The thought makes my chest constrict. One wrong step, and we both fall.
I nod once.
We move together, step for step, trying to keep pace.
The bridge sways with every movement. When one of us slips, it tilts hard, forcing us to lean into each other just to stay upright.
At one point, my hand brushes his arm as I lose footing. The shadows twitch, reaching to catch me, but he’s already there. His hand grabs mine. Steady. Solid. And somehow grounding.
Halfway across, the bridge lurches—hard. Stone cracks under our feet. I stumble, heart in my throat, and I swear I hear the abyss whispering below, promising a fall that never ends.
I have fought many battles without a hint of fear. But standing on this unstable bridge, staring into this bottomless pit frightens me more than any battle. I can’t get my way out of this with a sword.
My pulse is pounding. Breaths coming in fast. Too fast.
“Hey. Look at me. Breathe,” Koen says softly. His voice is low and calm. Comforting. I take a few deep breaths. He smiles. “Good. Now, don’t look down. Just keep your eyes on me.”
So I do.
When we finally reach the far side, he lunges forward and slams the lever down. A shockwave of light ripples outward. The bridge we just crossed steadies. Above us, the wild platforms freeze mid-motion, grinding into place until theyform a narrow bridge across the void.
I exhale. My legs tremble, not from exhaustion, but from the closeness of the fall we escaped.
Koen glances at me, sweat dampening the strands of hair at his temple. “One down,” he murmurs. “How many more to go, do you think?”
“Too many,” I mutter.
The new bridge of platforms leads us onward, but the victory is short-lived. The air thickens again, thrumming with violet light. Ahead, the path splits.
To the right, a long stone path stretches toward the next section of the chamber, but massive boulders appear from nowhere, thundering down its length. They crash and shatter against the walls, shards flying before dissolving back into nothingness. Another boulder materializes instantly, rolling with relentless speed. There’s no gap to slip through, no timing to master. Anyone foolish enough to try would be crushed.
I drag in a breath. “That way’s suicide.”
Koen nods grimly. “Then it must not be the way.”
On the left, along the cavern wall, thick vines twist and climb, rooted deep in cracks of stone. They weave upward to a small ledge barely wide enough to stand on. In the dim glow, I spot a pressure plate etched with runes.
“That’s it,” I whisper. “If I trigger it, the boulders should stop. Right?”
He follows my gaze, then shakes his head immediately. “The vines won’t hold. One wrong step and—”
“I’m lighter than you,” I cut in before he can finish. “If anyone has a chance of making it, it’s me. And I don’t see anyother way. Do you?”
His jaw tightens. He doesn’t like it, but he doesn’t argue. Finally, he gives a single, stiff nod. “I’ll be right here.”
The vines sway slightly when I test my grip. They’re rough beneath my palms, damp with moisture. My stomach knots. Below me yawns the same endless dark as before, waiting. If I fall, I don’t fall onto stone. I fall forever.
I start climbing. My fingers ache from clutching too tightly, my arms straining with every upward pull. Halfway up, a vine snaps beneath my foot. My weight lurches into nothing, and a strangled cry rips from me before I manage to swing and catch another vine. It burns against my palms, leaving them raw.
“Serenya!” Koen’s voice slices through the roar of the chamber.
“I’m fine!” I shout back, even though my breath is shaking. My heart’s pounding so hard I can barely hear myself think.
I keep moving. My hands slip—sweat slick on my palms—and for a second, it feels like the vines are trying to wriggle loose. I haul myself up onto the narrow ledge, boots landing hard on the pressure plate. The stone hums faintly beneath me.
Relief hits, hard and fast. But it doesn’t last long, because nothing happens.
My stomach drops. “It’s not enough.”
