“Do you think we’ll come out of there alive?” I asked, only half-joking.
Caden’s face split into a wide, reassuring grin. “If not, it’ll be an honor to die by your side.”
“You’re not worried?” I pressed, hoping for a more serious answer.
Caden shrugged, his expression thoughtful. “Sure, I’m worried. But what’s the point in dwelling on it? We’ve got a job to do. We need to get our hands on their nuclear fucking weaponbefore any more magi die. The idea of failing scares me a whole lot more.”
I nodded, understanding his resolve. I shot out my now invisible haze and translated him my Nexus. Waiting while he finished up his communication to Sean, informing him of our exact location, I tried to steady my nerves.
“Okay, Miss Thompson,” Caden said, handing me back my Nexus. “Lead the way.”
We stepped into the carved pathway, my breath escaping in visible puffs. Each stride sounded muffled but still amplified my growing anxiety as we ventured deeper into the rock. The oppressive darkness seemed to close in around us, heightening my already rising anxiety with every footfall.
No weakness.
When we finally reached what had to be the mountain’s core, I stopped cold, stunned into silence by the sheer presence of whatever the hell I was looking at.
The smaller structure was unmistakable—spire-like, etched with intricate, almost living patterns. The weapon itself wasn’t much bigger than a garden gnome, but it was sealed inside a towering block of ice that stretched all the way to the peak.
The frozen barrier shimmered with an otherworldly glow, casting ghostly reflections on the walls and creating a hauntingly beautiful spectacle. A shiver of awe mixed with fear ran through me as I took in the sight.
“Wow,” I breathed, subconsciously reaching for Caden’s hand. His fingers intertwined with mine, and we stood together studying the massive ice cube holding our objective.
“How the hell are we getting it out ofthat?” I hissed.
Caden shook his head, clearly as baffled by the grandeur of the glacial prison as I was. “I think…” He hesitated, glancing around. “We’ve crossed the Layer. We can portal again and Ithink we need to do so inside the cell, grab the Amplifier, and then jump back out immediately.”
“That plan is bonkers,” I replied dryly, trying not to laugh at the absurdity of it.
With dead serious eyes, Caden turned to me.
“You havegotto be kidding?” I choked out. “You want me to transport us intothat?”
“We can’t exactly drillthroughthat shit without alerting anyone,” Caden explained patiently. “And melting it in time might be a bit tricky if we want to stay undetected. It’s a miracle we haven’t been discovered already. Portaling is the fastest way.”
I sighed deeply, cursing all alpha men and their reckless bravery. “Fine, but I’m going in alone. You wait here in case I get stuck,” I commanded.
“What? Are you insane? I’m not letting you do this by yourself,” Caden hissed, his frustration evident.
“Well, tough luck,” I shot back. “It’s just the two of us, and if I get stuck, you’re the only one who can get me out.”
Caden shook his head. “We won’t get stuck. Just visualize the space around the Amplifier, surrounded by those walls, and portal us in. I’ll grab the damn thing, and you’ll get us back out.”
“No,” I said firmly. “I need you as my backup, not as my partner in crime.”
“Well, tough luck,” Caden retorted, “because I’m still your commanding officer, and what I say goes.”
Oh, for fuck’s sake.
“Fine,” I spat, “but if I die in a glass bowl of ice, I’m haunting you for at least five cycles, making sure you’ll freeze your ass off every second of every day.”
Caden smirked. “That doesn’t sound too bad.”
My eyes narrowed. “You say that now. Good luck ever getting laid again with a dick that’s permanently shriveled to the size of a frozen shrimp.”
Caden barked out a laugh, and I elbowed him quickly in the ribs.
“Shut up,” I shushed him, my gaze darting around nervously, worried his laughter might have given our position away.
