“Breathe,” Vulcan said from across the chamber. “How did you get in the first time?”
The primitive part of my existence panicked. My breath refused to fully escape my lungs as my lips greedily sucked in more air. How much did we even have left in here?
A firm hand gripped my arm.
“In,” he said, “and out. Just like before dawn.”
Vulcan’s voice was quiet yet held an air of authority. And I listened, closing my eyes and imagining we were at the prow of theEvecta, with smooth waves of the Juniper lapping below the hull, the early rays of Aelius painting the horizon in soft pink. A long, shaky breath escaped my lips, and he dropped his hands.
“How did you get in before?”
“Stairs in the back,” I said, my voice sounding faraway. “But they lead to the bottom of the lake. There’s no way we’ll be able to get out. Even if we get the door open, we’ll drown.”
Vulcan’s hand returned to my arm, and he pulled us to the back of the chamber, where we began the slow ascent to the top of the winding, stone staircase.
“We might be able to if we can wake Nerissa. She might be able to split the water long enough for us to swim to the surface.”
My breathing became ragged as the thought of trying to swim beneath the frozen lake settled in my gut, and I shook my head.
“It’s frozen. Even if we can get through the door, we’ll be stuck beneath the ice…”
“If you believe it’s impossible, it will be,” he snarled. “We will survive this. Nerissa will melt an opening for us.”
Oh, gods.This was the plan?!
Vulcan stopped ahead of me as he slid Nerissa to the ground of the small landing at the top of the stairs. My hand edged along the round opening, feeling for any type of latch.
“Here,” he murmured. “Wake up, Nerissa.” He softly slapped her cheek. “Lyvia, try the bond.”
My head shook. “I’ve never felt her. The wall she has up is…”
Impenetrablehung on my lips, but I realized I’d never really tried to tear it down. I hadn’t dared for fear of the wrath it would unleash.
“We don’t have another option right now.”
My knees hit the stone with more force than I intended as I knelt beside her, taking her calloused hand in mine.
“Nerissa,” I whispered. “I’m coming in.”
Despite the darkness, I closed my eyes and let my mind drift through the memories of the threads I swam through. Twice now, I’d gotten to glimpse the mysterious connections that spun through the universe. One of those six, wave-like ribbons in my universe was Nerissa. The bonds of the Bellators.
I took a breath as I remembered the intricate web, feeling my way through the delicate threads. I reached out with my mind’s eye as I came across the one. One was more guarded than any ofthe others, with an invisible fortress hewn from pain, fear, and regret. I pressed my consciousness against the wall, a silent, soft request, and waited.
Seconds stretched into infinity.
“Lyvia,” Vulcan warned in the distant darkness.
Come on, Nerissa.
Nothing.
I leaned into the wall, sending a wave of emotion toward it.Trust. Friendship. Safety.Open, I silently commanded.
A crack formed, and I shoved myself through it, sending a wave of warmth along with it. Nerissa’s gasp filled the small space at the top of the staircase, and she coughed against the dry air of the tomb.
She thrashed against Vulcan’s grip, who quickly relayed our current situation to her.
“Can you do it if you tap into my amplifier?”
