Chapter 36
Chapter Thirty-Six
“Quinn!” His voice sounded in the distance, coming from behind me. “Quinn, answer me!”
“Landon?” I shouted, and my voice echoed off the tunnel walls. Footsteps pounded on the stone floor behind me. “Landon, is that you?”
His footsteps grew closer. “Quinn!”
He came into view suddenly. Face stricken, hair wild, fear colored his expression as he ran straight for me.
I didn’t know why he’d come, but something was wrong.
My pulse skyrocketed, and I rushed forward to meet him. My first thoughts were of Gia.
“What’s wrong?” I threw myself into his open arms. “Oh god, Landon. What’s happened? Is Gia—”
“She’s fine,” he breathed, hands stroking my hair, my face, everywhere he could reach. “You’re alright.”
I pulled back, scanning him for a sign of what was wrong. “Of course, I am. What—Landon, what happened?”
He panted, tugging me into his chest as I stroked my hands over his back. “Gia found Kingston and me. She said you’d gone to the tunnels. We didn’t know if you’d figured out the last clue.”
“Of course, I did! I wouldn’t have come this far if I wasn’t—” I bit my lip. “Okay, fine. I totally wasn’t one-hundred percent sure, but I was pretty sure!”
He met my gaze, pride gleaming in his dark amber eyes. “You did. This is the right path. I couldn’t wait, not knowing.”
“I wanted to reach you guys before I came, but I heard something and I thought someone was coming, so I just went for it. I need to end this, Landon. I can do it.”
He kissed me as if absorbing the fierce expression he’d seen on my face. “I knew you could do it. I’m not leaving you, but I won’t help. You keep going and I’ll be right beside you.”
I nodded, smoothing the crumpled schedule I’d clutched in my fist. Looking down the path ahead, I retraced the turns I’d made, and I kept going. Landon didn’t leave my side, silently there as support as I went toward the end.
Relief bloomed in my chest. Spreading through my limbs, it filtered into my cheeks with joy.
I’d figured it out. I’d solved it.
Emotion lodged in my throat as I pushed forward.
Landon took my hand and squeezed it. “He would’ve been incredibly proud of you, Maiden.”
Giving him a watery smile, my voice tight as I nodded. “Thanks, Buns. I think so, too.”
He wiped a tear that slipped down my cheek and bowed his head for me to keep going. Turn after turn, he followed me through the dark.
As I reached the last one, a pool came into view up ahead with paths on both sides. I glanced at Landon, even knowing he couldn’t help me.
But when our eyes met, which path to choose became the least of our concerns. A loud whoosh flew past my ears. My hair whipped around my head.
Water rushed in, covering our feet and sloshing against the sides of the tunnel.
“Landon?”
He didn’t say anything.
“Landon, what’s going on?” Panic crept into my voice at his silence. “Why is this—?”
He stared at the water as it pooled over our shoes, confusion pressing in on us both. The only thing growing stronger than it was fear. Because if Dozmary Cavern returned to its natural state, it became what it had been in the legends.
Not just the final resting place of Excalibur.
Home to the Lady in the Lake.
Dozmary Pool.
“The tunnels are going to flood,” I whispered, eyes wide when he finally met my stare. “We’re trapped.”
He nodded.
But I didn’t understand. “I solved the clues. Figured out the secret. Landon, I took the right path. Why?”
I didn’t know if it had been Morty, Vivian, or a larger threat who never intended to let me succeed, even if I solved it. What had led to the flood didn’t matter, though.
My heart beat out an erratic rhythm, racing faster as Landon took my hand.
I searched his gaze for answers, but found none. Only his intention to save us—steadfast and sure.
He laced our fingers together and brought them to his mouth. “Hold onto me. No matter what happens, okay?” With a soft kiss on my knuckles, he nodded. “You can do this, too.”
“Landon…” I stared between him and the tunnel, the darkness behind us nothing compared to the inky black water below. “I can’t.”
For one fraction of a second, his mask of bravery cracked.
Cupping my face with his free hand, he gripped me like our lives depended on it.
“We don’t have a choice. Water will flood the tunnels.
It’ll be impossible to get through if we don’t go now.
You can do it. You’re relentless, Quinn. I know you can.”
“But—”
“That water is coming. When it rises high enough, it’ll be too late. We won’t be able to find our way out on the other side. Deep breath. Do it now.”
He pulled in a breath with me.
“That’s it. Another.”
I drew in a shaky breath.
“Good girl. Now, you don’t let me go, and you keep swimming until we reach the surface, alright?” He pressed his forehead to mine. “We’re going to make it.”
Swallowing down as much fear as I could, I nodded. I clutched his hand so tightly, my nails dug into his skin.
