Page 148 of Dark Fate

As we make our way across the treacherous, ice-glazed floor, our breath escapes in ephemeral puffs of mist, tiny clouds that dissipate almost as quickly as they form. The sharp, sudden crack of fracturing ice echoes through the cavern like a gunshot, a chilling reminder of the precarious nature of our footing.

Panic prickles at the base of my neck asRhyland’s sharp command slices through the howling wind, "Stop!" His voice carries the weight of impending doom.

I don't need to be told twice—his deep, authoritative rumble never signals anything less than critical. A peek down confirms our predicament; the ice below is a fractured canvas of imminent betrayal.

"Fantastic," I mutter, the sharp edge of my sass barely masking my alarm. "Let's backtrack with all the grace of Bambi on ice, shall we?"

The others heed my words, cautiously backtracking with the precision of a bomb disposal unit, except me. I'm the statue in this perverse game of red light, green light, staring down the beast beneath me.

Rhyland's grip on my hand is the only anchor in a sea of shifting ice. “I've got you,” he vows.

Our joined hands are the only warm thing in this icy hellscape as we tip-toe across the treacherous crust. I shoot him a sidelong glance, raising a brow, and say, “Next date, let’s do something less life-threatening. Dancing, maybe?” Attempting humor feels like clutching at straws as another crack reverberates underfoot, sending my stomach into a nosedive.

The piercing sound of the fracturing ice is a chorus of warnings. "Careful yet quick—like pulling off a band-aid," he reminds me, the strain evident beneath his composed exterior.

Rhylandnods once, decisively. "I'm gonna blur us across," he states, poised to propel us across with vampiric speed.

But in a heart-stopping moment, the ice splinters, swallowing his footing, and gravity lurches forward to claim him. His descent stops abruptly—a precarious pause on a ledge of ice, the dark below beckoning—a silent scream of the void.

Air billows up from the abyss, a frigid exhalation that bites at any exposed skin. Fractures race across the ice beneath me, encroaching threats that bloom with alarming speed.

Rhyland's urgent order booms, "Go! Now!"

His concern is for me, even as he dangles between existences. Chivalry might be heartwarming, but right now, it just feels ice-fucking-cold.

Defiance ignites within me, shutting down the obedient part of my brain. "In case you haven't noticed, I’m not exactly an obedient damsel," I snap back, clamping onto his jacket with a death grip. “And you’re not getting out of this date that easy!”

His fingers claw back, struggling for a hold on the slick surface. Our joint struggle against the ice is a battle of wills against nature's indifferent might.

The groan that erupts from deep within the ice is the stuff of nightmares—the sigh of a giant seated at the offering of souls. And then, we’re falling, the world blurring in a dizzying, terrifying drop into the unknown.

Danica

69

As we fall,Rhyland’s instincts kick in—he pulls me close, his arm locking around me like iron bands. His body becomes my shield; his embrace is a fortress as we tumble into the void, bracing for whatever comes next.

In an agile maneuver that defies his size,Rhylandtwists midair, an act of preternatural reflexes ensuring his body bears the brunt of our uncontrolled descent. We impact with fierce intensity, a harsh thud capturing the moment of collision. An audible 'oomph' escapesRhylandas I inadvertently land on top of him, the air pushed from his lungs upon the packed snow. His body absorbs the shock, sparing me from what could have been a crushing conclusion to our fall.

For a suspended heartbeat, relief floods me, warm and dizzying. I’m unscathed, cocooned in the arms of my vampire who’s just cheated death—or at least grievous injury—for us both.

"Nice catch!" I quip, the irony of our situation not lost on me. "But next time, let’s aim for a feather bed, shall we?"

I brush the hair from my face, trying for levity even as the echo of our fall fades in the strange, dark void we’ve found ourselves in.

Rhyland’s groan is half in discomfort, half in exasperated affection. "I told you…" he grunts, trying to sit up, "to get to the other side. Why don’t you ever listen?" he chides.

"I’m sorry—I couldn’t just let you fall! Besides, where’s the fun in always doing what I’m told? Admit it—you’re secretly thrilled to have played hero again, even if it means a few more bruises," I retort with a playful edge to my voice, unable to resist poking fun at the situation even as we lay in a heap of snow at the bottom of who-knows-where.

Rhyland’s agitation sears through his usually cool demeanor, a fiery protector chastising my recklessness. "I’m immortal, woman. I could’ve taken that fall and walked away without a scratch. But you—shit, if I hadn’t done what I did, you could’ve died!"

His fury is a tempest, fierce and justified. I realize it's time to fill him in on my recent celestial power-up courtesy of the Atherite stone and its restorative gifts.

"Yeah—about that…" I trail off, acknowledging the conversational bomb I’m about to drop on him.

The darkness enveloping us is as thick as ink. I conjure an orb of radiant light which blooms from my hand, pushing back the shadows.

With the impromptu lantern illuminating our cavern, I focus onRhyland, eager to assess his condition. The light reflects off his rugged features, giving his ocean-blue eyes an ethereal glow. Now that I can see him clearly, I start looking for any injuries that might have gone unnoticed in the adrenaline-fueled tumble.

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