Page 45 of Captured in Love
He waves it away, and I can’t help but notice he’s still naked, and completely unconcerned about it, too. I don’t know whether it’s an Icelandic thing or a dragon thing, but I’m not sure the volcano is the only reason I’m overheating right now.
This is so fucking confusing.
Nora puts away the token and looks up at me. “What now?”
Then Isak clears his throat. “Well, I was hoping you’d be willing to helpmenow.”
Sixteen
Isak
Three pairsof eyes fixate on me as my newfound allies turn as one.
“What?” Nora asks, her pretty face drawn. “Are you mad?”
I point a thumb over my shoulder. “My token is still in there.”
Levi palms the back of his neck. “Uh, I don’t know if you saw, man, but that was a near-death experience just now. I wouldn’t recommend it.”
I shrug in answer. “Yes, but you made it through. I don’t need much from you. If you can hold the rope steady, I can pull myself in. I just need an anchor, and there’s nothing up here to secure the rope to.”
The vampire’s lips press into a thin line. He knows I won’t be able to retrieve the token on my own without being sucked into the core of the volcano, and he’s probably debating pushing me over the edge himself, just to get rid of me.
Okay, so maybe I’m being too harsh. He did help carry me into the canal earlier, but that was before my battered body shifted instinctively, revealing my secret.
Which is a huge fucking problem I’ll have to deal with later.
But I think Nora could be persuaded to help me. And if she decides I’m to be trusted, the guys might follow her example.
I look right into her big brown eyes and lower my voice. “Please?”
She fidgets in place, then rubs her hand over her face. “Gods, this is insane. I mean, Iwantto help you, but it could also mean suicide, you know?” She paces along the edge of the crater and squints down at the metal box waiting so innocently at the bottom. “Can’t you shift and fly down there?”
Ah. I’ve thought of this myself, but…
“I’m a sea dragon. I can fly short distances, but landings aren’t my strong point. Not to mention that opening the box with my claws would be next to impossible. If I just grabbed the whole thing, the spell would activate anyway, and I might get sucked into the crater.” I pause, then add, “And I’m worried that my bulk could upset the entire volcano. If I break the crust that’s formed on the surface now, the whole thing might blow.”
Nora gapes at me, then crosses her arms over her chest. “Yeah, I see your point.”
Then Levi touches her shoulder. “I think we should do it.”
She looks up at him. “Really?”
Levi’s gaze is more calculating now, and his next words confirm it. “If we don’t, he’ll have no reason to help us get out of that underwater tunnel.”
I mean, I would have carried them out regardless of their decision. I’m not a complete prick, and I wouldn’t leave them stranded here. As far as I understood from their conversation on our ascent to the volcano, they barely have enough air left in their tanks to make it to the surface, and that’s without the added obstacle of that iron grille I scraped my scales on. They’ll also need to decompress, or Levi and Nora will, at least. I have no idea what the vampire is capable of.
Raphaël is staring at me like maybe he knows this already, but in the end, he sighs and tugs at the knot of rope at his waist. “Good thing I didn’t undo this.”
They all line up behind each other this time, with Nora at the back at Levi’s and Raphaël’s insistence so she doesn’t get dragged over the edge. I climb down the inner slope of the crater, and I have to admit that I’m now wishing for a pair of underwear at least. Climbing buck naked isnotfun, even for a sea dragon.
I wasn’t kidding when I said I couldn’t fly well enough to execute this task where precision is so important, but Iwillshift and fight to my last breath if this goes to shit. The transformation will also snap the rope tied around my waist and release the pressure on my three helpers—whatever happens, I don’t want to pull them into the volcano with me.
Which leaves me wondering why the fuck I’m allying myself with two witches and a vampire, of all people.
Maybe because none ofyourpeople offered to help out with the task?
After Kiran had realized there was no way for him to continue with the Games and claim all the glory, he’d turned nasty and refused any assistance. Tinna also couldn’t come with me, not with the entire queendom to run and her two young daughters to take care of. And we couldn’t risk telling the rest of the clan about this in case word got out too soon. I might still return empty-handed.
