We wound around several turns until we heard a loud sneeze and a man muttering under his breath something about not being paid enough to guard a nobody.

"Ow." Vega tugged, trying to release her hand cemented in my heated grip. "I appreciate he's your father, but I'm here to help." She yanked another time, and her cold fingers slipped through my grasp. She rubbed the pink marks on the back of her hand.

I winced. "Sorry. I didn't mean—"

"I know." She nudged my shoulder with hers, not lifting her sight from the lone guard, blocking the narrow passage on the left.

The tubby man stood there, picking his nose with his thick fingers. He grunted, wiped his fat digit down the front of his ill-fitting uniform, then scratched his butt.

"I'd be angry too if someone spoke about my dad like that." Vega cringed and stepped back beyond the guard's view, fluffed her hair, and smoothed out the Water Circle shirt over the curve of her breast.

I scrunched my brows together. "What in the Circle's name are you doing?"

"Creating a distraction."

Kellan wrinkled his nose. "Not with—"

"Well, I'm certainly not walking through that disgusting creature." She dropped the veil of the astral plane, turned hard on her heels and strode off toward the booger covered officer.

Vega might have made a great actress. The moment she made it into the guard's line of sight, her pace slowed to a saunter, and she swayed, humming while she went as if dancing to a far-off tune the rest of us couldn't hear.

The guard stared at her, tilting his head with unblinking eyes. She was only a few feet away when he cleared his throat. "Miss?"

Vega giggled and spun slowly, letting her arms swing with her movement. If I didn't know better, I would have thought she was drunk.

"Hm?" She glanced up at him with a warm smile as if just realizing she wasn't alone. "Hey..." She staggered sideways. "You're missing the party."

"Party?" He blinked twice and straightened up.

"Uh-huh." She took a couple steps toward him, then stumbled three more backward, landing on her butt before bursting into a fit of laughter. "Back"—she glanced around as if trying to get her bearings—"there." She pointed in the direction we'd just come.

"Those buggers! I knew they were hiding something." He rubbed his chin and stepped forward, reaching out an arm to help her up. "Are there other women here too?"

"Other ladies?" Vega pouted, lounged back on her elbows, thrusting out her chest. "You have me alone, and you want to know if there are others?" Her curls slipped from her shoulders and swept the ground.

"Look, our opening." Kellan squeezed my hand, already leading the way.

The man wiped his hand on his pants. "I swear, I only thought someone as beautiful as you, would never consider..." He took another step forward, adjusted his crimson-red jacket, and offered his assistance once more. "What talent guild are you from, my dear?"

I grimaced at the guard's outstretched fingers. "I'm going to owe Vega big time." When she placed her hand in his, I shuddered.

Vega stood. "That's for me to know"—she tapped the end of his nose with her finger—"and you to find out."

"Just add it to the tab of IOU's we'll have to repay when this is all over," Kellan said without looking back.

"What list?"

"Before you get mad, I'm not complaining." He continued down the passage, descending into a pit of darkness. Once we were beyond the view of the entrance, he released my hand and slipped from the astral plane. "I'd do it all again to have you by my side."

With the glow of the hallway gone, I walked right into him. "Sorry, I can't—"

"See, or is it you still don't understand why people want to help you?" He folded his arms around my lower back and pulled me tight against his body.

"Both." I dropped my forehead to his chest. "I don't want everyone risking their lives for me."

"But it's okay for you to risk yours for them?" He kissed the crown of my head.

"Point taken." I glanced into the abyss ahead. It would be difficult to go any further without a light, and with my luck, I'd walk into a wall and knock myself unconscious. I closed my eyes and tugged a thread of warmth through my core and snapped my index finger and thumb together. A tiny flame flickered to life and nestled in my palm.

Kellan frowned, pulled away, then continued down the hallway.

A raw sadness floated through me, and for a moment, I wondered which of us it emanated from. When he let out a long breath and shook out his hands, I had my answer. Our bond linked us in ways I never knew possible—sharing our thoughts, emotions, and even our hearts. I was beginning to wonder where he ended, and I began. No secrets, he knew everything.

He let out a single chuckle, shaking his head. "I tried to tell you."

"When I agreed to your terms at the Stompin' Grounds, I had no idea what I was saying yes to." The temperature dropped the farther we walked, and the cave glistened with water seeping through the cracks. Two fat drops plunked onto my nose and cheek.

"Maybe not then, but before you disappeared from Acklemare, I did. You're the one who wouldn't listen."

That, I believe. When it comes to you, rational thought seems to evaporate. A splash echoed from beneath my foot, soaking my shoe and pants. "How are you not stepping in all these puddles?" When I took another step, the water squished between my toes.

"I can sense them." He halted and waited for me to catch up. When the tips of my shoes touched his, he cupped my hand, lifting the tiny flame until it was level with his lips, and blew it out. "There's enough water covering the walls in this section, you can see them."

We were standing in nothing but blackness. "I don't see anything."

"That's because you're using your eyes, not your heart." He swirled a finger over my collarbone, and the ring's water rushed to him, wetting his fingers. "Watch." He touched the droplets to my hand and then the other. He walked around to position himself behind me and lowered his lips to my ear. "Now, close your eyes and fan out your arms in front of you."

"Close my eyes to see?" I leaned my head back against his muscular chest. "You do see the oxymoron, right?"

"Just close them."

"Fine." I squeezed my eyes shut. Dripping water splashed into the puddles next to my feet. Nothing. "How long do I have to wait?"

