Page 110 of The Scars Within
Shayde helped me sit up, and I coughed repeatedly until I could finally catch my breath. He was scanning the area frantically, his eyes darting around for any sign of danger. I looked up at Davis, who was perched on the original path about fifteen feet above us. From what I could tell, our cavern had collapsed into a lower chamber within the mountain. But if there is an exit, it has been completely blocked by the debris.
I could feel Lakota’s unwavering fear radiating through our bond.
I started to twirl my hand to see if my air element was working fully yet, but Shayde stopped me. “No, catch your breath first. Gain your strength. Davis, go get help. And hurry!” He urgently called up to Davis.
“I really don’t want to leave you down there. It’s freezing in here,” Davis stuttered.
“Then tell Drithan and Lakota to rush back to Mageia for help! We can’t climb out of here!” Shayde yelled, frustration bubbling beneath his calm demeanor.
With a reluctant nod, Davis finally left, and the floating dust began to settle. I cleared my throat, grateful to breathe a little more smoothly.
“Are you okay?” Shayde asked, his eyes scanning the dimly lit cavern.
“I’m fine. But who the hell were they?” I rasped, still shaken by the encounter.
Shayde stood up, pacing around the cramped space as he processed the events. “I spotted the Tyrian crest on the pommel of one of their daggers. But that doesn’t explain why they were this far below the Barrens.”
“Where did you learn to fight like that?” I pressed.
“That’s none of your business, Thorne,” Shayde snapped, and I was immediately reminded of the cold shoulder treatment he has given me since the Burn Trials.
Shayde was trying—and failing—to summon fire. I mirrored his motion, but the result was the same. All we managed to conjure was a single flickering flame each, so small it barely gave off any heat, let alone the warmth we needed. I stood up, gripping the cavern wall for support, and tried to channel air to lift myself. My heels barely left the ground, hovering for just a moment before I stumbled back down.
I lowered myself to the ground and scooted backward until I could lean against the stone wall, tucking my legs close to my chest. Within five minutes of being trapped down here, I was already shaking from the biting cold. If Drithan and Lakota hurried, they should make it back toMageia in a couple of hours, but then we’d still have to wait for help to return. My mind drifted to Laney and Pehper.
Ew, I must have hit my head hard to be worrying about Pehper. They have no idea what is going on, and I could only imagine how frantic they would be once the sun began to set and we hadn’t returned.
“Drithan’s rushing back to Mageia, but Lakota refuses to leave,” Davis called down from above. “How are you two holding up?”
Shayde and I exchanged deadpan looks, then glanced up at him.
“Got it. I’ll shut up,” Davis muttered, clicking his tongue before disappearing from view. From the sound of his footsteps, he was leaning against the wall up top, tapping his boot on the ground.
Maybe an hour had passed; I had lost track of time—and the feeling in my toes. Shayde finally gave up on searching for a way out and plopped down on the opposite side of our awkward-as-fuck space.
I lay sideways on the dirt, feeling the least bit of warmth from it. Tucking my body in as tight as I could, I attempted to summon a flame repeatedly, but nothing would hold. I had left my bag, along with our flint, tied to Lakota’s saddle.
“Are you okay?” Shayde asked softly.
I ignored the asshole.
He waited five minutes.
“Scarlet? Are you okay?” he asked again.
I still didn’t respond, standing my ground.
Figuratively speaking, of course.
But as my stubbornness faded and the reality of our situation sank in, my heart began to race. I wasn’t just trapped in a collapsed cavern with Shayde; I was lying on the filthy floor of Rock Bottom.
I was freezing, the numbness in my limbs the only relief from the biting cold. I could hear the clank of iron shackles as my body shook uncontrollably.
Then, warmth enveloped me. I opened my eyes to see Shayde draping his winter cloak over my curled-up form. He pulled the hood down to shield my face, and our eyes locked.
For the first time since I met him, his deep brown eyes held no warmth—only raw vulnerability. Something was eating at him; he had told Laney as much. Seeing the boy who once overflowed with joy and laughter now hollow and withdrawn twisted a knife in my chest.
“Thank you,” I whispered, watching my breath fog in the frigid air.
