Chapter Fourteen
(Ryan)
"Clarke?" the voice echoed through the chamber, high pitched and uncertain.
He turned to face the young woman across the lake— she was watching him with a pained expression on her heart shaped face.
Why did someone so beautiful look so sad?
The woman in his arms began to run her fingers through his hair, bringing his attention back to her. She smiled, the glow of the lake reflecting in her light blue eyes, causing them to sparkle like starlight.
Two goddesses, one of pleasure and one of pain…
The woman across the lake let out a sharp cry, fracturing his contemplation. It was a terrible sound that caused his heart to ache.
A moment passed in silence as the water ran down his face.
Drip. Drip. Drip.
Then, realization struck— "Hope?" he questioned.
But it was too late, she was running out of chamber.
He turned to the woman floating next to him, her beauty turning cold. Those eyes that had just enchanted him now appeared to be made of ice.
Her grip around his waist turned mean as she dug her nails into his flesh.
"Let me go!" he shouted, desperately trying to pry himself from her grip.
"You came to my domain willingly," she said. "You won't be leaving the same way."
"Nothing is going to stop me from going after her," he bit back at her.
"We'll see," said the woman before using her impossibly tight grip to pull him under the lake's surface.
He gasped, causing lakewater to rapidly fill his lungs.
The woman continued to drag him down; the sensation was similar to being pulled into Malivore's pit, triggering an instinctual panic.
He thrashed in her grip, but her arms were like iron chains.
Finally, they hit the lake bottom, causing silt to stir up around them in swirling clouds.
The woman floated above him, her white nightgown floating weightless in the water. He had no idea why she had tempted him before— her cruelty clung to her like a shroud, distorting the beauty he had once thought she possessed.
As if drained of color by the water, the warm auburn of her hair faded into a pale blonde. Her eyes had lost all of their depth, turning steely grey.
With unnatural force, she placed a large rock upon his chest, pinning him to the lakebed. The pressure was severe and he felt his lungs collapsing under the weight.
She could drown him, but he would resurrect, drowning over and over again until she released him. The terror seized him, this was worse than being stuck in the void.
He watched her form float gracefully back to the surface, a wicked smile on her lips.
He looked around desperately, hoping to find some way to break free. It was then that he saw he wasn't alone.
Huan wasn't the only bone collector.
Next to him were the remains of dozens of people. Skulls met his gaze, their empty sockets were cold and unsympathetic.
If she couldn't keep them, she drowned them, Ryan realized with horror.
His vision was already starting to grow dark around the edges, he was going to drown— possibly endlessly.
He thought of Hope, she had seen him with that woman, that creature, and thought— what?
Surely, she must have realized that this was another monster of some kind.
But her expression had been so pained, had she thought that he had left her? Was she… jealous?
The thought shot a bolt of adrenaline through his system.
He focused on her, her face, her eyes, her fierceness… he could feel her through their strange connection. She was out there and she was hurting.
He saw visions of claw marks, deep and angry down her back— he could sense that her chest was also in pain.
Suddenly, he was filled with a burst of energy, white hot and electric. Ryan focused inward, centering himself. This was her— somehow he was drawing from her energy, from her magic.
It was raw and powerful, his for the taking.
He had to get to her.
In an explosion of strength he pushed up on the rock crushing his chest, finding it as light as pebble.
He had no time to be surprised, he simply followed the energy's pull to the surface, emerging with a gasp.
The creature who had drowned him turned in shock from her resting spot by the lake's edge.
"How?" she hissed at him.
Ryan didn't delay, he simply reached out a hand, causing an unseen force to send her flying backwards into the rocks.
He was shaking, but empowered.
He ran out of the chamber, following Hope's energy signature. Whatever had happened under the lake had awakened something new, he could sense her like a phantom limb.
He ran through the chamber of bones, out the tunnel, and exited the cave.
It was darker than when they had first arrived, and he could feel a strange electrical current all around him.
It was the unmistakable feeling of a storm brewing.
He desperately searched for Hope, pausing for the first time since breaking the lake's surface.
He couldn't see her, but he could feel her, calling out to him like a beacon.
He followed the feeling, trusting his new sense to lead him to her.
"Hope!" he yelled into the darkness. "HOPE!"
He felt a change in her energy, she had heard him, but she wasn't welcoming. He felt a spike of anger shoot through her, interlacing itself with her pain and sadness.
It was all so intense. He felt like he was going to throw up, but he pressed onwards.
He didn't care if she didn't want him. He needed her.
He found her at last, sitting against a large boulder. She had her back turned to him, head in her hands.
The gashes down her back were even more horrible in person than they had been in his vision. The back of her shirt had been torn to ribbons, leaving the remaining fabric drenched in blood.
"Hope?" he asked tentatively.
He knew she could hear him, but she didn't turn.
"Hope, what happened to you?" he asked, drawing closer.
Her back stiffened, muscles rigid.
"Stay back, Clarke," she said quietly.
"Did Huan do this?" he asked angrily, ignoring her request to stay away.
He crouched next to her, placing a hesitant hand on her shoulder.
She finally turned to face him— her face was streaked with tears.
"Hope—" he began, but the look in her eyes made him pause. She was clearly in pain, but she was angry too. It was the kind of look she had given him when they first met.
This was such a dangerous game they were playing.
"Who was that?" she asked tightly. "The woman in the cave?"
