Page 222 of The Sins of Silas

“Fuck!” he roared. “I c-can’t lose you, Lena! Please n-not again…please.”

I felt the rush of water rising, and I choked. Leaning over, I coughed it all out on the ground beside me.

“Oh…oh, t-thank the Gods,” Silas hailed.

I took notice of our surroundings as I sucked in breath after breath, and when I realized what was beneath my fingers, a soft cry escaped me.

Snow. The whole island was covered in snow.

“What…” I breathed, frantically searching all around. “Where is everyone?”

“I don't know,” he whispered, his own body trembling from the frigid temperature. Our clothes were suited for a summer in Tovagoth…not this winter. That, plus our soaked bodies, meant we needed to find shelter. Now.

I quickly checked my bag, grateful the grimoire was safe.“W-we need shelter.” I could feel the water freezing on me—my hair, my eyelashes, my face. Same with Silas—ice was coating him.

“There's a cabin I s-saw.” Without warning, Silas lifted me into his arms.

“Silas, n-no—you're going to hurt yourself!”

I could barely move my hands; it felt as though my body was completely frozen stiff.

He ignored me, trudging through the many inches of snow to a wooden cabin that rested above.

It felt like hours—like slow motion as he plodded forward. Nothing else was present on this bare island.

Where are we?

Kicking open the front door, Silas's eyes desperately darted around the dark home, and he rushed forward until we entered a bedroom.

“Lena, t-there’s a f-fireplace here…” He set me down on my feet just steps before it.

“I-I can’t.” I choked, trembling.

“If you d-don’t, w-we will die.”

It took everything in me, but I bent down and willed the smallest amount of fire from my fingertips, the thought of Silas dying fueling me with just enough.

“C-come on, come on,” I cried.

The fire began small, the crackling sound spreading relief through me.

“We need to take off our c-clothes,” he ordered.

I obeyed, peeling off the frozen clothes until I was naked, tossing them to the side, and then I stumbled as close to the fire as I could, my knees dropping to the soft rug in front of it. I was shaking so damn hard.

Silas moved, and a few moments later, after some rustling, he returned to my side with a thick sheet. His body was bare of clothes, but I couldn't focus on anything other than how fucking cold I was.

He laid down next to me, opening up the blanket as I entered, his arms wrapping around me and pulling me close. I nestled into him, my back facing the warm flames.

Our bodies shuddered against one another.

“S-Silas,” I breathed.

“I’m here, Flower.” His hand rested on the top of my head, holding me against his chest. “I-I’m here.”

Flower.

That nickname…the feel of this man's skin against mine.

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