Chapter 20
My bones shook so violently they were going to rattle right out of my skin.
The words winter tundra did not do Eroth justice.
Despite the lava on the volcanoes surrounding the valley, the ground was rock hard from the bitter cold.
Ice crunched beneath my heavy footfalls, and even though there was no snow in this valley, it felt like I was sloughing through feet of it.
It was a huge effort trying to muster the strength to lift my legs over and over.
It was the kind of cold that seeped every bit of energy from your muscles until there was no feeling left at all.
I wasn’t sure how long it had been since we left the castle—it had to have been hours—but I still didn’t understand how the moons worked, so I had no way of knowing exactly how long it had been.
Rhydian and his unhelpful attitude led the way, carefully guiding us toward the tallest mountain near the end of the valley.
It shouldn’t have surprised me to find out it was the largest one.
After all, why wouldn’t it be? Breaking a curse wasn’t supposed to be easy.
The air clouded as I exhaled a shivering breath, forcing my feet forward. Even with the thick leggings and socks, giant boots, and the heaviest coat I’d ever worn, I still couldn’t stop shaking.
“Is it always this cold?” I asked.
“It’s always been cold, but not quite like this. Each year seems to get a bit worse, but with the Magmara so close to withering now, every day it gets a little colder too. You can thank the curse for that,” he threw over his shoulder.
Why would anyone choose to live here? At least back home the sun came out from time to time to make it slightly less miserable, but here it was only those unmoving moons casting just enough light to see by.
“How am I supposed to climb a volcano in the dark?” I muttered, though with how far ahead Rhydian was, I doubted he heard me.
But then he smirked over his shoulder. “You’ll get used to it.”
So very helpful, thank you.
“I think you’re forgetting I’m a human,” I retorted.
“Oh, I haven’t forgotten,” he replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. His pace slowed the tiniest amount, allowing my tired legs to catch up to him for the time being. At least until he got annoyed by my slowness and rushed ahead again.
Rhydian showed no indication of being freezing like I was, other than that the tip of his nose was the tiniest bit red. Was he simply used to living in these conditions? Or did the Fae have some sort of immunity to the cold?
The crunching of our boots and the quiet whoosh of our breaths as we trudged on filled the silence that settled between us. Even if we wanted to talk, it was far too cold, and it was better to save our energy for the climb ahead.
How on earth was I ever going to climb a volcano? Would it be like a really steep hike? Or would I literally be trying to find handholds and footholds, rock-climbing style?
And then there was the matter of the lava. I peered side to side uneasily.
The Scorching Rivers surrounded us in every direction, but as promised, Rhydian kept them away, using his magic whenever the lava strayed too close.
He had claimed that they had a mind of their own, but how could lava be sentient? But what point would there be to lie about that? It wasn’t like I was going to willingly go near something that could kill me.
I didn’t miss the irony of those words as I picked up the pace to be closer to Rhydian after the lava suddenly oozed quicker in my direction.
Though I never thought I’d say the words “I was thankful for Rhydian,” honestly, right now I was very thankful for him. Without his smug-faced, magic-wielding body leading me through the valley toward my doom, I would have already died—probably the moment I left the castle grounds.
“Don’t worry,” Rhydian said, pulling me from my thoughts. He was watching me, the tiniest curl to his lips giving away his amusement. “I won’t let the scary lava get you.”
I was about to open my mouth to ask if he was sure about that when my clunky boot hit a rock I couldn’t see in the dark and I went flying forward.
I braced for impact—maybe even death if the lava moved fast enough—but before I could make contact with the ground, strong hands snatched me around the waist, halting my downfall.
“Clumsy, are we?” Rhydian crooned, warm breath tickling against my skin.
Heat smothered my face, and for once, I was thankful for the dark. “I’m trying to walk outside in the dark in boots that are too big! Of course I’m clumsy.”
Rhydian’s laugh was a soft huff in my ear, and I fervently tried to squash the thought that I liked the sound of it, and the resulting flutter in my stomach.
At least he couldn’t hear that thought. Hopefully he couldn’t feel it either.
“You can let go of me now,” I snapped, noting how warm his hands were even through the thick coat I was wearing. A part of me—a very, very small part—wanted him to continue holding me just because the sudden warmth his body was giving me was delicious and life-giving.
