Page 35 of From Frost to Flame

“Sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that,” Lex said, looking down. “I just want to help.”

“Hey now, don’t feel bad. It’s fine.” Silas smiled at him, cupping his cheek with his other hand. “Thank you for caring about me. I forget how strong you are.”

Without thinking, Lex closed his eyes and melted into his palm. Knowing he was helping warmed something deep within that made his body relax. For the moment, they were the only two in the entire world.

“Is it a relief to take care of me?” Silas asked. His voice wasn’t teasing, but curious.

Lex opened his eyes, surprised at how accurate it was. He nodded, his cheeks a bit hot with embarrassment. “I guess so. I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

“That’s not what it is.” Silas tilted his head and searched his eyes. “You just keep making me question things I thought I understood.”

“Silas, you’re not making sense again. I really think that ink did something to your mind.”

“It’s nothing. For now, let’s figure this out so we can get the souls and get out of here, like you said.”

Lex wasn’t happy the subject was dropped but gave in since Silas agreed to focus on leaving. Castor held back Julian and Mora, who were about to jump in the pool, and lowered himself into the black depths.

The water rose over his knees. “It’s cold like everything else here, but not too deep.”

“Alright,” Silas said, nodding in determination. “We need to stay alert and move quickly. I say we line up and walk across, searching the ground, then we travel across the pool.”

“How are we supposed to find anything in this abyss?” Julian asked as he hopped in, then carefully helped Mora follow. He grabbed her braids and twisted them into a knot on top of her head to keep dry as they walked. “Fuck, it’s frigid.”

Fear welled in Lex’s chest and he gripped Silas's hand tighter. He took a breath as he let Silas lead him into the freezing pool.

The faster I do this, the faster we get out of here. I can do this for Silas. It’s just a fountain.

Water soaked through his shoes and licked at the backs of his knees. He let go of Silas's hand and clung to his arm. “Promise me you won’t let go?”

“I promise.” Silas flashed one of his regal smiles. “You’re doing so well. I know you don’t like water when you can’t see the bottom, but just focus on putting one foot in front of the other.”

“Thanks. Let’s not mention how dark the water is until we’re out of it,” Lex said through chattering teeth as they sloshed forward. His heart pounded in his ears as he focused on his steps, like Silas suggested.

You’re above ground. It’s okay.

He looked at the others to distract himself. Mora shivered and Julian held his arms as if to generate some heat. Castor’s hands were clenched in fists as he did his best to manage the chilled water, but the goosebumps on his skin hinted that it was a struggle. Yet Silas's teeth didn’t chatter, his skin was free of goosebumps, and he looked almost indifferent to the ice bath.

“How are you not freezing?” Lex looked up at him, confused. “It’s so cold it hurts.”

“I didn’t say I wasn’t cold.”

“Even Castor’s shivering something awful.” Instead of getting an answer, Lex was tugged into Silas's chest. His arms wrapped around him in a possessive embrace as he looked at the sky. “What is it?”

“Wings.” He kept his eyes on the sky as he addressed the group. “We aren’t alone. There’s at least one fae in our midst. Stay vigilant. Let me know if you see anything that gives their location away. Ripples in the water, rosebushes swaying strangely, or a blur somewhere could be one of them. All movement has potential to be dangerous.”

“Sure, we’ll search the water, land, and sky while looking for a soul,” Julian said, stomping ahead. “That only sounds mildly impossible.”

“Patience, dear,” Mora said, sloshing through the water. “We knew it would be—”

Her gasp and a loud splash made them all turn.

To Lex’s shock, where Mora once stood, there were only subtle ripples.

“Mora? Mora!” Julian raced over to where she was and whirled around in a growing panic. “She was right here. I only walked ahead for a second. Mora? Mora!”

“She has to be somewhere,” Lex said, turning to look out at the garden. The surrounding air churned as Julian grew increasingly distressed. Rosebushes rustled, and small waves formed in the fountain. “I’m sure we’ll find her. Mora! Can you hear us?”

“Julian, you’re putting us all in danger. I can’t track the fae in this wind,” Silas called. “You need to get a hold of your powers.”

---