Page 66 of What Beats Within the Tunnels

Deep breaths, I tell myself, as dread crawls up my spine. The chilling feeling of impending doom envelopes the tunnel, compelling every ounce of my courage to keep moving forward. Overhead, bleeding branches drip crimson, staining my clothes and skin. I sidestep the treacherous tangle of roots below.

Suddenly, the heartbeat’s tempo diminishes, drawing my attention to a faint glimmer ahead — a beckoning glint of light. Its pull is undeniable. But the whispers mount in volume, evolving into familiar, terrifying screams.

My mother’s voice pierces the cacophony, “Don’t touch it, Lyra!”

Then Luke’s desperate whisper, “Don’t come back.”

Another voice, unfamiliar, bellows, “Run!” I’m overwhelmed.

“Don’t touch what? Run where?” I shout back, defiant.

Without warning, a powerful gust propels me toward the light. But then an eerie silence reigns. The whispers, the wind, all cease. Straining, I discern a distant thud, thud, thud. Out of the blue, an unseen force collides with me, sending me sprawling. The wet ground greets my back harshly, and a scream rips from my throat as I scramble to regain my footing.

My eyes fly open at the nudge of a wet nose to my cheek. I blink a few times as Chepi nudges my face again and licks me.

“Aw, come here, squish.” I draw him close, turning onto my side. “Thanks for waking me. Things were getting a bit intense in Zomea.”

He responds with a lick then stretches out, settling down for more sleep. Dawn isn’t far off; a soft glow filters through the porthole, lighting up my room. Leaving Chepi to rest, I decide to rise and prepare. I’m uncertain when we’ll arrive in Cloudrum today, but I want to be ready.

I slip into black leather pants with my black boots then don an off-white tunic and cinch a black bodice around my waist. This attire would be far more practical for combat than a gown, especially if anything unpredictable arises during or en route to Tempest Moon.

Chepi, with his tail wagging enthusiastically at the foot of the bed, catches my attention. “Alright, go have fun but stay close. After speaking with Colton, I’ll meet you on deck. If you run into Drew, she might have some breakfast for you,” I tell him.

I cautiously open the door a crack to survey the hallway. With the rest of the doors shut tight, I release Chepi, watching as he silently soars up the staircase.

Hesitating, I find my eyes drawn to Nyx’s door, pondering how his night might have unfolded. Instead of knocking on Colton’s door, I simply turn the handle and step in, hoping to avoid any chance of disturbing a possibly still-sleeping Nyx.

As soon as I enter, my eyes lock onto Colton. Awake and shirtless, the sight of his chiseled physique still leaves me breathless. Perched at the edge of his bed, he’s donning his pants, busy lacing up his boots. He stops momentarily as he catches my entrance, eyes meeting mine. Drawn to him, I bridge the gap between us, climbing onto his lap. As he encircles me with his arm, I lean in, capturing his lips with mine. Breathing in his scent, I’m reminded that last night was the first we’ve spent apart in months. I missed him more than I anticipated.

“I missed you too, my shadow,” he murmurs, his lips tracing a path down my neck. An involuntary shiver runs through me as he nibbles my earlobe.

“I want you, every inch of you,” I admit with a soft moan.

“That can certainly be arranged,” he responds with a hint of mischief, gently flipping me onto my back. As he hovers over me, our gazes lock. I lose myself in the unique freckles within his eyes – little specks of gold and brown swirling within the vivid emerald irises. How did someone as breathtakingly beautiful as him become mine? Is he mine?

His hand drifts up my thigh, fingers reaching for the laces at my waist. As he moves to untie them, I catch his wrist, stopping him.

“What’s wrong?” he asks, concern evident in his eyes.

Drawing a breath, I reply, “It’s not that I don’t want this – believe me, I do – but not here, not with Nyx so close by.” He props himself up beside me, and I push up on my elbows to face him. “That’s why I slept in my own quarters last night. I wanted to be with you, but we can’t let anything jeopardize the mission. We need Nyx’s cooperation, and flaunting our relationship feels...cruel. He’s struggling with this. Last night, he...”

I search for the right ones to convey my thoughts.

“He what?” Colton asks, brows furrowing with a mix of curiosity and concern. “What happened last night?”

“Nothing really happened. I was on the deck, taking in some fresh air because I couldn’t sleep, when he joined me. He’d had too much to drink and seemed...out of sorts. It’s not like him,” I explain, but I can see Colton’s face hardening with every word.

“How did he act? What did he do?” he questions, trying to keep his voice calm.

I sit up straighter, hesitating for a moment. I don’t want to hide anything from Colton, but I’m also wary of causing tension. “Promise me you won’t confront him about it, okay? We need to get along. He was drunk, and it seemed like he hadn’t slept for days. He was kind one moment then shifted suddenly. He grabbed me, but it’s okay. He wasn’t himself. He’s in pain, Colton,” I plead.

His eyes flare with a protective rage. “I’ll keep quiet, but only because you’ve asked me to. If he ever lays a hand on you again, he’ll regret it,” he says, his voice firm.

Hoping to diffuse the tension, I gently touch his cheek. He leans into my hand, planting a tender kiss on my forehead. “Thank you,” I whisper.

Colton’s demeanor might sometimes seem possessive, but I truly believe it’s his way of showing he cares. He has far more self-control than he admits. “Anything for you,” he murmurs, taking my hand and delicately kissing each fingertip, drawing a smile from me.

“You know, I’m really proud of you. As tempting as it is to get under Nikki’s skin, you made the right choice not to share a room with me last night. If we’re going to make this work with him, we all need to be understanding and shouldn’t flaunt what we have in front of him,” Colton concedes.