Chapter 19 The Present
THE PRESENT
AMELIA
Sabrina had sworn I’d find peace here, and I hoped she was right.
The cabins loomed three stories high on a gentle slope, their rough-hewn logs glowing honey-warm in the morning light.
Inside, my room smelled faintly of cedar and old wool, comforting, if only it weren’t so silent.
I pressed my back against the cool pine wall, closed my eyes, and let the resort’s distant laughter and splashing pool fade into a dull hum. Solitude, at last.
Outside, the mountains reared like slumbering titans. Forests spilled from their flanks, a tangle of emerald and shadow, ribbons of silver rivers twisting through the valley below.
I settled onto our cabin’s porch, its worn boards creaking beneath me, and let a breeze drift across my skin, carrying the scent of pine resin and damp earth. I inhaled deeply and smiled.
Serenity.
Then the crisp stillness shattered under the deliberate click of a front-door latch. I twisted, heart tightening, and there he stood.
Caiden.
He filled the doorway in a dark-black jacket, his posture unnervingly straight, as if every muscle were wired to attention.
A stray sunbeam struck the edge of his jaw, and for a moment I wondered if the quiet confidence he wore so easily was genuine, or just another mask.
My lips curved into a scowl before I could stop it. “Why do you always manage to wreck every peaceful second I get?” My voice was low but edged with more bitterness than I’d meant to show.
He flicked his gaze my way, amber eyes narrowing. A slow smirk tugged at his mouth. “It’s funny, I was just thinking you’re the one killing my vibe. Like a bad scent.”
I sprang to my feet, boots thudding on the porch. “Maybe you should leave,” I snapped, crossing my arms so tightly my shoulder blades ached.
His jaw clenched, dark brows inching together as if to contain some inner storm. “Not happening. I’m here because of family. You’re nothing but the pity guest, tagging along for sympathy.”
I stepped forward, pulse pounding beneath my ribs. “She invited me to bond with her and Shane. I’m maid of honor. Get your facts straight.”
Caiden’s lips quirked. “Ah. So you’re gonna ruin his big day, too? I’m best man.”
Every breath inside me felt like molten metal. I pressed my hands against the porch railing until my knuckles blanched. “You’re like a virus, can't be rid of you.”
His glare went to an icy anger. “And you’re a whining child who never knows when to shut up.”
My tongue recoiled from the retort I’d been dying to unleash.
Then Sabrina’s cheerful voice cut through the charged air, and Shane’s booming laugh followed. They emerged, hand in hand, faces lit with that glowing newlywed bliss, another reminder of how trapped I was here, forced into their fairy-tale while I faced my personal villain.
“Perfect timing!” Shane called, hugging them together. “How about we all stick together today? Group hike!” His grin was so wide he looked almost feral with joy.
I managed a shrug. “Sure.”
We set off along a narrow trail that sloped upward into cathedral-high pines, shafts of sunlight dancing through needles overhead. Damp moss muffled our footsteps, and the air tasted of centuries-old bark and wildflowers.
I fell behind Caiden, who strode ahead with his shoulders squared, as if clearing the path with sheer force of will. I kept my eyes on the needles underfoot, each step a deliberate refusal to meet his gaze.
The incline steepened. Rocks jutted from the earth like broken teeth; tree roots twisted across the dirt in great, gnarled hands. Somewhere above us, water tumbled over stones, its lazy gurgle rising and falling like distant thunder.
I paused at a bend and watched mist drift over the stream’s surface, silver on obsidian rock, hinting at hidden cascades further upstream.
A sudden squeal snapped me back. Sabrina, frozen mid-stride, pointed into the shadows at the edge of the trail. My heart fluttered, breath catching, as I pushed past Shane and peered between the trunks.
A doe stood there, backlit by slanting sunbeams. Its ears quivered, velvet soft against a spine of dusk-brown fur. Time slowed; I could almost hear my own blood pulse in my ears as I lifted a trembling hand, afraid to break the fragile spell.
Then a twig snapped like a pistol shot. The deer bolted, hooves thundering against rock, vanishing in a rustle of leaves.
I whirled on Caiden. His eyes gleamed with satisfaction, lips curved in a smug half-smile. I knew that sound. He’d done it on purpose.
“You scared it off,” I hissed, fists clenching. “We were watching it.”
“Oops. My bad,” he drawled, voice silky, utterly without guilt.
Sabrina’s bright voice chimed in obliviously: “Don’t worry, Amelia—we’ll see more wildlife soon!” Her cheer grated on me like nails on slate. I glared at Caiden, venom hot behind my eyes, longing to tear away his calm veneer and reveal the stirring cruelty beneath.