"Shh." He rubbed my back. "Now, without reaching out physically, find where the water is hiding, in the air, on the walls, and across the ground."

Hm. I focused on the pool of water by my toes. Kellan let go of my waist and backed away. When another drop of water hit the puddle, for a split second, the ground lit up a fluorescent blue behind my eyelids. Cool.

See if you can find me.

I tugged at the curtain covering the world—it wouldn't budge. New tactic. If calling the flames comes from within, maybe this worked the same way. I reached deep down, urging the water forward. A tiny wave rippled—but no real connection. I encouraged the wave on, and the seas churned quicker inside me. The faster the waves rippled, the more my muscles relaxed, until all pretenses fell away. When the wave peaked, it rushed my mind, and the cave glowed a thousand different hues of blue. Kellan leaned against the wall, several paces in front of me to my right.

Wow. This is so amazing. I sidestepped over a puddle, padding closer to him.

"I think so." He shrugged. "But I can't light my fingers on fire, so I don't have anything to compare it to." He let out the breath he'd been holding and touched his forehead to mine.

He was still wondering about my feelings for Jaxon. I cupped his face and placed a soft kiss on his lips. "I. Love. You. Not Jaxon. I'm pretty sure that's why this is here." I pressed my finger to the ring on his arm.

He rubbed the spot and smiled. "Don't you forget it."

I glanced around, and the tunnel didn't go too much further. "We've gotta be close."

"We are." He lifted my fingers in his and placed them on the wall.

The water glistened and sparkled, lighting up the cracks of a hidden door made of rock. Too bad the water vision didn't allow me to see beyond the shape of the door.

"There's no lock or doorknob." He ran his hand over the surface. "Any idea how to get in? I can blast it open, but that won't exactly be quiet."

"If it's like the other Fire Circle secured doors, I might." I pressed my index finger to the wall, and slid it down the sharp rock, slicing it open. Blood pooled on my fingertip.

"The key is your blood?"

I grimaced, knowing he wouldn't like the answer. "Not mine, Jaxon's."

He sucked in a long breath and pursed his lips, then gestured I should continue.

"Okay, here it goes." I bit my lip, closed my eyes, and wiped the blood down the door.

Kellan grabbed my wrist and thrust me behind him. The water lifted from the ground and spun in front of us creating a shield.

A low thud grumbled through the cavern. The section of rock slid inward, and the bright light of the room illuminated the darkness.

"Daddy?" I peered around the protection of the spinning water.

Kellan widened the shield, obscuring my view, but it was impossible to miss the darkened figure enter in the doorway.

"Wren?" the man called.

Kellan held out an arm, preventing me from passing and lowered the spinning water so we could see over the top of it.

The back light highlighted the grey in his hair, and the shadows deepened his features, making him look old. He stumbled to the edge of the threshold with an unsteady step.

"Wren? Is that you?" He raised a hand to his eyes, casting long shadows on the surrounding walls.

Those were the eyes I'd seen a thousand times before in pictures lining the mantle back at Gran's. Tears streamed down my face, and I struggled against Kellan's strong hold. "Dad!"

Kellan flipped his palm over and extended his fingers. Millions of droplets from the shield crashed to the ground, sending the water in the puddles skyward. When he dropped his arm, I staggered forward.

The closer I got to the entrance, the glare of the light lessened, and I could make him out more clearly.

His brow wrinkled, and he stared at me with a pained watery gaze, clutching the rock with blanched fingers and swallowed. With a stiff posture, he cleared his throat and let out a sob.

"Dad, you're free." I wiped the tears from my cheek, now only a foot away. "Mom and Gran, they'll be—"

"My treasured bird." He reached out a rigid arm, taking my hand in his, but not allowing me closer. "You shouldn't have come."

The moment his fingers touched mine, millions of images took flight in my head. Me running in the woods barefoot, the tenderness in Kellan's smile, Jaxon yelling at his father at court, the heartache when Kellan announced his engagement to Jennifer, Otis grabbing my throat informing Jaxon of my betrayal... Every emotion attached to the scenes sorted themselves back into my mind, pummelling me all at once, blinding me to the physical dimension I stood in. I crumpled to my knees, taking it all in—the hurt, the pain, the anguish, and the hope.

Someone screamed in the far off distance of my mind, and I gasped, panting for breath with my hands on the frigid stone. A rush of heat shot by my left ear into the cave behind me, followed by a shower of cold water. Droplets dripped from my nose, and Kellan's voice pulled me back to the present.

"Wren!" he hollered. "Watch out!"

A guard shoved my father toward Kellan, sending a blast of fire behind him. "Don't let her escape."

The second guard pulled something from his pocket, and a flash of silver shone in his hand. Still in a daze, I tossed up my arm to block him. When my forearm struck him, the cylinder flew across the room.

The first guard dropped on top of me, and I squirmed, trying to push him off.

"Ouch!" Something sharp pierced my shoulder. I reached across, yanked out an empty needle, and drifted into darkness.

*****

I've been so stressed out lately and writing is my release. But alas, I'm almost too stressed for even that. 

Anyway, I'm excited to send out another chapter of the series into the world. Miracles never cease, right? I can't believe how close this book is coming to an end. Knowing what my schedule looks like, the next post will be on February 2nd.

Thanks for reading all! Comment below for a chance to have the next chapter dedicated to you. Hugs. :)

-A