Page 70 of Beneath the Flames
A strange, protective feeling roared to life in my mind at the threat against Rhydian.“But—”
Before I could say anything else, Carrow suddenly stood straighter, and glanced toward the door.
“My time is up, pet.Remember what I said.Don’t break the curse.”
And then in a flash of violet, he was gone.
***
When Rhydian returned, mere seconds after Carrow left, I was shaking once again, even though the cabin was now unbearably warm.At first, he paid me no mind, shucking off his boots and removing his thick coat, hanging it on a nail next to the door.I was thankful that he didn’t look at me right away so that I had time to force the fear from my face, tryto stop the shaking of my hands.I only hoped his magic was still depleted enough not tofeelmy terror.
When he finally looked at me, Rhydian did a double take.I was curled up in a ball in the corner of the cot, wisps of hair covering my eyes.His own eyes narrowed and flicked over my features, like heknewsomething was wrong, but couldn’t nail down what it was.Sweat dotted my face.
Rhydian’s brow twisted as he looked at the suddenly roaring fire and waved a hand at it several times, his shoulders tensing at each failed attempt, before gold light finally burst forth and calmed its rage.
“What’s wrong?”He knelt in front of me just as Carrow had, yet that feeling of terror and dread in my stomach I’d had with the Prince of Nefaroth was absent.It made me more confused because if Rhydian was the liar that Carrow claimed, surely I’d feel as uneasy with him as I did with the prince.
I hated that Carrow dangled going home in front me like a carrot.Breaking the curse for Rhydian had thepotentialof sending me back, but Carrow claimed that if I didn’t break it, that he would get me home for certain.
What if Carrowhadbeen telling the truth?What if I was wrong about Rhydian and he truly was planning to take over Avalea with Kharos’s help?Could he really bethatgood of a liar that he had fooled me so completely?But what if Carrow was the one lying, trying to keep Rhydian from breaking the curse for a different reason?
I put my face in my hands, confused, and Rhydian leaned closer, putting a hand on my knee.Even through the blanket, his touch sent shivers through me, onlythiskind wasn’t unpleasant.
“Maren?What’s wrong?”Rhydian’s voice was so tender, so different from the icy callousness of Carrow’s.It was the firsttime he’d spoken to me in such a gentle manner.
I wished I was back at the castle, that I could speak with Nico.Maybe he’d give me some insight into all of this, help me decide who was being truthful.Though Rhydian could have lied to him all these years too.
“N-nothing,” I finally stuttered out.“Just tired.I didn’t sleep much.”
Rhydian’s gaze roved over my face.It was obvious I wasn’t telling the truth.I had sweat sliding down my temples.A deep frown curled his lips, probably trying to understand why I was lying to him, but finally he leaned back and stood.“Take a few more minutes to rest, but we’ll need to leave soon.Your first task awaits you.”
At the thought, I bit my lip to hold back tears.What was I supposed to do?Fail the task like Carrow demanded, or trust that Rhydian was a better Fae than the Prince of Nefaroth and do my best?
Carrow had threatened all sorts of death to me, but at least I could say that Rhydian had done nothing but protect me, even if he did bring me here against my will.
Even though my body was buzzing, I forced myself to lie back down, pretending to rest as Rhydian went over to the wash basin.Water dripping filled the silence of the cabin for several moments before I spoke.
“Are you going to tell me what I’m supposed to do at the top of a volcano now?”I asked as Rhydian washed his face with the water in the bowl.
He didn’t respond right away, taking his time cleaning up and then drying his face with a tiny towel he found inside the cabinet.
Just when my nerves were about to explode, Rhydian finally faced me and said, “Across the mouth of the volcano, there isa lava cave.An artifact is hidden inside—a relic of sorts.Your task is to retrieve it.”
“That doesn’t seemsobad.Between the two of us, we should—”
“I’m not coming with you, Maren.”
“What?You’re going to make me do this alone?”Panic creeped into my voice.
“The curse requires that this task be completed by someone else.Magic forbids me from entering the cave myself.”
“You didn’t think to mention this before?”Had I known I’d be braving a lake of lava and a creepy cave by myself, I might have thought twice about it.
“It didn’t seem important.”
“I’ll remember that when I’m about to face my doom,” I muttered, frustrated.“You can’t even walk there with me?”I hated the desperation in my voice, but without him, my chances of dying went up exponentially.
Rhydian’s faint chuckle met my ears.“You can do this, Maren.You’ll be fine.”
