Page 56 of Reign of Light
Scrambling to my feet, I fling the blanket to the side and start off toward the stone steps across the beach. Jorn is still animatedly telling a story, and everyone is watching intently, including the Voyagers, who seem to be recovering from the disappointment well. Sitting amongst everyone, they actually look like part of the crew, and it feels like a relief knowing that we could all get along peacefully here.
I peek past lounging bodies to check on Fin and Roley, both already fast asleep on a blanket, the late night and day full of excitement finally having caught up to them.
Just as I’m about to pass the last set of blankets, someone grabs my forearm and tugs me to a stop.
“Where are you going?” Stassia asks.
Shit. She’s using up my time.
I try not to look like I’m eager to leave, but I want to win, and getting caught up with Stassia will not help that.
“Just tired. Gonna head back,” I say vaguely.
She shoots me a knowing look. “Sure you are. Have fun. We’ll wish Captain goodnight when he gets tired in a few minutes, too.” She releases me, and I purse my lips, trying to hide my smile.
“You’re a good friend, Stass.”
“Yeah, yeah,” she says, shooing me away with her fingers. “A jealous one. But a good one. Now go.” Auralie giggles beside her as they both turn back toward Jorn, who has now pulled Taril up in front of the group and is using him to act something out.
Resting my chin on my shoulder, I flick my gaze back toward the blanket, hoping Weston is distracted by the story.
He’s not.
He hasn’t moved, hasn’t started his Captain duties, and instead sits with his eyes fixed on me. My cheeks heat at the sly smile playing on his lips and the challenge in his gaze. He cocks his head to the side and lifts a single eyebrow, and I turn away quickly as a giddy flame flickers to life inside of me.
I want to win. I won the first bet, and purposely lost the second, but this time, there’s nothing specific at stake, and I might need to save this prize for a time when I need it.
Now that I know he’s watching me, I need him to think I’m taking the long way through the island, not through the tunnels. We still haven’t shown them to the Voyagers yet, so I don’t want to go through them anywhere I could be seen. Laughter echoes behind me as I climb the steps quickly. I need to move fast, because I don’t know how much of a head start he’s going to give me, especially after I already got stopped by Stassia. I can’t risk looking back to see if he’s following, so I keep my head down and hurry along the path. Hooking a right, I head toward the ship, and I’ve barely taken a few steps when I get an idea.
The mist from the falls is chilling on the already cool night as I cross over the bridge. Darkness makes crossing significantly more difficult than in daylight, and I don’t have Weston holding my hand andleading me across the slick rock to make sure I don’t fall. If I do plunge into the depths, this time, no one will know where I am.
You won’t fall.
My heart pounds in my ears as I try to take it slow, but move fast enough that Weston doesn’t catch me. I swing my leg over the side, lowering myself down boulder by boulder until I find the right one. Water splashes, soaking my clothes as I slide behind the cascading water and into the dark cave behind it. Hopefully now that I’m a Castaway, the island will let me open the door at the back that Weston snuck through both times we were in this cave. The tunnels will help me cut through the fast way and beat him back to the ship, and if I’m lucky, he takes my bait and tries to follow me the long way.
The moonlight barely touches the space through the thick wall of water that covers the entrance, and the darkness is overwhelming. I’ve been here before. I know where to go. But as I step further into the darkness, I hesitate.
I’ve never been afraid of the dark. Growing up in a kingdom without true sunlight will do that. I lived in a cold and dark castle my entire life, but this time the darkness gives me pause. It’s not the darkness I’m afraid of. It’s the island. Even though I found the healing waters once before, this is still a location where dangers lurk to keep it protected. The island could change at any time, and the thought causes a flicker of fear inside me.
Spinning back toward the waterfall, I focus on the bit of light that I can, contemplating whether I should go back through and abandon my plan.
There’s nothing to be afraid of. The island won’t hurt you now.
I take a tentative step backward, retreating from the crashing water, when my back presses into something, something that wasn’t there in the darkness seconds ago. A scream rips through my throat. The sound resonates off the stone walls and rings in my ears, as a hand wraps around my mouth, stifling the noise. Panic rises in my chest asflashes of Dane’s furious face from the night in the cabin flicker before my eyes. I immediately reach for my waistband, trying to grab my dagger, but a strong hand grips my wrist and holds firm. Our arms around my waist, tugging me backward until I am pressed into the hard planes of a body.
“Were you trying to let me win?”
The soothing voice grumbles in my ear, and relief floods through me.
Weston. Not Dane.
I’m safe.
He releases my mouth and wrist, his arms instead circling my waist and pulling me into his warm embrace. I drop my head back onto his chest, settling against him, and let my tense limbs relax, then think better of it and jerk my elbow into his abdomen.
He lets out a huff followed by an amused laugh.
“You scared me, asshole! I almost pulled my dagger on you.”
