Chapter One
MERRICK - NOW
DAY ONE
Pain scorched through my nose, flooding my sinuses as water shot up my nostrils from the sudden plunge into the bitter ocean.
I didn’t have enough time to contemplate what had happened, only enough to register that something had caused Dani’s magic to fail, and we had all been dropped into the unforgiving sea.
My arm had been wrapped around Era, and blessedly, it still was. I struggled to yank us both to the surface, my head pounding with every passing second without oxygen. But what kept my adrenaline flowing was not only the fear of losing my own life, but the life of the woman in my grasp.
Closer and closer I got, until finally, my head resurfaced. I sucked in the deepest breath conceivable, jerking Era above the waterline with me. She, too, gasped, choking on the water that had entered her lungs.
“Are you okay?!” I panicked, searching her face as she got her bearings.
“Yes, I think so!” she shouted over the sound of crashing waves, her brown eyes widening as she took in our surroundings while swimming in place. “What the hell happened? Where is everyone?!”
My eyes darted in every direction, but not a single one of our friends swam in the undulating water around us. Up ahead, the island loomed, and dread consumed me when I realized no one stood there, either.
“Let’s get to shore, then we’ll figure everything out!” I assessed her once more, taking note of her trembling figure. “Are you okay to swim?”
She nodded rapidly. “Yes.”
“Good.” I gestured toward the island. “I’ll follow you.”
Her brows drew together as she peered off into the distance. “I don’t see anything.”
I swore, remembering that the land hides itself from humans. “Hold my hand,” I told her, and her nervous eyes found mine. “We’ll swim together. They have to let us both in.”
“Are you sure?” she sputtered, barely keeping her head above the surface as waves crashed into us. “What if you disappear too?”
I reached for her, squeezing her hand in promise. “If at any point your hand isn’t in mine, I will turn around. I swear.”
She bit her lip as she gave me a nod, and as we laced our fingers, we swam toward Nereida.
The tide was strong, but we kept a steady pace—even with our weapons threatening to weigh us down. Though I desperately wished to reach land as quickly as possible, losing Era was by far a bigger fear.
“You’re doing great,” I encouraged as we swam closer. Era shot me a quick smile, her hand squeezing mine. My focus lifted toward the sky at the sound of roaring thunder, the atmosphere above darkening slowly as a storm began to brew. “Let’s try to get out of here before lightning strikes.”
“You sure it’s up ahead?” Her voice wobbled, her gaze still searching for the mysterious island as we moved our arms through the water.
“It fucking better be,” I answered, not even considering the possibility that it could all be an illusion.
But all doubt washed away the moment my palms sank into the wet sand of the land before me.
Era cried out in joy when she, too, reached ground, her smile wide and her gasp incredulous as she took in the surroundings.
We were panting, fatigued, but relieved to have made it. But only seconds passed before our smiles vanished.
Rattled, I stood, desperately searching for someone. Anyone. I cupped my hands around my mouth and shouted, “ELOWEN!” only to be met with the sound of the waves colliding with the shore. “TORRIN?!”
Fuck! Where did they go?!
I spun around, scanning the island. I hadn’t taken in the details of this place—couldn’t have, not from the water. Stretched before us, several feet ahead, was nothing but beige sedimentary rock. It was so massive that it extended to the shoreline on both sides.
I finally drew a bracing breath, accepting what we had to do as I steadied my gaze on the cavern opening.
“Absolutely not,” Era protested as she followed my line of sight. “I am not exploring some dark cave!”
But we both knew we had no choice. The formation was too smooth to climb, not like I’d have considered that option, anyway.
“We swim,” she continued, and as if the Gods were listening, lightning struck a few miles east. Era jumped at the sound, stumbling toward me just as rain began to fall.
“We need shelter,” I said carefully, and Era let out a whimper. “I’m not saying a full-blown expedition. But let’s at least wait out the storm.”
Worry etched faint lines across her forehead as she assessed the dark opening. She didn’t look at me as she grasped my hand, gripping it tightly.
My cheeks heated from her touch, and we started toward the cavern. I shivered, my soaked clothes and hair cooling me as the wild wind beat against us. The air was neither hot nor cool, but heavy and humid.
We were going to need a fire tonight. And I didn’t know how to make one.
As we carefully crept inside the cave’s opening, I exhaled, pleased that at least a little bit of light filtered through various openings.
