themselves."
I feel a prickling sense of unease. "And the reason no one's ever made it back?"
Gideon's face twists into a grimace. "The jungle, lad. They say it be alive, a sentient thing with a will of its own. It plays tricks on the mind, shows ye things that can't be real. And then there be the creatures that lurk within its depths, beasts of legend and nightmare that hunt and devour any who dare to trespass on their domain."
I stare at him, soaking in his words, and it dawns on me that this may be the place we need to investigate.
Captain Sterling claps me on the back before striding off towards the helm. Izabelle slinks along beside him, her hips swaying with each step, a wicked glint in her eye as she shoots me a sly wink.
I shake my head, my lip curling in disgust as I turn my attention back to Erik. Our eyes lock, silver on blue, and I can practically see the gears turning behind his stoic facade.
What if the stone is there, hidden away on that island like some kind of twisted treasure hunt?
But we can't know for sure, not until Dani returns from wherever she's been taken. She's the key to all of this, the one with the power to sense the stones and guide us to them.
Erik must see the determination in my gaze because he shakes his head. "Brother, I know that look," he warns. "You're not seriously considering setting foot on that island, are you?"
I shrug. "What if it's there, Erik? What if the stone we need is hidden away on Tempest Isle, just waiting for us to claim it?"
He frowns. "It's possible," he admits reluctantly. "But it's also incredibly dangerous. You heard what the captain said about the horrors that lurk on that island. Is it really worth the risk?"
I lean forward, my eyes intense and my voice low. "We know firsthand what forbidden areas mean in a realm, Erik. Dani figured that out before any of us, back in Luminara, when she sensed the Faerite stone hidden away in that Hidden Valley."
He nods slowly, his expression thoughtful. "True. But that was different, Rhyland. We had Dani with us then to guide us and keep us safe. Without her..."
He trails off, his eyes clouding with worry and uncertainty.
"I'm not saying we go in blind, brother. I know we need to wait for Dani." I grasp his shoulder, looking into his silver eyes, "It's just a stepping stone, and it might point us to where we need to look."
Dani will claw her way back to me, come hell or high water. No force in this world or any other can keep us apart for long, and if I know my fierce little Angel, she'll fight like a demon to get back to where she belongs—right here, by my side.
But the not knowing, the uncertainty of where she is or what she's going through... it's eating me alive. Is she hurt? Is she scared? Is she calling out for me, wondering why I'm not there to protect her—to keep her safe?
The thought of it is enough to make me want to roar with frustration, to tear the whole world apart until I find her and bring her back to me.
But I can't do that; I can't let myself spiral into that pit of despair and helplessness. I have to hold on to hope, to the unshakable faith that our bond is stronger than any distance, any obstacle that tries to come between us.
Because that's what you do when you love someone with every fiber of your being—when they're the very air you breathe and the beat of your immortal heart. You believe in them, in the strength of your connection and the power of your love.
You trust this is just another challenge to overcome, another trial to endure. It's not the end of your story but just another chapter in the epic saga of your love.
And I do believe in her, in us. I believe in it with every ounce of my soul, every last shred of my being.
So I'll wait for her, as long as it takes. I'll hold on to the memory of her smile, the sound of her laughter, the feel of her skin against mine. I'll let those memories be my anchor, my guiding light in the darkness, until she finds her way back to me.
Because she will come back—she has to.
Erik nods, "Agreed."
Hours later, after I've downed my dose of Dani's blood like a fucking junkie getting his fix, we're finally ready to set sail back toward Captain's Haven to wait for my mate's return.
In her infinite wisdom, Dani insisted that Erik and I keep vials of her blood on us at all times, just in case of emergencies. And fuck me sideways, she was right. She's off in some other goddamn realm, doing God knows what, while Erik and I are stuck here with our thumbs up our asses, waiting for her to come back.