And that’s the only reason.
“You’re welcome for saving you,” he chided before releasing his hold on me.
I bit my tongue to keep from asking him to continue holding me so I could warm up a little.
Rhydian waved a hand forward, gesturing for me to go on ahead.
“Why don’t you lead the way?” I asked. “You were doing such a good job already. Easier to forget a human is behind you when you keep miles ahead.” I hoped he could hear the snarkiness in my tone.
Rhydian shoved his hands into his pockets. “My apologies for making sure nothing stalked the path ahead before you stumbled upon it with your clumsy feet.” His lips tilted up into a half-smile, and for a second, it was like I was spellbound. I couldn’t look away.
Stop it, Maren. So what if he’s attractive when he smiles? He’s the reason you’re going to die soon—either from climbing a volcano, the Scorching Rivers, or freezing to death.
At the unamused scowl on my face, Rhydian suddenly barked out a laugh, his mouth transforming into the first full smile I’d seen on him, and it startled me enough that I froze in my tracks, my shivering body stopping entirely. Rhydian instantly sobered, glancing around, looking for a threat.
“What is it?”
“You…Do that again,” I said.
Realizing there was no immediate danger, he looked back at me, his brows lowering. “Do what?”
“That’s the first time you’ve laughed or smiled.” I watched him closely, waiting for either one to happen again, but his lips only turned down into a frown.
It somehow deepened even further. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he snapped, and stalked forward. His reaction caught me off guard. Why was he so irritated?
“Wait,” I called and shuffled quicker so I could get in front of him, stopping him with a palm on his chest. There were too many layers of clothing between us to feel any warmth from him, but I didn’t miss the way his muscles tensed beneath my touch.
Surprise lit a fire in my stomach when he didn’t move away.
“Don’t you want to get out of this cold?” he asked, trying to change the subject, redirect me to the task ahead.
“Yes,” I said, as if it was obvious. “But first I want to see you smile again.” I wasn’t completely sure why I was pushing him for this. Maybe it was the danger we were in, and needing a moment to lighten the mood, or proving to myself that he wasn’t the terrible person he claimed to be.
Or, even more dangerously, maybe I just wanted to see him smile because I…liked it.
Rhydian shook his head, loose hair falling into his face and whipping in the wind. “You’re insane.”
I looked in his gold-ringed eyes, trying to understand him. “Why don’t you smile? Or laugh?” They weren’t really important questions in the grand scheme of things, but suddenly they felt like the most important things in the world.
Rhydian’s eyes widened, and he gestured around him. “In case you haven’t noticed, there’s not much to laugh or smile about these days. In case you forgot, my land is dying—and so am I.”
“Maybe that’s all the more reason to do it. Why would you waste your last days mad and miserable if there was another option?”
“And who’s going to make me smile?” he bit back, his hackles rising. “You?”
I hadn’t meant to offend him. Only help him.
I took a step back, trying not to feel hurt by the ire in his voice.
“I could try.” My eyes inexplicably burned, and I turned to continue walking before he could see the traitorous tears welling, before they could spill onto my frozen cheeks.
Why were his words affecting me like this?
I hated him. It shouldn’t have hurt so much. And yet it did.
Rhydian waited several heartbeats before following after me, taking only a few strides to catch up. He said nothing, but I could feel the tension radiating in the air between us.
“It’s beautiful, you know.” The words slipped from my lips before I could stop them. I wished I could rake them back into my mouth.
“What is?”
“Your smile.”
If there was ever a combination of words to completely disarm Rhydian and set his face alight in shock, it was those.
And then he stumbled.
I bit my lip to hold back my own smile. Had no one ever given him a compliment before? The mighty Prince of Eroth actually stumbled because I said I liked his smile?
Rhydian tried to play it off like nothing had happened, but there was a distinct pink tint coloring his cheeks, and I was pretty certain it wasn’t from the cold.
He didn’t say anything in response, but that was okay. He didn’t have to. I had gotten under his skin, and I was certain the sight of his smile and the rough, deep rumble of his laugh were going to haunt me the rest of my likely short life.
