Page 69 of On Burning Paths

“Thorian’s right,” she says, her blush impossibly adorable under the orange afternoon light. “We need to take this seriously.”

We all turn back to the cave, staring into the entrance, and I know that I should be thinking, strategizing, but it’s hard. The past three days have held both the most terrifying moment of my life and the most incredible… every second I've spent with Nyx.

When she’s near, it’s hard to think about anything except her.

The Veridra juice loosened something in all of us, burned away whatever hesitation or restraint had been building through the swamp, the graveyard, and every quiet moment when I'd looked at her and pulled myself back. Under it, there was no calculation, no uncertainty. Just her. The warmth of her, the way she'd looked at me like I was someone worth looking at, the soft sounds she made when I touched her. She'd been nervous and brave at the same time, the way she is about everything, and I'd tried to be gentle enough to deserve the trust she was placing in us.

I'd never wanted to deserve something more in my life.

When Thorian directed me to go first, I hadn't thought about it. I'd just gone, grateful in a way I didn't have words for, careful with her in a way I hoped she felt.

I'd never been happier about anything.

“Get your head out of the gutter,” Talon whispers, dipping his head near mine, whispering conspiratorially.

Nyx doesn’t seem to hear, as she walks to the other side of the cave to examine the rock spilling outside of it, but Thorian does, and he shakes his head.

“The gutter isn’t the worst place to be when you’re thinking of Nyx,” I say, with a sigh.

“Don’t make me hit you again,” Thorian warns, turning to us. “If the other teams aren’t here yet, I’d wager they’re entering from their own locations.”

“Is that better or worse for us?” Talon asks, and Thorian considers his question, rubbing his hand along his chin.

“Not sure,” he says, turning back to the entrance. “It’ll be more unpredictable not knowing where they are. And the dark won't help. But whether it’s us surprising the other teams, or them surprising us, we’ll likely all meet somewhere beneath the ground, I bet…”

"I think this is igneous rock!" Nyx says, breathless with excitement as she returns to us, her face happily flushed, a few baby hairs escaping from her braid.

For a beat, the three of us just stare at her.

She's beautiful. I've thought it since the first moment I saw her, but it catches me off-guard still, the way it does when something is genuinely lovely rather than just technically so. Her hazel eyes are bright with excitement, catching the torchlight, and her cheeks are flushed pink, and she looks so happy about igneous rock that my whole heart swells. She doesn't seem to know what she looks like when she's like this, animated and curious and entirely herself, which somehow makes it worse. Or better. I'm not sure there's a difference anymore.

I blink, remembering that she spoke and none of the three of us has responded. The others could be confused about what she said, but I'd wager they're just as bespelled by her as I am.

Just looking at her takes me back to this morning, and this time, Talon is the one ribbing me with his elbow. “Gutter,” he whispers.

“…and that means?” Thorian prompts, and Nyx gestures to the cave.

“Ivor is really into this stuff. He’d walk about our property and search for crystals. Igneous rock comes from volcanic activity. See how it’s smooth like that? I think there might be crystals inside.”

“Great. Any knowledge is better than none,” Thorian mutters. “What do we know about crystals?”

“They can hold magical energy,” Talon says, and when we turn to look at him, he shrugs. “Wealthy vampires love gems.”

“So, the warlocks might be able to use them against us?”

“I don’t know how it works,” Talon says, shrugging again. “Could be specific spells to enchant them. Could only be sensitive to certain magic users.”

“Great,” Thorian mutters, glancing again over his shoulder. “So the answer is that we know nothing, except that the warlocks might be able to use this against us.”

Talon glances at the sky. “We should probably get this over with before it gets dark.”

“Just… go in there?” Nyx asks, sounding nervous.

“The warlocks will have ways to light the dark. The shifters will be able to see a bit in the dark. Talon and I can see a bit in the dark, but the two of you? You’d be sitting ducks,” Thorian explains.

“We should make torches,” I offer, glancing at them.

“There’s the idea man,” Talon says, bopping me on the head. I knock his hand away, and catch Nyx watching us. I'm sure she likes it when we mess around with one another, and it makes me want to keep doing it.