Chapter 8

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I found the stretch of crystalline wall that glittered in the light. Jarrad had called it a “druse”, and without thinking I ran my hand along its gritted surface, treading deeper into the cave. When fear crept in, I thought only of my love. I could feel his presence, just somewhere up ahead. I’d find him in the glowing cavern for sure.

The opening was up ahead, but with every step forward, it seemed to retreat from me. I halted and rubbed my eyes, confirmed I was where Jarrad and I had been just the other day. It had to be here. There were no other tunnels leading from the entrance.

A faint but distinct whistle cut through the quiet. At first, I thought my ears were ringing, but the whistle grew louder before fading suddenly into nothing. Once, I would have pictured the sound of an ancient terror with five eyes and a thousand teeth, preying on beings who wandered far from home. And I was so very far from home; far, it seemed, from the safety of the five-star cottage.

But the whistling rose again, and I knew it was the wind. Only the wind, passing through tunnels, stirring the still air.

“What the hell?”

The time on my phone said it was evening. But…how? That meant hours had passed while I was down here. There’s no way I’d been underground that long. This spot wasn’t far from the entrance. I walked much faster than we did before. The crystal druse was a landmark I remembered—one I knew. It couldn’t have been this late.

I pressed my body against the wall and restarted my phone. Waiting, I looked ahead to the cavern, hoping its gentle glow would emerge from the darkness. The wind passing through the cave brought a chill that swept across the back of my neck.

My lock screen still said evening, and… No signal?

But… Jarrad’s messages. He would have been standing right here as he sent them.

“Jarrad!” My voice repeated in the distance.

Something was very wrong. It wasn’t safe to stay here. The forecast said it would rain.

I turned on the torch and rested my hand again along the druse surface. The glowing cavern wasn’t far. We were just down here, for heaven’s sake!

“Hold on, babe.” I zipped my parka all the way up and wielded the light at the tunnel. “I’m not leaving you.”