“I was inspired by how Yargen made a new body for me between worlds. I tried to mimic the process.”
“Vi, that’s impossible.”
“Clearly not.” She pulled away and looked to the doorway. Her unease only continued to heighten the longer they were in this center chamber of the Caverns. “I drew power from the Caverns, made your bones out of crystals, and wrapped muscle and flesh around them. You always said Yargen’s magic was life,” Vi explained hastily.
“I didn’t mean like this,” he murmured, kissing her temple lightly.
“Deneya wasn’t wrong when she suspected I’ve been practicing. I have been, nightly, since getting to the capital. Transferring the power from the sword to the Caverns wasn’t difficult. Neither was transferring the power from the Caverns to your body, or your consciousness from the watch to that body.” She glossed over her moments of panic. He didn’t need to know about that.
“We don’t know what this means. You’ve never done this before. You could’ve risked my memories if you failed.”
“What’s done is done. And you’re here now.” Vi pulled away to look him in the eye. “I thought this through, Taavin. You want to ensure the world follows the path of the stones in the river. If the Caverns remain strong, there won’t be a War of the Crystal Caverns. So—”
“So you stored the magic of the Sword of Jadar and some from the Caverns in me… to weaken the barrier on Raspian without actually harming or losing any of Yargen’s power.” He admired her with shining eyes. “You’re brilliant. Reckless, but brilliant.”
“Thank you.” The War of the Crystal Caverns was a convenient excuse. Vi hadn’t done this for the world. She’d done it for herself. She didn’t know what pulling Taavin out of the watch would ultimately mean. But since this would be the last version of the world, Vi didn’t worry too much about it. Not that she would say as much to him. “Maybe you’ll start to trust my reckless ideas more.”
“I likely should.” She didn’t miss the shiver that ripped through him as he spoke.
“We should go.”
“We should,” he agreed.
Yet they had a hard time moving. Standing would mean separating, at least for a little, and neither of them seemed to really want to do that at the moment. Vi could hold him until the day the world ended, now that she had him once more.
“Let’s at least get out of this chamber.” Vi rephrased her earlier statement, forcing them both into action. “We’ve lingered for too long.”
“Yes, lets…” The way Taavin looked around and then scowled at the ground beneath them told Vi everything she needed to know: he felt the terrible aura that now hovered in the air of this place, too.
Vi pushed herself onto her feet and swayed a bit. She was only steady by sheer force of will.
Taavin rushed to her side, wrapping his arm around her waist. “I got you.”
“I’m the one who’s supposed to be helping you.”
“You’ve helped me enough,” he said as they hobbled down the stairs and into the antechamber.
“Here’s good, set me down.” Taavin did as instructed and Vi sat with a heavy sigh. She leaned back against a crystal, willing just a little bit more of Yargen’s magic to seep into her and give her strength. With a thought, fire ignited around them in a semicircle, casting a warm glow over them.
“That’s better.”
“My horse is down at the foot of the mountain.” Vi glanced toward the opening. “I have some clothes there. Nothing will fit you right. But it’ll besomethingso we can get to the cabin. I just need another minute to regain my strength and then I’ll make my way down.”
“I don’t want you trekking over that icy path in this state. I’ll go.”
Vi laughed at that. “You’ll go? You’ll freeze your bits off.”
“I will not.” He looked at her with a scowl.
“You will.” She grinned in reply. “And I’d rather like those bits to stay attached.” She’d meant it as a jest. But the words were softened by sincerity. Her cheeks were warm, and not because of the fire.
“Would you?” he murmured, his face close to hers.
“I would,” Vi whispered. “I’ve dreamed of this moment for years.”
“Really,thismoment?” He arched a single dark eyebrow. “This moment where I’m naked in a cavern, a stone’s throw from Raspian’s tomb, holed up to escape the elements and figuring out how not to freeze to death?”
“Goodness, I forgot how annoying you can be in person.”