But Sabrina had already turned to lead us further up the trail, her laugh echoing through the pines, and Caiden—ever my constant tormentor—fell into step just inches behind me.
We pressed on, Shane and Sabrina bounding ahead for a moment, leaving me alone with the beast. I resorted to pretending he wasn’t there, taking the opportunity to absorb everything around me.
The clouds hung in the sky, stretching across the expanse, casting a gray hue that hinted at the possibility of rain.
The weather report had assured us of a rain-free day, so I figured it was merely a temporary cluster of dark clouds.
“It’s been a few minutes. I wonder what they’re up to,” Caiden mused, breaking the silence. He raised his eyebrows in a mischievous manner, and I rolled my eyes.
Typical men.
“I’m sure they’re not doing what you’re thinking.” My cheeks flushed as I spoke. Just the hint of that subject with Caiden made my stomach twist uncomfortably.
Caiden opened his mouth to respond, but at that moment, Sabrina and Shane returned. I sighed with relief; moments alone with Caiden turned my blood to ice.
My heart felt entwined with darkness, the fury simmering just beneath the surface. I mustered the strength to swallow it back down.
As we neared the end of the loop, dangerous sparks simmered between Caiden and me. We were engaged in a game of who could irritate the other the most. He would say something to rub me the wrong way or shove past me on the trail, muttering a fake “oops, sorry” to make it seem harmless.
I had tried being the bigger person, but I was only human. Ahead, a low branch extended from a tree, its jagged edges threatening to snag anyone who dared to pass.
I hurried in front of Caiden, ducking beneath it just as he approached. The branch brushed against my body before snapping back, colliding into Caiden.
“Ow! Dammit,” I heard him groan, disoriented. A smile crept across my face, a small victory in our ongoing game.
“You're still the same bitch you've always been,” Caiden whispered bitterly, stepping back to allow Sabrina and Shane to take the lead.
“You started it,” I shot back.
“I did not,” he countered, his tone dripping with false innocence.
Lies.
“Yes, you did.”
“Okay. Believe what you want, Amelia.” My name rolled off his tongue angrily.
I turned to face him, stopping him dead in his tracks. I could feel the heat radiating from my flushed cheeks, a simmering rage boiling just beneath the surface.
“Are you kidding me? You’re the one who wants to play childish games. I’m just following your lead, buddy. I never wanted to see you ever again.” The tension was cold and harsh, I let it fuel me.
He offered no reaction, as usual. “I’m childish? Sure. Okay. I didn’t plan to see you either. But here we are.” His dark gaze pierced through me, haunting me.
“You're unbelievable. I never wanted to hate you. But you took the first step. You lit the match. I never asked for this,” I screamed the last part, shoving past him and striding ahead.
The tension between us was suffocating. His very presence left me breathless and quivering, as if I had just survived a catastrophic disaster.
Caiden was my eternal darkness, bleeding out this heart of mine.
“Amelia.” He grabbed my arm. His touch was cold as ice, yet it ignited a fire within my veins. Fury surged onward.
“Let go of me.” I yanked my arm away, but he held fast, pulling me toward him. There was something in his expression, something intense and blazing.
“Dammit. I never meant for any of this to happen,” he shouted, his brown gaze burning into me, killing me slowly.
“What—” I began but was interrupted by Shane.
“Are you both alright over here?” Shane strolled over, blissfully unaware of the storm brewing between Caiden and me.
Caiden released me with a stiff nod, stepping aside. “Yeah. We’re fine. Amelia dropped something, and I was helping her find it.”
I nodded, drained from our exchange.
“Okay. Well, we’re close to the end of the trail now. Let’s eat and clean up before the next activity.” Shane told us before leading the way on the trail again.
There was more? Super.
The path ended, and we made our way back to the cabin. Before heading to my room, I glanced back at Caiden. He was already looking at me.
A few hours later, we gathered in the main public area near the front door. Next on our agenda was kayaking on the river.
I hesitated, voicing my concerns about the weather.
Shane waved it off dismissively. “I double-checked the weather. It’ll be okay; don’t worry.”
Above us, the clouds continued to form, shifting from light gray to dark gray, an ominous dance of hues. I resonated with the drifting clouds, watching them float somberly, devoid of color.
We boarded the resort bus, which took us to the nearby river. Once we arrived, I followed the group to collect the kayaks, one for each of us. The river tumbled gracefully, dancing over rocks that jutted out of the surface.