"Some kind of spirit," he answered carefully.
"I thought you were in danger and I—" her voice broke off. "Why did you go to her?" she asked.
"I was in danger! She tried to drown me," he answered.
"But you went to her anyways," she accused.
"She had me under some sort of spell," he quipped back. "She looked... her hair and her eyes…"
"What?" Hope asked sharply. "You were attracted to her?" she asked.
"You're not making any sense right now," he replied. "She's obviously some kind of creature that seduces men. And at first I thought she was—"
"What?" she interrupted him.
"...you," he answered.
"Oh yes, the blonde Victoria's Secret model is clearly my twin," she spat back.
"Wait, you saw her as blonde?" he asked.
"Wha— of course!" she answered. "What does that have to do with anything?" she asked.
"Nothing," he answered, swallowing thickly.
"Did you kill Huan?" he asked, changing the subject.
"No. But I did kill his brother," she said darkly.
Ryan smiled slightly, her darkness was just as terrifying as the spirit in the cave, but somehow it only complimented her beauty rather than distort it.
Wait— since when was he thinking about her like that?
"Clarke, if we're ever going to make it to Malivore in one piece, you've got to be more discerning," she said.
"What?" he asked. "You're the one who took in Huan like a stray puppy!" he shouted.
"I did not," she asserted, fire flashing in her eyes. "I didn't trust him either, but I just happen to be better at hiding my emotions than you."
"Oh?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "I suppose your display just now at the lake was an example of your master emotional management skills?"
He regretted it the moment the words left his lips. He could see the flash of hurt cross her face, but even worse, he felt her emotions stab at his heart.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly.
She just looked up at him from beneath her long lashes.
"Why haven't your wounds healed?" he asked.
"I used up too much energy and magic getting to you," she explained. "I think it's taken a toll on me."
Without hesitation, he reached for a rock on the ground and dragged it across his palm, wincing slightly at the pain.
"What are you doing?" she asked, eyes growing wide.
"I'm lending you some energy," he said. "Turn around."
Surprisingly, she complied without retort, exposing the claw marks on her back.
He reached out his hand, placing his palm softly on her back. He felt her take a shuddering breath at the contact.
He pressed firmer, ensuring the blood from his hand made contact with the open wounds on her back. A familiar feeling of heat bloomed between them, warming their point of contact with magical synergy.
He closed his eyes and focused on pouring back some of the energy he had felt underwater back into Hope.
Heal. Please heal.
Amazingly, the deep cuts on her back began to close up before his eyes. She sighed in relief, leaning back into his touch.
"Hope—" he choked out, leaning in closer to her.
"Can I hold you?" he asked softly.
Her expression changed in an instant, panic playing across her features. It was like he had cornered a wild animal.
"I'm sorry," he amended quickly, holding up his hands in surrender. "I don't know why I asked that—"
But shockingly, she leaned forward, wrapping her arms hesitantly around his chest and resting her head softly on his shoulder.
The warmth that coursed between them was overwhelming, he felt like his veins held liquid fire.
It was then that he realized he was still shirtless from his swim in the cave.
Skin to skin…
He tentatively returned the gesture, afraid of frightening her.
He honestly couldn't remember the last time he had hugged anyone. It was something that he had convinced himself that a creature like him didn't need.
Independence and isolation…they had always gone hand in hand.
She pulled back gently, meeting his eyes.
"I'm glad that you're okay," she began. "But don't read too much into this. I still don't trust you— I can't."
He found himself nodding.
"But we're stuck here," she continued. "I brought you here and, for better or worse, we have an agreement."
Her eyes were so deep blue, he felt like he was drowning all over again.
"I keep my word," she said, filling the silence. "But if you betray me or put the people I love in danger, I won't hesitate to destroy you," she finished.
Her words were sobering, dredging up guilt from the depths of his soul.
That is, if he had one to begin with.
Just then, a horrific crack of thunder shook the ground around them.
It was going to storm, and soon.
"We need to get out of here," he said, standing up.
She followed his lead, standing next to him.
"I think this is somehow Huan's doing," she said. "When he fled our fight he seemed to stir up some kind of strange weather…"
Ryan nodded in understanding.
"Do you think he'll come back for me?" she asked.
He froze— how much did she know about Malivore's plan to send monsters after her?
"His brother Wei told me that they were going to bring me to Malivore," she explained.
He stayed quiet, waiting for her to reveal what else she knew.
"I'm not going to be dragged in like a cat with a mouse," she said defiantly. "When I get to Mailvore it's going to be under my own power."
"We need to be careful," cautioned Ryan. "You should stay with me."
She quirked an eyebrow at him.
But before he could explain, the heavens opened up, releasing a virtual deluge in moments.
"Dammit!" he yelled as sheets of icy rain fell out of the sky, cutting into his skin like knives.
The downpour was accompanied by blinding flashes of lightning and great bellows of thunder. If that wasn't bad enough, creatures of all kinds began to wail, moan, and scream in the darkness.
He could already tell that the water would easily flood the canyon.
"We need to find shelter," he shouted over the deafening sound of rain and monsters.
They both looked back to the cave's entrance, looming in the distance.
In silent agreement, they headed in the opposite direction, scrambling up the rocky path ahead of them.
Just then, another terrifying scream echoed through the night.
Wherever they were going, they better get there quickly.