Page 24 of The Knight

Voices shouted.

Her heart lurched. “They’ve spotted us.”

“Good.” His reply was terse as he picked up speed. “That’s the plan.”

Freya followed, working her legs hard to keep up with him. Breath sawed in and out of her lungs. She wasn’t used to this kind of aerobic exercise, while at her side Abe cruised along, barely out of breath.

The uneven terrain was a challenge as they climbed. Uneven rocks kept catching her feet and if it hadn’t been for Abe’s steadying hand, she would have face-planted several times already.

“You okay?” Genuine concern laced his tone.

“Yes.” Her breathing had reduced to short gasps as they approached the rim of the crater. Loose fragments of dried lava skittered beneath their boots, vanishing into the depths below. The sound echoed briefly before being swallowed by the approaching night. One misstep here, and it was all over.

Abe eyed the dark crater as he paused and caught his breath. Steam billowed from unseen vents, turning the air white and bringing a metallic mineral tang. “Is this safe?”

“It’s okay. It’s dormant.”

“You sure?”

“Sure.” The trembling in her hands had subsided. Or maybe it was just Abe’s comforting presence. Despite the danger they faced, being close to him made her feel safe. “This volcano has been dormant for over three thousand years. I’ve read up on thelocal area in the evenings, and I’ve hiked this path a few times in daylight. It runs parallel to the rim and exits on the far side. From there, we can descend to the road and make it back to my house from the other direction.”

“Not much else to do?” His teeth flashed white in the gloom.

“Something like that,” she muttered under her breath, suddenly excruciatingly aware that she was reciting geological facts while they were running for their lives.

She directed him to the narrow path that wound around the inside rim of the crater. At least here they were out of sight for a while. “The last significant seismic activity was recorded in 1789, but it was minor and didn’t lead to an eruption. The magma chamber is currently stable, with no signs of imminent activity.”

Clearly, she was incapable of shutting up.

“You can’t see them in the dark, but there are over fifty seismometers placed around the crater, capable of detecting even the slightest tremors. In the past decade, around this volcano alone, they recorded an average of only 2.3 micro-earthquakes per year—all below magnitude 2.0 on the Richter scale.”

“Is that right?” His hand remained steady around hers, guiding her as she navigated a treacherous section of path, loose scree shifting under her boots. “Nothing like a bit of geological trivia to ease the tension.”

“Right.” His touch sent contradictory signals through her body—comforting and unsettling all at once. “I could tell you about the optimal temperature for roasting marshmallows over molten lava instead.”

“Do you have stats for everything?”

“Statistics make everything better. They’re perfect—unlike people and emotions. They can’t betray you or lead you astray.”

Abe kept his gaze forward, but surprise colored his voice. “You trust numbers more than people?”

For the first time, she understood how he might see things—that she was hiding behind data.

“Science follows rules. It’s predictable and reliable. People are messy and chaotic. You never know what someone is really thinking or feeling. With numbers, I always know where I stand.”

“And what about me?” he asked.

She glanced at him, her heart pounding not just from the climb but from the intensity of his scrutiny. “Well, you’re an anomaly. But guess I’m learning to appreciate the unpredictability a little.”

“Maybe that’s a good thing,” he breathed. “Sometimes, it’s the unpredictable moments that make life worth living.”

As they rounded a bend in the path, the exit on the other side of the crater came into view, a welcome distraction from discussing her quirks. “That’s our way out,” she said, relief flooding her voice.

Abe nodded as he scanned around them, vigilant for potential threats. “Good.”

Stones rattled nearby.

Abe halted abruptly, his hand crushing Freya’s. She sucked in a sharp breath. His grip verged on painful. But even as her fingers protested, a part of her registered the strength in that grip and its promise of protection.

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