“Are you sure this will be safe?” I asked, my gaze darting between the rushing water and the sky, unease coiling in my stomach. It was an echo of the same bad feeling that had shadowed me before I agreed to this trip.
“This is perfectly safe. People do it all the time,” Sabrina reassured me, her comforting smile doing little to quell my anxiety.
We settled into our kayaks at the water’s edge, the paddler’s staff guiding each of us gently until our boats bobbed and floated free. Then, with a push off the muddy bank, we were off.
For a while the world was bright and easy. The river’s surface rippled in soft undulations, carrying me forward as Sabrina’s laughter tinkled like bells and Shane’s voice wove between the reeds. They paddled side by side in parallel strokes, shafts of sunlight flickering across their backs.
Caiden, as always, led the way and I trailed just behind, the warm spray of water blinking on my skin.
High above, the sun fought a losing battle with thick gray clouds. I squinted upward, spotting a flock of birds veering inland, wings slicing through the damp air.
The current rushed on. Urgent, unrelenting. Then a single droplet splashed onto my forehead, followed by another. My stomach fluttered as the droplets quickened into a steady hiss.
“Let’s turn back! I must’ve been wrong about the weather.” Shane’s voice cut through the rising hiss.
I shifted my gaze and saw his kayak veering toward the bank, Sabrina weaving alongside him. Together they began retreating from the distant, inky storm wall.
Ahead, dark rivulets of rain carved themselves down from swollen clouds.
But for now, it remained a broad sheet on the horizon. Intimidating but distant enough that there was still time.
Caiden slipped past me, his paddle carving arcs in the water. He cast a quick glance over his shoulder towards me.
“Hurry,” he muttered, low-voiced urgency threading each syllable. “We’ve got to catch them.”
I swung my torso to turn the kayak, but the current had grown fierce. The river roared around me, tugging at the hull, urging me backward.
My arms burned as I thrust the paddle into the churning water, fighting against a tide that seemed to gulp at my kayak’s bow.
It all happened in an instant. My grip slipped—was it my hand or the paddle shaft?—and I caught a flash of submerged rock before the paddle clattered free and vanished into the swirling gray.
“My paddle!” I screamed, panic crawling up my throat as the rain wall advanced.
Voices rose in the distance; I thought I heard Sabrina calling my name. Through the curtain of droplets, I saw a lone figure paddling furiously back toward me.
“Hold on! I’m coming!” he yelled, his voice raw over the wind. He drew alongside, breath ragged, rain matting his hair against his forehead.
“I thought you’d leave me to drown,” I said, attempting a wry edge in my tone even as adrenaline hammered in my veins.
His face remained blank. “Shane and Sabrina wouldn’t let me.”
I braced one hand on the gunwale and swung my legs into his cockpit, my own kayak drifting free behind me into the vortex.
Once settled, I looked around for our friends. Only the rolling gray mist and the river’s hiss greeted me.
“I sent them ahead,” Caiden said, settling himself to paddle again. “They’ll wait at the bend.”
We pushed into the current together, oars slicing through the liquid mirror. But our brief respite ended when a lump of water—like a small, angry wave—pushed against our stern, driving us back toward the heart of the storm.
Overhead, thunder cracked so close it rattled my bones, and the sky darkened until even the water seemed black.
The river became a living beast: roiling, grasping. Rain turned to sheets of needles, lashing our faces. I watched in horror as Caiden’s paddle wrenched free from his grasp, tumbling into the angry depths.
In an instant his features contorted with shock and fear, an expression so raw, one which I had never seen on him before.
“Caiden, what do we do?” My voice was swallowed by gale and torrent. He stared at me, wide-eyed and wordless, as if weighing the fury of the water against our frail wooden shell.
I never imagined that this would be how I would die, trapped in a kayak during a storm with Caiden. Oh, the irony of the universe.
Ahead, I spotted a dip in the water. My lungs felt as if they had crashed into my chest.
A waterfall ahead of us. Not enormous, but enough to terrify me.
The sky roared with fury. Somewhere in the storm I screamed, but through the cacophony of the storm, it was hard to tell.
Caiden’s broad shape blurred in the dark atmosphere, mere shadows in the chaos.
The dip came closer, the sky screamed louder. The kayak tumbled about, spinning uncontrollably, until suddenly it wasn’t spinning anymore.
It was falling.
The sky was black, but my vision darkened further, everything plunging into silence as Caiden and I plummeted into the tumultuous waves, consumed by darkness.