Page 89 of Frosted Torment

Baz turned to Lex, who hovered nearby. “We need to perform CPR. She’s not breathing,” he begged.

Vallen’s voice sliced through the chaos like a knife. “Move aside,” he ordered, his tone permitting no argument.

Baz and Lex hesitated, their gazes darting between the newly freed angel and me. I could sense their fear with the realization that they were in the presence of an angel of much higher authority.

Vallen lifted me with little effort while Baz and Lax stood by, their hands clenched at their sides. Even through the haze of pain clouding my thoughts, I couldn’t help but feel awe at Vallen’s presence. His power crackled through the air like a gathering storm.

His expression unreadable, Vallen gently brushed hair from my brow. “You have no idea what you’ve unleashed, Noa,” he murmured, his deep voice vibrating through my very bones.

As he turned to carry me in his arms, I fought against encroaching unconsciousness. I wanted to protest—to tell him not to touch me and that I could walk on my own—but my mind refused to form words. My limbs lay limp and unresponsive despite all efforts.

He walked toward the center of the cave, and I could see the pool of frigid water we had been letting him drink. Its surface was still and reflected the dim light from above. Vallen strode forward, his bare feet making no sound on the rocky ground.

We reached the edge of the basin, and his piercing stare met mine once again. “Trust me,” he whispered.

Even though every part of me wanted to resist, I found myhead nodding in agreement. Then, Vallen plunged into the water, submerging us both in its icy depths. I gasped at the shock of it, the cold stealing the breath from my lungs, but Vallen’s grip on me never faltered, and I didn’t drown.

As we sank deeper, I felt a sudden warmth blossoming from the inscriptions on my wrist, its lines pulsing with a warm blue light. To my amazement, the glow began to spread, enveloping my entire body in a shimmering silver aura.

My vision blurred underwater, but as I looked up, Baz and Lex stood at the pool’s edge, their faces twisted in terror as they gazed at us. My lungs didn’t seem to need oxygen as I clung to Vallen’s back. Then, when we finished, his powerful legs propelled us upward.

As we broke through the surface, the water retreated, every drop flowing back into Vallen’s body. I blinked in astonishment as I took in Vallen’s transformed appearance. Gone were the matted hair and tangled beard, replaced by neatly trimmed locks and a well-groomed face.

His green eyes sparkled against smooth amber skin, once marred by years of grime and neglect. Vallen stood before us, beautiful once more.

Unconcerned by his lack of clothing, Vallen passed me to Baz and said, “Get her dry.”

Lex searched the hiking pack and pulled out a towel for me and a thermal blanket. He handed the blanket to Vallen, who quickly wrapped it around his waist with a grateful nod. Lex followed him to the other side of the cave to question him.

As I lay in Baz’s arms, he rubbed the towel along my skin, but my thoughts reeled from the events of the past few minutes. I felt a strong connection with Vallen, whether it was because hehelped me or his essence was now part of me. Either way, I did my best to block out what that meant.

“You scared me, Noa,” Baz whispered. He cupped my cheek with his hand, then traced the curve of my face with his thumb.

A soft sigh escaped me as I sat up. “Sorry,” I coughed.

Vallen purposefully sat close to the spot where he had been chained. For a long while, he said nothing, his eyes distant as he watched us. I came to the conclusion that he didn’t want us to see him as a threat. At least, not yet.

Finally, he spoke, his voice low and measured. “Once Noa is warm and in new clothes, we’ll talk. For now, focus on her.”

Baz gave my hand a gentle squeeze. “Lex, do you have some extra clothes for her?”

Lex handed me a bundle of clothes and smiled. “How do you feel?”

“Okay, I think.” I raised my head and smiled. “Thanks.”

“Here,” Baz said, guiding me to a secluded spot behind a rocky outcropping. “You can change here.”

Baz left me alone, and with numb fingers, I untied my daggers and placed them on the ground. I stripped off my wet garments and pulled on the dry ones, relishing the feeling of dry fabric against my skin. Once dressed, I grabbed my belongings and rejoined them. I placed my daggers by my side as I sat down on the cave floor.

I turned to Vallen, who was watching me from across the area where his essence once remained. A flicker of relief crossed his face as he spoke. “We need to leave and get somewhere safe.”

I thought for a moment, my mind racing through the options, then it dawned on me. “My apartment,” I stated after a brief pause. “I doubt Vincent would check there again.”

Vallen nodded with a firm expression, a touch of approval in his gaze. “Your apartment it is, then,” he declared. His focus on survival was notable in his tone.

Lex stepped forward, his face etched with concern. “Hold on, are we actually going to Noa’s apartment? If it’s not Vincent, then it’s Maros who can still track us.”

“Not since that bracelet fused to Noa’s wrist,” Vallen confirmed. “They’re likely frantic, wondering why they can’t find her.”

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