I wasn’t sure when the change happened in the dynamic of our existence. Was it subtle, eating away like a flowing river upon what was once solid stone? Or was it fervent, like a prayer on desperate lips? All I knew was that the moment our lips met, I felt something click into place, like I’d arrived safely home after a trip marked by turmoil.
There was only one problem, I don’t know exactly what to do. I have yet to pour my heart out and offer it as a sacrifice. Wouldhe claim it? Or perhaps he would leave it there to rot and fester—knowing that being together would never truly be possible.
I’ve sewn my lips together as we ride closer to the cliffs leading to the cavern city as I debate with myself when to have a conversation with Kassiel, the same one I had with Leeson at the river. I’m not sure I’m prepared to survive rejection if it comes to that.
“We near the cave!” Caym bellows out over the thrashing wind and booming waves that come from the Sea of Liamah.
The briny breeze is chilled, though the temperature feels more comfortable than that of the Siltar Woods.
“Cave?” Kassiel’s whisper skitters across my nape, causing my skin to gooseflesh.
A finger slowly fidgets along my spine, the movement erotic even if he didn’t mean it to be. I lean into his touch and welcome the comfort. He continues on with the massage and my clothes suddenly feel too tight. That familiar heat returns.
Breaking the sensual caress, I lean forward and rub Dahla’s shoulder.
“Yes, our fortress lies in ancient caverns formed from sea waters. The water levels aren’t nearly as high as they used to be, but the caves are expansive. Oddly enough, they’re warmed by natural hot springs, so we don’t use any magical resources to keep it livable.”
“That’s amazing, I would have never known there was a living population here. This landscape seems so desolate.”
It’s true, the seagrasses of thrush and others expands beyond the horizon. There’s no structures to indicate that something civilized resides nearby.
The wind continues to thrash us, the brine prickling against my skin.
I shout again, over the maelstrom, “I’m not sure when or how they came to be found, but there’s at least three generations that have called it home. Once the war started being more than a whisper, The Hidden formed.”
Kassiel leans in and I turn my chin towards his ear. “River’s End is more than a fortress, it’s become a paradise for many who would otherwise be forced into servitude to King Euron.”
My eyes focus on the cliffside. A dark, expansive cave begins to reveal itself to us as we get closer to the edge. Dahla has been in and out many times now, and her sure footing proves it to me every time.
With the sunlight diving beneath the horizon, we step onto the trail that’s been carved out of the rock and make our descent below the surface.
I can feel The Devourer tense up as we plunge into darkness, his hands quickly wrapping around my waist.
My smile quirks up and I’m thankful for the void swallowing us so he can’t see my amusement.
A few yards ahead, a glowing green starts to illuminate the damp walls. The light looks ominous for travelers unfamiliar with the trek.
“I know you may think I’m silly, but these close quarters and absence of light makes me uncomfortable. It sparks demons from my past.” His whisper is barely audible even in the silence of the caves. The dripping of water is the only noise that filters in, the walls choking out any sounds of waves and the winds from above.
“You’re claustrophobic?” The question pops out of my mouth more as a statement than anything.
All I hear are short pants for a few moments before he whispers, “Yes. Terribly so.” His voice feels even smaller. I place one of my hands around his and squeeze. His palm feels sweaty and I realize he’s quite serious. He shifts closer to me, his solid chest bumping into my back in the process.
Dahla continues on her steady pace as the eerie glow lights our pathway. The decline in our trail increases, and I lean back into The Devourer, urging him to do the same.
Little white mushrooms cling to the glowing blanket of algae and moss, their blue luminescence bright and welcoming.
I stop Dahla, letting my eyes adjust to the lighting.
“Will it help if we stop here for a moment?” I ask, hopefully not sounding like I’m teasing him.
He quickly answers, “If we could sit for a few moments, it might help knowing I could see rather than feel swallowed by darkness.”
I nod and slowly ease my way off the mare. He hops off too and sits against the tunnel wall.
The lit mushrooms make his appearance more focused. His gaze floats across the tunnel, slowly moving towards where the tunnel widens.
“Is it lit by magic?” I hear the wonder in his voice as he reaches a hand out to touch the soft curtain of moss that lingers near his back.
