Page 151 of Dark Fate

"Hmm…"Adrianintones, leaving his thoughts to hang in the air, cryptic and open.

But here I am, tangled in a knot of worry, cramping my style. What kind of wickedness could this gem dish out? Is it the soul-sucking type that can leave a girl feeling utterly unfabulous? And the big question: does someone have to give the go-ahead for it to vacuum up a soul, or does it work on some sick autopilot?

Then there's that sly little voice in my head—what if I’m the wild card?Adriansaid this thing's a personality amplifier—it could turn me into the diva of darkness or the saint of sunbeams. And let’s face it, if anyone could rock an unholy relic with a side of sass, it’s me. So, as my brain does the mental tango with a conga line of 'what-ifs,' I’ve got to wonder if each new thought is a door to disaster or just another walk-in closet waiting to reveal a universe of killer potential.

"Don’t even think about playing hot potato with that wicked pebble. Not until we've given that piece of gravel the full Sherlock Holmes treatment, complete with a magnifying glass and a pretentious-as-fuck deerstalker hat,"Luciansnaps sharply, his advice laced with his characteristic blunt wit.

"I agree, Little Huntress,"Erikfinally interjects, his voice cutting through the silence after what feels like an eternity. His rare contribution, stoic and measured, carries a weight of solemnity.

We approach a fork in the tunnel, the bracing wind playing with my hair—a harbinger of the open air nearby. I sense the tug, an almost magnetic draw from the stone, guiding me. Instinctively, I veer to the right. "This way," I assert, trusting in the strange compass I’ve become.

Our footsteps echo with a crisp crunch against the frost-laden ground, the tunnel walls glistening like crystalline glass yet as unyielding as rock-hard ice. Drawn by a morbid curiosity, I press my light against the clear barrier and peer through. A chilling tableau meets my eyes—figures' faces etched with ageless expressions of terror and sorrow, forever captured within their icy prison. I can’t help the gasp that escapes me, drawing the others to huddle around me for a closer look.

"These must be the Forest Fae,"Axilya’s voice breaks the heavy silence, a note of somber realization in her tone. “They disappeared centuries ago.”

I can't tear my gaze away from them—their wide, unblinking eyes revealing stories of fear and sadness. They're numerous, held captive by ice thicker than any vault door. Shaken, I manage to ask, "How? How did this happen?"

"When the realm split, it shattered the tranquility and equilibrium within this place. Thus, it earned the nameCrystal Peaks—a moniker born of the expansive frost that claimed this area and all who dwell here,"Axilyaexplains.

Axilya's deep knowledge sends ripples of intrigue through me. She’s a repository of ancient truths, by the looks of it. Yes, she's been here long before our time, but there's a depth in her understanding that hints at more than mere longevity. It asks what her place in this realm’s tapestry truly was before the schism that tore it apart. With histories stretching back eons, her experiences could be a key to untold secrets of the realm's past.

"Axilya, what exactly was your role before the realm fractured?" The words slip from my lips as if pushed by my ever-curious mind's volition.

My scientist's heart thrives on data and understanding, and here, in the presence of ancient mysteries and unanswered questions, the hunger for knowledge is all the more insistent.

Axilyagives a little theatrical shiver, not so much from the cold as for effect, and averts her gaze with a flourish of drama. "Shall we continue?" she suggests, her voice lilting with a hint of impatience. "I am rather chilled to the bone and would quite prefer to depart from this frosty gallery of the damned."

Her deflection from my probing question is almost as smooth as the ice encasing the Frozen Fae—almost.

Right, enough staring contests with the ice prisoners. With a dramatic flick of my hair, I pivot away from the eerie exhibit of frozen regrets, lead the charge through the icy labyrinth, and start our chilly trek. The ice tunnels? Zero trouble. Call it a lucky streak or just a boring hike, but it seems we're too cool for school—or at least too cool for cave drama.

Busting out from the sub-zero labyrinth, we crash-land into some enchanted tree party in the forest. These timber titans are so close together I half expect them to start doing the wave. The fog's been ditched, and now we've got this whimsical mist threading through the trees, giving off some severe fantasy vibes—as if we’ve stumbled onto the set of the next big-budget fairy tale flick. Who directed this place, Mother Nature or Spielberg?

My eyes scan the area, and then…there it is, a sight for sore eyes—just beyond the literal edge of our woody enclave stands the majesticCrystal Peaks. My smile broadens spontaneously, a little spark of triumph lighting up my face as I take in the sight.

"We made it," I announce with simple satisfaction.

The declaration holds more than words—it's a pat on the back for us all, a reminder that even the longest treks have their finish lines, and we just crossed one.

Rhyland

70

The Crystal Peaks loom up front, a goddamn jagged masterpiece shining like a hoard of diamonds under the relentless sun. Light refracts off their surfaces, casting prisms onto the frost-covered pines that shiver under winter's unyielding grip. The beauty of it almost steals my breath—if I were the kind of man to get lost in the scenery.

Dani strides next to me, her eyes blazing with fire and life. I catch the fierce resolve sparking inside her. That's my Angel—lighting up the damn way, it doesn't matter if she's sure where it's heading.

Her damn apologies nearly fucking gutted me back there in that cave, but she’s got no need to beg forgiveness for anything she does. Dani's got a mind of her own, always charging ahead, and I wouldn't have her any other way. I am curious about her so-called "angelic upgrade" and this Soul-Tie shit she spoke of with Adrian now.

I know she wasn't ready to spill the news right away, with all the chaos of her return, but I can't stop pondering the implications of my blood inside her. It keeps me connected to her, and I figured she'd always need a touch to keep her engine running. Now that she's almost immortal, she doesn't need my blood to keep her alive.

I'm not thrilled she brought Adrian along and gave this asshole another shot—it chafes my ass just thinking about it. But if it makes her happy to have him help in freeing her mother—I'm willing to swallow that bitter pill and let it ride… so long as she's prepared to pay for it in other ways. I'm happy to discipline my little Angel; she seems to enjoy the consequences.

Axilya glides through the snow like it's her ballroom, damn fae grace in every step. She draws close to Dani, her voice soft but carrying over the hushed whispers of the forest.

"Do you know where we're going, Danica? No one has ever reached this far into the Peaks," she asks, all regal and shit.

Dani shakes her head, her golden eyes fierce and determined. "I don't have a damn clue. Just following this pull inside me," She confesses, raking her hand through those chestnut waves. Her knuckles accidentally rap against the circlet atop her head, which thrums a response."What I do know is we're getting very close."

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