But I wouldn’t let go.
“One…Two…Three!”
We jumped, diving into the black water. Cold pierced me from all sides. I froze in shock. I didn’t kick. I didn’t swim. I couldn’t think as my body sank.
Paralyzed by fear, I succumbed to the cold.
Landon pulled me out of it.
As he swam, he pulled me forward. Towing me along. Leading me until my brain caught up.
Pitch black water surrounded us. I couldn’t see anything, but I kicked with him. Paddling with one arm, I kept the other clenched tightly around his. I surged forward only because he wouldn’t leave me behind.
As we fought through the dark, I waited for a sign of light.
Any hope the surface was coming.
But there was nothing.
Panic spiked the longer we swam. My lungs burned for air. It was running out. We were running out of time.
Landon stopped, tugged me toward him, and found my face with his hand. He sealed his lips over mine, pushing air into my lungs. Lingering just for a second before he pulled back and kept moving.
Terror lanced my chest.
That kiss.
The way his fingers gripped my hair, the way he squeezed—it felt like the last one. The one you give someone you love when you might be out of chances.
No.
I kicked harder.
No. I hadn’t even told him yet. I hadn’t told any of them.
My legs burned. My arms stiffened, but I forced myself to keep moving.
I refused to die like this. I refused to die when I’d come so far. Not now. Not when I’d wanted to be done before. When I’d almost given up after my dad—I refused to accept it.
There was no fucking way my life ended here.
As soon as I had that thought, a streak of light appeared in the darkness.
Landon kicked harder, propelling us toward the surface.
My lungs seized, but I could finally see, and I wished I hadn’t been able to.
Because there, beneath the water, I saw her.
Trapped, blonde hair swirling around her face like a halo, her eyes closed like she was sleeping.
I yanked Landon’s hand, pointing.
He saw her, too. But he kept pulling me to the surface. When I tugged harder, trying to get him to stop, he kept going.
Maybe I hated her. Maybe she didn’t deserve our help.
But we couldn’t just leave her.
Black spots appeared at the edges of my vision.
Cold, hard truth turned my veins to ice.
We couldn’t save her if we died first, and I needed air so badly my mouth opened in a silent scream, preparing to breathe in even if it killed me.
I nearly surrendered to the darkness, but Landon squeezed my hand, urging me to hold on.
So, I kept my hand in his.
And I didn’t let go.
Our heads crashed through the surface.
I gasped, gulping in a huge breath. Coughing, I inhaled again as Landon pulled me to a ledge. I collapsed on my hands and knees with him panting beside me. He rubbed my back and made sure I could breathe, his hands shaking as forcefully as my body shivered.
“You have to pull the sword.”
My voice trembled. “But Elaine—”
“I’m going back for her.” He cupped my cheek. “But you have to keep going. You have to get the sword.”
“No.” I shook my head, my whole body shaking. “No. No, Landon, I want to go with you. You said not to let go. We have to stay together.”
“We can’t. Not for this part. And I can’t—”
He stared at the water we’d just escaped. I followed his gaze, clutching his hand in mine. Terrified of the moment he’d break us apart.
Tortured, anguished eyes met mine. “I can’t leave her. If there’s a chance…”
“Let me come with you!” I dragged in air, my chest heaving as I stared between him and the water while he took long, deep breaths. Steady. Like he always was. “What if you need help? We can get her together. Please.”
He took my face in his hands again, capturing my lips in another kiss laced with the taste of goodbye. “I promise I’ll come back to you.”
I shook my head adamantly. “Landon, no—”
“Trust, Maiden.”
My eyes flew to his.
He flashed me a heartbreaking smile. “I’m asking for your trust.”
Tears blurred my vision as he kissed me one more time.
“Get the sword. End this.”
And before I could stop him, he let me go.
“No!” I screamed as he dove into the water. “Landon!”
I fell to the ground, my knees scraping against the stone. Crawling to the edge, I searched for him in the water. He wasn’t there. I couldn’t see him.
But light glinted on my palm. I dragged my gaze away from the water and looked up.
The sword.
He told me to get the sword.
I didn’t want to leave him. But my Knight had ordered it, and I submitted to him. Trusting him.
Pushing to my feet, I faced the jagged stone wall leading up to the sword. I found a hold and began to climb. Slipping as my hands trembled with fear, I gripped tighter.
Exhaustion clawed at me. It tried to force me down, but I had to keep going.
I had to get the sword.
I had to end this.
At the top of the rock wall, I came face to face with Excalibur.
With a glance back to where Landon had disappeared, I waited as I took a deep breath. Fear rose when he didn’t break through the surface.
But I pushed to my feet.