“Wait.” I stop. “How do we get back in there?”
Caspian glances over his shoulder. “I’ll open it for you when you’re ready to leave.”
If the mirror in Castletree can’t bring us here, then what if the princes’ necklaces can’t bring us back? Like hell I’m letting us get trapped.
“Show me how to open it,” I say.
Caspian sighs, then storms past the princes. He grabs my arm, tugging me away from Kel. “See those stones in the wall? Tap the green one twice, then the pink once, and then the blue three times.”
His hand over mine, we go through the movements until the door creaks open. “Green twice, pink once, blue thrice,” I whisper.
“Aren’t you clever?” He drops my hand, then continues to lead us down the hall.
Kel prowls up to him and snatches his arm. “If you touch her again so callously, I will—”
“Chop my arms off? Behead me? Give me a talking to?” Caspian rolls his eyes.
I slow my pace, falling in step beside Dayton.
He doesn’t acknowledge me, just trails a hand along the smooth wall. Every so often, the wall dips into the shape of stone doors. Sometimes an odd clang comes from behind one of them, and I swear I hear the chitter of goblins.
I turn my attention back to Dayton. Only a few weeks ago it had felt like my soul was brushing against his. Now he feels a million miles away even as we walk side-by-side.
I know he’s been busy. Everyone’s been busy. But he’s barely spoken to me since that night.
Tugging my cloak tighter, I blink and ask, “Have you ever been to the Below before?”
“Hmm?” He raises a dark brow as if he didn’t realize I was there. “Oh, not like this.”
“Are you… Are we okay?”
“Why wouldn’t we be?”
I glance ahead, but Caspian and Kel are still arguing, and Farron and Ezryn are hopelessly trying to mediate.
“I didn’t mean to hurt you,” I say, knowing I have to explain. “The reason I said Kel’s name—”
“Rosie.” Dayton draws my name out like a sigh. “Is that what’s got your pretty little face all scrunched up? Did you bruise my ego a little? Sure, I’m a man after all.”
“But all these weeks…”You’ve barely even looked at me.
“Have been a bore.” He tilts his head, golden hair cascading over his shoulders. “Work, kill frozen things, traverse across the hills, train. Boring. As much as IloatheCas, his parties are revered around the realms. I am ready to wet my throat and other things.” He winks.
I flush. “Oh.”
He walks backward, throwing out his hands. “And didn’t you say we need to surround ourselves with people? Who knows, maybe my mate is in the Below, and they’ll fall on my dick tonight.”
I struggle to swallow, let alone form words. This isn’t the reaction I thought he’d have. But maybe it’s the one I should have expected. All I can do is nod.
“Rosalina.” Kel stops and turns, and I wonder if he can feel the pang of heartbreak through our bond. I scurry up past Dayton and join the rest of the group.
“We’re almost there,” Caspian says.
Ahead, the hall ends in two silver doors. Caspian pushes them open, and a blast of cold air hits me. It’s like we’re going outside, but we’re still beneath the surface.
We step into a massive cavern. The ceiling disappears into a murky gray mist.
A bridge of white stone weaves gracefully across the grand expanse. Glowing jewels light the railing, giving off a warm pink hue that lights the path to the other side of the massive chasm. I tread onto the bridge and peek over the edge. There’s a whole city down there, a labyrinth of serpentine paths and soaring buildings that spread as far as I can see.
