“You’ll see,” she said, slipping down from Gur. She gave the semargl a scratch behind the ear. “By nightfall,” she told him.
Heywarledin response.
Hero clambered down and vanished into the caves.
Kaelan leapt down too.
All day, she’d been trying to fix on his emotions, but they escaped her. Every once in a while, a vague sense would surface—frustration, anger, fear, hunger—but all too fleeting for her to grasp, like flitting shadows through a fog.
“Do I have to stay like this?” he asked, holding open Damion’s bulging arms, which strained against Kaelan’s clothes.
“Does it bother you?” she asked.
Gur’s hindquarters bumped Kaelan, causing him to stumble against the wall as the semargl turned to depart from the cave.
“It’s not that it bothers me, it’s just... strange,” he said. “I don’t quite feel myself.”
She smirked. “You’re not. That’s the point.” She waved towards the back of the cave. “This way. Stay close. I don’t want you to get lost.”
“Get lost where?” he asked, following her.
Before long, they both huffed, weaving through the darkness, not speaking.
When she stopped at the door, he bumped into her.
“Sorry,” he said. “I can barely see down here. We should’ve brought a light.”
“You can see?” she asked.
“Very little.”
She frowned. She couldn’t see a thing. Not that she needed to—these old caves were like a second home to her. Still, Kaelan obviously had better eyesight than she did.
“Take my hand,” she said, finding his in the dark. “Don’t be afraid.”
His voice was strained. “Afraid of what?”
She pushed open the door.
The barrier of silver flame erupted in front of them. His grip tightened around hers.
“Don’t worry,” she said, pulling him forward, closing the door behind them. “It’s only an illusion, so long as you’re with me.”
“What does—?”
She pulled him through the fire into the bottom of the Well. Torches flared to life as the silver fire behind them died.
“Where are we?” his voice echoed upwards as if climbing the spiral of torchlight.
“Follow me,” she said, leading him to the rungs.
“Isn’t that what I’ve been doing?” he grumbled.
She started up without comment, but the knots between her shoulders cinched painfully. By the time they reached the ledge, her temples throbbed, but not from the physical exertion.
Once in the tomb, his form rippled and he was Kaelan again, fiery green eyes and golden hair.
“Is this a crypt?” he asked.
