Chapter 15
Chapter fifteen
The Geode
Iwhip around to find Caius with his arms crossed, leaning against a pillar, his gaze so heated I feel my flesh may catch fire.
“Yes,” Rui answers, squaring up at my side. “But I think you already knew that.”
Caius flashes a dangerous grin, all teeth and no mirth as he uncrosses his arms and covers the distance between us in three quick strides. “I thought the temple was open to all.”
“It is,” Rui concedes, but his tone is as hard as the glare he gives Caius.
“Right, well, if you’re finished, we have our own matters to discuss,” Caius says dismissively.
Rui gives me a look that asks if this is what I want. It’s not. The break from Caius’ constant hovering has been a breath of fresh air, but I know better than to push him on this matter. Caius will make trouble for all of us if I don’t go with him.
“It’s fine,” I mumble and watch as disappointment flashes in Rui’s eyes before he straightens his posture.
“Of course. I will see you both at the last meal.” He gives a pointed look at Caius.
Caius grins. “I am afraid we will have to decline tonight.”
Rui sets his jaw. “Very well,” then he turns to me. “I will see you tomorrow, then?”
“Have we not seen all of the aqua system?” My gut twists as I realize I no longer have an easy excuse to see him. We have already taken far longer than is necessary to inspect the Tǎnkaski waterways.
“Our deal was I’d show you the aqua system if then we got to do something fun.” He smiles.
“Wasn’t this the fun part?” I ask, gesturing to the room filled with treasures beyond anything I have ever seen before.
Rui shakes his head. “This was just a detour.”
I can feel the malice coming off Caius in waves, but lucky for us all, Rui leaves before Caius can make things any worse.
This man is infuriating! I pin Caius with a heated stare of my own.
Doesn’t he know he is not the captain of the guard here?
Here we are guests, and ones that need to lie low or risk failing our quest before it has even truly begun.
While I hope Caius chafes and burns under the ire of my stare, he only returns it with one of his own.
“Was that really necessary?” I grit through my teeth.
Caius eliminates the space between us, pressing so close our noses nearly touch. “Yes.” He growls.
I let out an exasperated breath and storm toward the stairs. I need air, space, anything that gets me out of the oppressive cloud of Caius’ anger, so thick I fear I might choke on it, or perhaps I will choke him.
I hurry down the steps; I know without looking that Caius follows me, my own personal shadow. Gods, I never asked for two. How do I get rid of him?
I duck my head as I weave through the bustling main floor, hoping to avoid Grand Master Li and any embarrassment Caius is sure to cause if Rui’s grandmother stops our exit.
The phase panels overhead have dimmed from the bright of day to a rose gold color that will soon fade to violet, signaling the start of the Sky City’s second cycle. My shoulders ease now that we are alone. At least Caius won’t be able to make a scene.
I grasp the thick rope rails of the bridge, leading back to the city center, closing my eyes and imagining the back of that magnificent dragon. Before I can take a step, Caius wraps a callused palm over my hand, and I quickly jerk it away, spinning to stare at him.
“I don’t need your help, Caius.” A pang of regret hits hard when I see hurt flash in his eyes.
It’s there only for a moment, then gone.
Caius is ever the good soldier, sculpted from stone inside and out.
I turn away from him and move quickly over the swaying planks.
I don’t have time to center my thoughts, but that feeling of safety and freedom from before remains.
Before I can fully register what I’ve done, I’m across the endless bridge and back in the city proper. My heart races, but this time it’s from exhilaration instead of fear. A wide smile spreads across my face, and without thinking, I turn to find Caius. He studies me, his eyes soft.
“Huh,” he says.
My smile falls. “Huh?”
“You weren’t afraid.”
I shake my head. “No, I wasn’t.”
Caius considers a moment. “Good.” He brushes past me, then calls out over his shoulder. “Come on, I have a surprise for you.”
I clench my hands into fists and consider swinging one at Caius.
“I wouldn’t.” He says without looking, fanning the flames of my anger with his casual indifference. “I only give surprises to good girls.” Now he turns and gives me that half-grin of his.
“Gross. In that case, I’ll be in my room.” I turn to take the next bridge back to our lodgings. Caius darts in front of me, blocking the walkway.
“I’m sorry, okay?”