I found myself wanting to find ways to coax them out again. But that was foolish. I had a job to do. If the curse was broken, then maybe he’d have more reason to smile. But why did it suddenly matter so much? I shouldn’t want to make him do anything but send me home.
And yet…he was dying. His days were quite literally numbered, and nobody knew how long he would continue to draw breath, how long his heart would keep beating. Or how long Eroth would continue to stand.
Nico’s blue eyes flashed through my mind. He was so young. Even if Rhydian wasn’t a good guy, Nico didn’t deserve to share his fate.
This situation was bleak enough. I had to find little silver linings, right? That was the only way to survive. The beauty in Rhydian’s smile was simply one of them.
My resolve mustered at the thought, and a brief surge of energy filled my limbs. The cold relented for a short while as I picked up the pace, Rhydian easily staying next to me. I found myself wishing I could sense his feelings for once, to get inside his head and know what he was thinking.
Had anyone ever told him he had a beautiful smile before? Or had he always been a cold, grumpy Fae?
The two of us crunched our way over the icy ground through the valley in silence after that, and when we were about halfway across, Rhydian said, “The moons are setting. We should set up camp. Eroth at night is no place for a human.”
I glanced up at the sky, studying them. “They’re setting? They literally haven’t moved.”
“Yes, they have.” Instead of explaining exactly how they had moved, he pulled a bundle from inside his own coat and tossed it on the ground. Golden magic flared to life in his hands before he directed it at the bundle.
One breath. Fabric exploded in all directions before a tent was erected in an area free of lava.
Two breaths. A golden transparent ring stretched around the perimeter of the tent, and I watched in awe as the lava that had slowly been creeping toward us receded, the light effectively keeping it away.
Three breaths. Two bedrolls unrolled themselves inside, followed by a basket which, based on the smell, contained food.
At the sight, my stomach gurgled and my legs felt so weak I could barely stand.
A fire erected itself outside the tent, and I hurried to stand next to it, letting out a sigh of relief at the blessed warmth.
In a few quick breaths, Rhydian had set up an entire camp for us, proving that his golden death rays were not just death rays.
“Wait,” I said, a sudden realization making me uneasy. I hesitantly met his gaze, feeling heat spread in my cheeks. “There’s one tent.”
“Yes.”
I balked. “I have to sleep in there with you?”
Rhydian’s lips twitched. “Is that a problem?”
My mouth opened but nothing came out. I wanted to say that yes, it was a huge problem, that I didn’t want to sleep anywhere near him. I’d rather risk staying in the freezing cold with the lava surrounding us than spend a single night sleeping next to him.
But the words wouldn’t come out, frozen on my tongue.
Because a small part of me—a very small part—was somewhat curious. I was desperate to know more about Rhydian, to understand him and this place, and maybe this was a way to do that.
I definitely would not be sleeping when my entire body was shivering like this anyway. I’d be lucky to survive the night at all.
Maybe survival wouldn’t be so hard if you were wrapped in his arms for warmth.
Shut up, Maren, I snapped at myself.
Patting my coat and mimicking where he pulled out the tent from his own, I asked, “Don’t you have a second tent hiding in there?”
“Afraid not.” I swore there was a glimmer in Rhydian’s eyes. My cheeks grew hotter.
“I’m not sleeping in there with you,” I declared, pointing at the tent that looked far too inviting after walking for hours.
Rhydian glanced around before throwing his arms out to the sides. “It doesn’t appear as though you have much of a choice. Unless you feel like making this your last night alive.”
I crossed my arms over my chest, wishing in vain that it would stave off the chill seeping through my coat. Eyeing the tent once more, I thought through my options. Or really, my only option.
As much as I hated to admit it, Rhydian was right. If I didn’t spend the night in the tent, if the lava didn’t find a way through his magic to kill me, then the cold certainly would.
I sniffled, my nose frozen and in danger of getting frostbite at this point, and met Rhydian’s gaze that was almost as cold as the air.
“Fine. But I want you as far from me as possible.”
Rhydian lifted his hands in surrender. “Don’t worry, Maren. I won’t come near you.” He paused, an infuriating smirk lighting his face. “Unless you ask.”
I rolled my eyes. “Believe me, there will be no asking.”
“We’ll see.”
And with that, he shoved his hands into his coat pockets and sauntered into the tent.