Page 42 of Baldr's Secret Mate

When the light finally faded, I opened my eyes to find nothing but a smoldering pile of grave dust in front of me. A shield and sword laid on either side of it, scorched by the intensity of my mother’s magic. I glanced down at my shoulder to see the last remnants of golden magic fusing my muscle and bone back together. In a matter of seconds the pain was gone, my arm was mended, and there was no more Draugr to do me further damage.

However, I could hear more coming. And fast. Unless I wanted to put myself through unimaginable torture letting them all slice me to ribbons, I knew I should get out as fast as possible. And, judging by the panic surging through the bond, Mist was already racing back toward me.

Digging my feet into the dirt and stone, I sprinted down the hallway. When Mist came into view, he cried out like he’d seen a ghost.

“Baldr! I thought—”

“I’m fine,” I said, grabbing his hand and yanking him back down the hall. “Let’s go!”

We sprinted back toward the junction, the other Draugr's heavy footsteps echoing behind us. As we reached the split in the path, I heard the shambling figures coming down the left tunnel. We were being surrounded. The middle path was our only option. So, without a second thought, I sprang forward.

The corridor sloped downward, taking us deeper into the ruins. It wasn't ideal, but what other choice did we have? The sounds of pursuit grew louder behind us as we ran. The air grew colder and damper the further we descended too. I caught the scent of minerals and cold water. If my wolf nose wasn’t mistaken, we were headed toward an underground lake of some sort.

Chapter Twenty-Three: Mist

We raced down the sloping tunnel, the cries of the Draugr echoing off the stone walls behind us. My lungs burned and my legs ached, but terror kept me moving. I couldn't believe how quickly our situation had deteriorated. One moment I was practicing a simple spell, and the next we were fleeing for our lives from undead warriors I had accidentally awakened. The guilt gnawed at me, but I pushed it aside. There would be time for self-recrimination later - if we survived.

The air grew noticeably cooler and damper as we descended deeper into the ruins. The faint glow of the bioluminescent fungi that had lit our way earlier began to fade, leaving us in near darkness. Only Baldr's heightened werewolf senses allowed us to navigate the treacherous path without stumbling. I held his hand tight, hoping we would make it to safety. Although going deeper underground didn’t seem like a good sign.

As we came around a curve, I noticed light up ahead. My heart soared as we raced toward it. Suddenly, the narrowpassageway opened up into a vast cavern. My eyes widened as I took in the massive underground lake before us, its dark waters stretching out into the shadows. Baldr skidded to a halt at the water's edge, his hand still gripping mine tightly.

“Shit,” he muttered, scanning the cavern for any sign of an escape route.

“Now what?” I gasped, struggling to catch my breath.

Baldr scanned the cavern quickly, his eyes glowing faintly gold in the dim light. “There,” he said, pointing to the other side of the lake. “See that light? That’s the way out!”

I squinted, trying to see what he saw. But all I could make out was the glowing mushrooms. Everything on the other side looked like just darkness to me.

“I don’t see it.”

“Trust me,” he said, his confidence surging over our bond. “It’s there. I can see it and smell it.”

“What if it’s another dead end like the last one?” I asked, terrified of what that might mean.

“Either way, it’s better than staying here and getting ripped apart by the Draugr.” I couldn’t argue with him there. “But we’ll have to swim.”

I balked at that. “Isn’t it going to be freezing?”

“Probably. So we’ll have to go fast.”

Before I could protest further, Baldr waded into the water. The frigid water made him gasp, but he still held out his hand to me. “Mist, we don't have much time!”

Taking a deep breath, I stepped into the water. The icy lake took my breath away, but I forced myself to keep moving. The water was up to my waist, then chest-deep. I clung to Baldr's hand as we struck out across the lake, swimming as fast as we could.

The cold water sapped my strength, and my clothes felt like lead around me. It felt like it was getting harder and harderto breathe no matter how much I gulped down air. I glanced over my shoulder and saw the light of the Draugr’s eyes growing closer. They had emerged from the tunnel and were now stalking along the shore, their dead eyes locked on us.

“Faster!” Baldr barked, his voice filled with panic.

I kicked harder, pushing myself to keep up with Baldr's powerful strokes. The cold water numbed my limbs, making each movement a struggle. But the terror of what awaited us if we failed drove me on.

Suddenly, Baldr let out a strangled cry and disappeared beneath the surface.

“Baldr!” I screamed, frantically searching the dark water.

He resurfaced a moment later, gasping and thrashing. “Something's got my leg!” he shouted.

I dove under, forcing my eyes open in the dark water. To my horror, I saw a skeletal hand gripping Baldr's ankle, pulling him down. One of the Draugr had slipped into the lake without us realizing it. And now it’s bright blue eyes were the only thing I could make out in the lake except for a rare shimmer of white bone.

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