Page 15 of Her Immortal Mate

"That's why I'm going with you." The corner of his mouth lifts. "Someone needs to make sure you come back in one piece."

I study him for a moment. Despite his imposing presence, there's something oddly reassuring about his direct manner. No games, no threats - just facts.

"When do we leave?"

"Now, if you're not too tired."

"Let me grab my gear." I gesture toward my tent. "Meet you at the eastern perimeter in ten minutes?"

He nods once, wings rustling as he turns away. "Don't keep me waiting, little human."

"Wouldn't dream of it, big bad vrakken," I call after him, earning a deep chuckle that sends an unexpected warmth flooding me.

I grab a bit of rope and fashion myself a harness around my body the best I can. Then, with my pack of herbs and bandages I never leave and a full waterskin, I go to meet Eike.

The eastern forest stretches before us, a mass of twisted trees and jutting rocks. I adjust my makeshift harness, testing the strength of the rope against my weight. The familiar motions bring back memories of scaling cliff faces in Colorado.

"This way." Eike's wings twitch as he leads us deeper into the woods. His silver eyes scan the darkness ahead, alert for any threats.

The cave entrance looms ahead, a jagged mouth in the mountainside. I pull out a small crystal that glows with magical light - a gift from one of my patients.

"You feel anything yet?" I ask, securing the light to my harness.

Eike's nostrils flare. "Magic. It's faint, but..." He tilts his head. "There's definitely something here."

I run my hands along the cave wall, feeling for good holds. The rock is cool and slightly damp under my fingers. "These formations look promising. Lots of natural handholds."

"Be careful." Eike's voice echoes off the stone. "Some of these passages could be unstable."

I wipe my hands off on my pants, wishing I had chalk, and start climbing, working my way around a narrow ledge. "You sound worried. Don't trust my skills?"

"I trust you're skilled enough to get yourself into trouble."

"That's half the fun." I squeeze through a tight passage, my light casting strange shadows. The rock here feels different - almost alive under my touch. "The texture changed. It's almost...vibrating?"

Eike's wings rustle behind me. "The magic's stronger here. There's a portal nearby, but I can't pinpoint it. These caves are like a maze."

I spot a promising crack in the wall. "There's an opening up ahead. Might be big enough for me to check out."

"Mae." His tone carries a warning.

"Relax. I'm just going to take a quick look." I wedge myself into the narrow space, inching forward. "The rock here - it's got these weird veins running through it. They're glowing slightly."

"Those are magic lines. We're getting close to something." Eike's voice sounds strained. "Don't go too far. I won't be able to reach you if-"

"If what? I get stuck?" I laugh, though the sound feels strange in the confined space. "I've been climbing since I could walk. This is nothing compared to some of the chimneys I've squeezed through."

We spend most of the afternoon working around the cave system, and it feels amazing to lose myself in it. The system isn't too deep, but Eike thinks the magic will be useful.

He keeps saying it feels like the portal that brought him to Protheka, but we never find that entry point. But as the sun starts to set, we decide to call it a day and head back.

But we're not ready for what we find.

7

EIKE

The echoes reach us first - metal clashing against metal, shouts and screams piercing the cavern walls. My wings snap open before my conscious mind catches up. Something's wrong at camp.

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