I knew the wind and sea. Sun and sand. A shiver ran through me at the thought of riding through that tunnel.
I nudged my heels into my horse’s sides, forcing him onward. His ears flicked, but he stepped into the cavern without hesitation. Hooves clattered, the sound reverberating through the still air. The ceiling soared above, unseen but vast. Shadows pressed in like a suffocating mist, thick and impenetrable.
My chest tightened as the light of the plateau faded behind us, shrinking to a distant pinprick. The horse remained steady, his confidence at odds with the crawling dread that crept along my skin. I twisted to glance over my shoulder, yearning for the open sky.
Kallias’ stallion drew alongside mine, but my attention fixed on the lantern swaying ahead, its feeble glow a lifeline in the smothering black. He seemed unshaken, though my breaths grew shallow and ragged, no matter how hard I tried to suppress them. Panic coiled in my chest like a serpent, tightening its grip with every passing second.
How far did this tunnel go? How much longer until we emerged? Would the ceiling hold, or was it doomed to crumble without warning? What if the mountain caved in under its own weight? Even worse, what if the earth itself shifted, sealing us in?
The thoughts struck me like a blow: we would die here. Buried. Forgotten.
My limbs trembled, and I clenched my muscles, fighting to still the shaking. My horse huffed, its bit jangling as it tossed its head in irritation.
“Nienna?” Kallias’ voice cut through the oppressive silence, his tone calm but edged with concern. “What’s wrong?”
My teeth sank into my cheek, the sharp tang of blood searing my tongue. The pain grounded me, if only for a moment. Greaves angled the lantern toward me, casting Kallias’ face in a dim, flickering glow.
“Gods, are you well?” he asked. His brows drew together as he seized my reins, slowing my horse.
“Don’t stop.” My voice broke as the words tumbled out, strangled by the iron grip of dread coiled around my throat. “Please, just keep going.”
His stallion sidestepped, brushing close. The press of his leg against mine sent an anchor of warmth through the storm of fear.
“Is it the dark?” he asked.
“No.” The denial came fast, too raw. “Please—we need to move.” Every heartbeat spent in here stretched my terror thin, threatening to snap it into full-blown panic.
“It’s the mountain,” Greaves muttered.
Kallias moved without hesitation. His hands gripped my waist, firm but careful. Before I could protest, he lifted me.
I gasped, clutching at his shoulders. “What are you doing?” I hissed, though I made no effort to resist.
My legs shifted, accommodating his pull, and I found myself seated in front of him on his stallion. The saddle, built for one, forced me flush against him. No space to retreat.
I leaned forward, trying to create distance, but the attempt was futile. His thighs bracketed mine, solid and immovable.
His breath brushed along the nape of my neck as he adjusted his seat, pulling me against him. “Be still,” he murmured.
Heat flooded my face as I straightened, every nerve heightened by the unnerving closeness.
Greaves took my horse’s reins with a glance, his expression flat but knowing as he led us forward once more.
Shame warred with the warmth spreading through me. This was wrong. All of it. The need curling in my stomach, the burn of desire ignited by his touch, the way my body reacted to his presence—it defied reason.
And yet, I didn’t lean away.
“Relax,” he murmured, his voice a low rumble near my ear, each word brushing my skin like a spark.
But how could I? How I fit between his legs, molded against his chest, felt so…right. His strength steadied me even as my mind whispered how wrong it all was. Somehow, it was wickedly, achingly perfect.
“What if someone sees?” I whispered.
The darkness was absolute, thick as velvet, but the idea set my nerves on edge. My ears strained for sounds beyond the rhythmic clatter of hooves against stone.
“Claydon would understand. Anyone else?” His chuckle rolled through his chest, a deep vibration that tangled with the erratic pulse hammering in my veins. “I’m the king, Nienna. Have you forgotten?”
The corner of my mouth twitched, but when I glanced up, the oppressive ceiling loomed, heavy and unforgiving. How far would it have to fall to crush us? The question dissolved as his lips brushed my neck, soft and searing all at once. A shiver broke over me, and my gaze darted ahead to Greaves’ broad back.
