Page 56 of The Lands Defying
Darius tugs on my hand to follow behind him as we enter, and though I can’t see his back, I remember the scars he has there. Remember how they bled and tore.
I swallow back the bile.
“Call some of your power when we are a little further in,” Darius says, and I give him a confused look. “The light will help,it’s not much but it’s something. Our wolves can only see so much in the dark, and my power won’t give off light.”
Runa perks up like Darius was talking to her, and I do as he says after walking another twenty steps, calling my power to my palms, concentrating to mold it into the shape of a small ball.
Well, as much of a ball as I can make it. It’s more pointy in some places.
The blue glow caresses the walls gently, giving us a little light as we continue to move forward. We continue walking for another few minutes, silent and listening out for any movement, wondering if some unknown creature will come out and eat us for disturbing its home.
“Would you look at that,” Leo says, and I turn, following his gaze to the ground.
I scowl. Bastards. “This is where they must have gotten it from them.”
We move over to the dassil flower, and I remember how Sarah told me about what it does.
“I’ll take some,” Josh says at my back, looking at the flowers in anger.
“If my pack is here, in the name of that Zaigar place, it would make sense if they have a supply of this.” The thought sickens me.
“It would be smart to set up a place, yes,” Darius replies hesitantly, like he doesn’t want to upset me but we all know I’m right.
“They will die,” Colten snarls, walking ahead of us and Hudson goes after him.
“They will,” Darius agrees and I watch as Josh carefully places some of the dassil in his pack.
“Anna could get some use out of this,” he says and I nod. She could.
Eventually, we come to a more open space inside the cave, the almost circular room, clear, apart from the loose rocks on the floor. To the right, two more passages lead to Gods knows where, but it must be safe here as the Elites start setting their packs down and pulling out furs to sleep on.
I move to the back of the space, dropping my power and putting my pack down to get my own fur out, making sure I’m positioned so I can see all openings. Darius drops his pack beside me, looking around the room before his attention comes back to me.
“Come,” he tells me as he starts to move away and heads to one of the other passages, collecting a small pack as he goes.
I drop my things and follow, curious to where he’s taking me. Josh’s chuckle sounds behind me, and I stick my tongue out at him. While Hudson and Colten are whispering to each other nearby.
Catching up to Darius, I keep close behind him as he takes us through the passage on the left. We walk without light for a little while until I hear the telltale sign of water.
“Where are we going?” I ask.
“You’ll see,” he says as we turn around a few corners before we come into another room inside the cave. I pause at the threshold, tiny streams of light shining down on the pool of water to the right and the small opening that a little waterfall seems to be flowing out of.
“Wow,” I breathe. “It reminds me a little of my cave in Eridian.”
Darius looks around. “It does a little.”
I want to ask him about it. Does my cave look different? How did my home look? Is there anything even left of it?
But I’m too scared to know the answer.
Darius moves towards the water and drops the pack before taking off his weapons. Once he’s disarmed himself, he takes offhis leather chest armor, and drops it to the floor. Bare-chested, I watch as his defined muscles move as he stalks towards me, my eyes glued to his tattoos. I trace them going down to the side of his neck and over his ribs, making out small details as he comes closer.
A breath away now, I look toward the marking appearing on his neck, it’s subtle, but seeing it fills me with a sudden warmth.
Darius takes the blades at my hips and throws them on top of his armor before unbuckling the straps on my own chest piece.
“Lift,” he commands, and I raise my arms, letting him peel the material off my naked chest. He throws it onto the growing pile of clothes and licks his lips, his eyes roaming over my heaving chest.
