Page 34 of Alien Prince's Fated Mate

“Let me go first. The villart should stay here.” I gathered what remained of our supplies, shouldering the heaviest pack. “Besides, I can see better in the dark.”

“How much better?”

“Enough.” The beast’s gifts had their uses. Even in the deepest shadows, shapes remained clear, though colors faded to shades of gray and silver. “Stay close behind me. The floor’s uneven.”

She nodded, one hand gripping the device while the other reached for my arm. The simple touch sent fire racing through my veins. Focus. I needed to focus.

The passage narrowed as we left our camp behind, walls pressing closer until we had to walk single file. Water dripped somewhere ahead, each splash echoing off stone. The device’s blue light carved strange shadows across the rough walls.

“Tell me what you see,” Niam whispered.

“Rock formations. Mineral deposits.” I ducked under a low-hanging stalactite. “Watch your head here. The ceiling drops.”

She followed my warning, her fingers tightening on my sleeve as she navigated the obstacle. “Anything unusual?”

“Define unusual.” The beast’s senses picked up something... wrong about this place. The air carried traces of metal and ozone, growing stronger as we descended. Not natural cave smells.

The passage curved left, then opened into a larger chamber. Frozen waterfalls of stone draped the walls, glittering where the light struck them. But my attention caught on the ceiling - a roughly circular section where the rock patterns changed abruptly.

“Look up there.” I pointed. “The stone’s different. Newer.”

Niam studied it, the device’s light steady on the anomaly. “Like something crashed through?”

“Maybe.” I inhaled deeply, sorting through the scents. “The air’s changing too. Metallic.”

She pressed closer to my side, whether from cold or nerves, I couldn’t tell. The urge to shelter her with my body nearly overwhelmed me. I gripped the strap of my pack instead, letting the leather bite into my palm.

“The floor drops ahead,” I warned. “Looks like part of the cave collapsed.”

We edged forward together until we reached the break in the stone. A black void gaped beneath us, at least twenty feet across, too deep for light to reach the bottom.

“Any way around?” Niam asked.

I studied the walls, noting hand and footholds in the rock. “We can climb down one side and up the other. I’ll go first, test the route.”

“And if you fall?”

“I won’t.” The beast’s strength would see me through. “But you might want to close your eyes. It’ll be easier if you can’t see how far down it goes.”

She grabbed my arm before I could move away. “Wait. What if... what if you carried me?”

My pulse spiked. “What?”

“You’re stronger than me. Faster. And you can see in the dark.” She squared her shoulders. “It makes tactical sense.”

The beast roared its approval at the thought of holding her close. I swallowed hard. “You’d trust me that much?”

“I already do.” The words set my blood on fire. “Besides, you said it yourself - the beast wants to protect me.”

I couldn’t argue with that. The very thought of her attempting this climb alone made my blood run cold. “Alright. But you’ll have to hold on tight.”

She nodded, tucking the device securely into its pouch. Then she stepped into my space, arms circling my neck. I lifted her easily, one arm under her knees while the other supported her back. She weighed almost nothing - had the Temple fed her at all?

“Ready?”

She buried her face against my throat. “Yes.”

The first step onto the wall sent loose pebbles skittering into the void. I ignored them, focusing on each handhold, eachplacement of my feet. The beast’s strength made it easier, but the precious burden in my arms demanded absolute concentration.

---