Shock freezes me in place, and I can’t help but stare at him. Who is this man? Caius Amarala doesn’t apologize. Caius is the mountain, the immovable boulder, the timeless cavern; he does not bend or break or apologize. I fold my arms, ready to test where our new boundaries are.
“What are you sorry for?”
Darkness flashes in Caius’ eyes. “I am not sorry that I interrupted you when I did…”
I hold my stare.
Caius pushes out a breath and runs a hand through the strands of his dark hair, mussing them further. “I’m sorry that I upset you.”
I arch a brow.
“And will you please just come with me? I have something I want to show you.”
It’s more than I would have thought him capable of, and I have already pushed him further than I ever thought he would bend.
I let the seconds stretch out a little longer before I relax and gesture for him to lead the way.
He gives me one of his half-grins and gods help me, it’s hard to stay mad at him when he does that.
When we come to the first bridge crossing, Caius pauses, turning to look at me, and I’m surprised at the emotion I see in those tumultuous green eyes.
They swirl and churn with uncertainty. I glance down to see his fingers twitch at his side, and I can’t help but think Caius liked guiding me through the city, being there for me when I was paralyzed with fear.
My stomach knots, unsure of how I feel about this revelation.
Finally, Caius turns to the bridge and leads the way.
He walks slowly, and I notice he keeps his head tilted to the side, tracking me from the corner of his eye.
Nausea rolls through my gut with the swaying of the bridge.
I take a sharp inhale through my nose, needing to focus on the feeling of power I had before.
Once I lock onto the vision in my mind, my stomach settles, and I keep pace with Caius.
We cross three more bridges, and while Caius picks up the pace with each, he still keeps me in his periphery.
The last bridge we cross takes us to a ledge with a tunnel at the back of the canyon.
“Caius, where are you taking us?”
“Shhh, it’s a surprise.”
I roll my eyes but follow as Caius leads us into the branching tunnels beyond the main cavern.
The tunnels twist and turn, the route so convoluted I lose track of where we are in the cave system.
The phase panels end and fade into the distance.
Darkness shrouds the tunnel ahead of us, and my pulse thumps in my ears.
Caius scrambles up the rock face just two meters up and disappears into the darkness.
“Caius?” I call.
I can barely make out his dark hair and tanned skin as he sticks his head back out and lowers a hand to me.
“Come on.”
This man will be the death of me. I push out a long breath, then bat his hand away, easily traversing the wall to stand at his side.
“Caius, I swear—”
“Do you trust me?” His cocky facade melts away with the question.
My stomach twists. Do I trust him? Even as I long to, I can’t…How could I?
“I know I haven’t earned it. But I will. Give me a chance, and I will.”
My chest tightens. Why did I follow Caius into the dark?
Because he is just as broken as you are.
My eyes prick with the realization. He doesn’t look at me like I’m broken.
He doesn’t treat me like an outcast or a traitor.
Caius treats me with the same gruff manner that he treats his own sister.
It’s been nice to feel seen…against my better judgment, I nod.
I don’t trust my voice, but it’s enough for him.
Caius slides his hand into mine and leads me forward into an all-consuming darkness.
I wonder for a moment if I still exist. Am I still me, so swathed in shadows that there is nothing left?
And then I feel that cool, calm presence, the one that watches over me from the darkest parts of The Below, and while I know I should fear it, I feel nothing but safe.
Caius stops. I can’t see him. But I can feel him, so close his breath skates over my skin. He places my hand on his chest before he lets go, as if he is letting me know he hasn’t left. I hear the rustling of fabric before Caius speaks.
“Close your eyes.” His breath tickles my neck.
“It’s darker than a moonless night in here, Caius—”
“Close your eyes.” He’s even closer now, his lips brushing over the shell of my ear.
My stomach turns molten, and here in the dark where no one can see us, where I can pretend that he isn’t Caius Amarala and I am not Oliviana Lux, I let myself truly feel what he could mean to me if he were just a boy and I was just a girl.
I pinch my eyes tighter against the tears that gather there, grateful he cannot see me.
“Tell me, what is the most beautiful thing you have ever seen?” His lips still hover just above my skin. I give in to the fantasy, closing the last of the distance between us as I lean into him.
“The open night sky, brilliant with stars, framed by tree boughs, the three moons chasing each other across the stardust road.”
Caius hums his approval. “Now open your eyes.” He takes a small step back. I bite my lips to quiet my protest as I follow his instruction and the world stops.