Page 68 of From Frost to Flame

“I knew you’d come for me. I told him you would.”

“I’d empty the desert before I left you,” Julian purred, kissing her head.

Castor picked up the blanket on the ground and held it over the couple, giving Julian’s hands a break. He immediately clung to Mora like she’d vanish at any moment.

“Here,” she said, holding up his cloak. “This will help. Put it back on.”

He quickly obeyed, then pulled her right back to his chest.

Silas knew vampires allegedly didn’t have mates, but he wondered if all nonhumans bonded and didn’t know it. A love like Julian and Mora’s spanning across centuries suggested that was the case.

“Snack or not, I appreciate it,” Castor said with a sigh. “Now, let’s try to get you three out of the sun.”

“Any suggestions on how to do that?” Silas asked. “I can’t spot anywhere we could rest that’s safe. Our tents can’t beat this sun. Underground seems like our only option.”

“Excellent idea,” Mora said, brightening. “We need to go under the sand. Deep under to be safe.”

“I can’t build something out of loose sand,” Silas said, feeling defeated. “If we had water, I could get creative.”

“No, not like that,” she said, looking out at the dunes. “We’re in the Sapphire Lands which means there’s rock—lots of it—and water under our feet. The creatures that live here swim in the sands like an ocean or travel through the caves and tunnels that are underground. We could clear some sand out and find a tunnel entrance.”

“How do you know that?” Castor said, squinting at her. “I’ve been here before and didn’t know there was anything underground.”

“Lex isn’t the only one who researches,” she explained. “We all do.”

“He’s just the most excitable,” Julian added. “We can get us under. There’s no time to search for an entrance, so we’ll have to break in.”

“If you think it’s possible, let’s do it,” Silas pressed urgently. Lex’s burns made his own skin sting.

“Jules, honey, you ready?” Mora asked. “I say we check the dunes to the south.”

Castor yelped as Julian bit down into his bicep and a blush crossed his cheeks. “We discussed asking last time.”

“Sorry. I don’t want to die, and I’m pretty tapped out,” Julian said with a smile as he pulled away and licked his lips. “Besides, you enjoy it.” He turned to Mora. “Let’s do this.”

Once more, a storm of dust swallowed the sky and air. It swirled about and Mora scanned the earth then brightened as rock poked out of the sand. Lightning shot out of her hands, and she blasted it with a loud bang. Rocks flew into the sky and thudded down to earth.

Silas was amazed to see there was a hollow tunnel of deep blue stone. They all held on to each other and the couple teleported everyone into the cerulean tunnel.

Julian and Mora were instantly more cheerful cloaked in darkness. Even Lex’s body seemed to relax.

“Let’s find a place to set up camp near a water source,” Silas said, thinking of Lex’s needs once he woke.

They all agreed. Soon, they were walking through the winding system of dark blue tunnels. The walls glittered with a scattering of florescent green stones lighting their way. The vampires were back to their playful selves as they walked ahead of him and Castor.

No longer worried Lex would burn to death, Silas's thoughts kept getting pulled back into the woods. Lex’s face as he discovered the truth of Silas’s parentage etched in his brain.

He looked down at Lex in his arms.I really hope you stay. I hope she’s wrong.

“Hey,” Castor said, nudging him. “What happened out there?”

“She was there,” he said distantly. Staying present, even now, was difficult. His mind kept floating off to his mother’s words.

“So, she finally showed herself. How did you get away?”

“Lex burned her,” he said, squinting. “I don’t understand how he did it. He should’ve been too weak. He passed out after. I can tell the compass is draining and yet his flames burst forth with such force.”

“She travels up here through those portals, right?” Mora interrupted from up ahead. “With blue flames and smoke and whatnot?”

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