The rain pelting from above pattered softly as it slid through the gaps and landed on the cavern’s floor, echoing throughout the open space.
As I studied my surroundings, I realized I had no idea just how large the interior was, nor what creatures might be inhabiting it.
No idea if it was safe in here.
Era squeezed my hand again. “What are you thinking about?” she asked softly, pulling me back to reality.
I tried my best to give her a reassuring smile, but it came naturally at the sight of her beautiful face. “Nothing. Well, I was thinking we should explore before it gets dark. Make sure it’s alright for us to be in here.”
Era’s face paled. “W-well you’ll be able to give us some light, right? With your magic.”
I nodded. “Yes, but mage light won’t offer us any heat, and I don’t know how to make fire.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “Magically or otherwise.”
Her lips pulled to the side. “Well, luckily for you, I happen to know how.” She squinted, scanning the cave. “Problem is, we need tinder and an ignition source.”
I watched in awe as Era strutted around the space, grabbing various rocks and examining them thoroughly. “What are you looking for?”
She gestured with a grey stone. “Flint.” Her attention danced around the cavern walls, her fingertips brushing over the formations. “And…iron pyrite could work. It’s not ideal, but it can be found in formations like this.”
“Look at you,” I praised. “So knowledgeable.”
She gave me a shy smile over her shoulder. “Turns out I can teach you a thing or two.”
My pulse quickened at her suggestive tone. “I never doubted that,” I murmured, heat coursing through my body as my mind went to depraved places.
I wasn’t actively reading Era, but I knew my comment aroused her by the flickering of her eyelids, by the soft exhale that escaped her lips. She cleared her throat and continued examining the walls.
I stood by uselessly as thunder roared outside. Goosebumps spread across my skin, not only from the vibrations rumbling above but from my proximity to Erabella. From the knowledge that she and I were all alone.
Memories flashed in my mind, and it took a significant effort to keep my length from hardening as I recalled the sensation of her tongue against mine, the feel of her hands running through my hair.
Nothing had felt more right than her body flush with mine as I had her pressed against that door. I knew she was ashamed, betraying her husband in such a way. But did she also feel that undeniable pull, that intense desperation for more? For me?
I was too scared to read her after our fight in Faltrun. I had slammed my lips against hers and then proceeded to voice my thoughts about her broken marriage. Even though I knew she was in a vulnerable, guilt-ridden state, my anger and frustration dominated my empathy.
I hated how often that happened.
“Ah-hah!” she exclaimed, pointing at a sparkling rock in the formation. “Here.”
I crossed my arms as I moved closer. “Uh…how are we supposed to get that out?”
Era pulled her lips to the side, eyes to the ceiling in contemplation. She gave me an uncertain wince and shrugged. “Ice pickaxe?”
My eyebrows raised. “That…could work.”
Regular ice would undoubtedly shatter against stone. But imbued with my magic? That could be sturdy enough.
I strolled up beside her and concentrated on my palm. My jaw clicked, my brows drawing together as I willed my magic to obey.
Era watched in astonishment as a pickaxe made of ice materialized before her. “Incredible,” she whispered.
The handle of the tool was freezing in my hand, turning my skin bright red. But if there was one thing I’d grown accustomed to in my life, it was the cold.
Era stepped out of the way, and I fixated on the cubic crystals embedded in the stone. Drawing my arm back, I swung, the tip of the pickaxe making a loud clank before the tip shattered off.
I grunted, repairing the magical tip before swinging again. And again.
I repeated the process several times, and I couldn’t tell if the beading on my skin was sweat or ocean water still dripping from my hair.
One final swing, and a chunk of iron pyrite came loose. Era retrieved it with haste, and I wiped my forehead, letting the axe melt away. “Good?” I panted.
“Perfect.” She lifted her eyes to mine. “You’re incredible.”
My heart fluttered, and I didn’t have time to respond before Era’s eyes widened at the sight of my hands. “Merrick! Your poor hands!”
I glanced down at my palms, raw and red from the ice. I knew that as they warmed, blisters would form. “It’s alright.” I gave her a half smile, and my hands began glowing gold. “I can heal them.”
I pressed my hands together, my palms heating as they mended my wounds. Era sighed in relief. “Right…how could I forget?”
I eyed the shiny material in her grasp as she rotated it. “That looks like gold, almost.”
“Well, it is called fool’s gold.” Her gaze lifted mischievously.
I bit back my grin. “Are you calling me a fool, Princess?”