He met my gaze, pride gleaming in his dark amber eyes. “You did. This is the right path. I couldn’t wait, not knowing.”
“I wanted to reach you guys before I came, but I heard something and I thought someone was coming, so I just went for it. I need to end this, Landon. I can do it.”
He kissed me as if absorbing the fierce expression he’d seen on my face. “I knew you could do it. I’m not leaving you, but I won’t help. You keep going and I’ll be right beside you.”
I nodded, smoothing the crumpled schedule I’d clutched in my fist. Looking down the path ahead, I retraced the turns I’d made, and I kept going. Landon didn’t leave my side, silently there as support as I went toward the end.
Relief bloomed in my chest. Spreading through my limbs, it filtered into my cheeks with joy.
I’d figured it out. I’d solved it.
Emotion lodged in my throat as I pushed forward.
Landon took my hand and squeezed it. “He would’ve been incredibly proud of you, Maiden.”
Giving him a watery smile, my voice tight as I nodded. “Thanks, Buns. I think so, too.”
He wiped a tear that slipped down my cheek and bowed his head for me to keep going. Turn after turn, he followed me through the dark.
As I reached the last one, a pool came into view up ahead with paths on both sides. I glanced at Landon, even knowing he couldn’t help me.
But when our eyes met, which path to choose became the least of our concerns. A loud whoosh flew past my ears. My hair whipped around my head.
Water rushed in, covering our feet and sloshing against the sides of the tunnel.
“Landon?”
He didn’t say anything.
“Landon, what’s going on?” Panic crept into my voice at his silence. “Why is this?—?”
He stared at the water as it pooled over our shoes, confusion pressing in on us both. The only thing growing stronger than it was fear. Because if Dozmary Cavern returned to its natural state, it became what it had been in the legends.
Not just the final resting place of Excalibur.
Home to the Lady in the Lake.
Dozmary Pool.
“The tunnels are going to flood,” I whispered, eyes wide when he finally met my stare. “We’re trapped.”
He nodded.
But I didn’t understand. “I solved the clues. Figured out the secret. Landon, I took the right path. Why?”
I didn’t know if it had been Morty, Vivian, or a larger threat who never intended to let me succeed, even if I solved it. What had led to the flood didn’t matter, though.
My heart beat out an erratic rhythm, racing faster as Landon took my hand.
I searched his gaze for answers, but found none. Only his intention to save us—steadfast and sure.
He laced our fingers together and brought them to his mouth. “Hold onto me. No matter what happens, okay?” With a soft kiss on my knuckles, he nodded. “You can do this, too.”
“Landon…” I stared between him and the tunnel, the darkness behind us nothing compared to the inky black water below. “I can’t.”
For one fraction of a second, his mask of bravery cracked. Cupping my face with his free hand, he gripped me like our livesdepended on it. “We don’t have a choice. Water will flood the tunnels. It’ll be impossible to get through if we don’t go now. You can do it. You’re relentless, Quinn. I know you can.”
“But—”
