Norsuk

Most of the time, I didn"t think much about fate or higher powers. But now, as Agatha and I stood in the crumbling cavern city ruins, I couldn"t shake the feeling that something was looking out for us. Whatever it was, it had kept us alive through more close calls than I could count.

Still, even with luck on our side, I struggled to see a way out of this situation. The cavern roof groaned overhead, cracks spreading with every second. Our escape routes were disappearing, blocked by falling debris and sinkholes. It was like the earth itself had turned against us, trying to crush us.

Agatha looked up at me, her eyes wide. In the dim light, I could see the hope draining from her face, replaced by grim acceptance. The sight sent a bolt of pain through my chest.

I couldn"t let her down. Not now, not after everything we"d been through and sacrificed to stay together. There had to be a way...

A flicker of light caught my eye, so faint I almost missed it. It glimmered high above, blinking in and out like a broken light. Probably nothing—just some stray korun or the cavern"s dying illumination.

Ignoring it, I turned to the waterfall on the far wall. The once mighty flow had dwindled to a trickle. Agatha and I carefully made our way over the rubble to the base of the falls, searching the slick stone for an opening.

"That water is coming from somewhere," I said, feeling the mossy rock. "From above us. We never explored this area before..." I trailed off, remembering the languid afternoons we"d spent together in the pool below.

Agatha gave me a wry look, a faint smile on her chapped lips. "We were a bit busy at the time, if I recall. Exploring each other was the priority."

I felt my face flush with heat and ducked my head to hide a sudden grin. Trust Agatha to fluster me, even in the middle of imminent doom.

But the moment of humor was brief. Sobering, I returned to the task at hand, fingers probing every crack. "If water can flow in, there might be a gap we can squeeze through. If it hasn"t collapsed."

"And end up back in the mines," Agatha said, shoulders slumping slightly. "Not ideal, but better than getting flattened down here."

We searched in tense silence, the only sounds the waterfall and the ominous groaning of strained rock. But as the minutes passed with no luck, a cold dread settled in my gut. There was nothing—no convenient passage or miraculous tunnel to whisk us to safety. Just solid stone and the growing certainty of a bad end.

Above, the mysterious light flared brighter, more insistent. As if demanding my attention, refusing to be ignored. Frowning, I craned my neck back, expecting it to turn into something ordinary. A reflection, maybe, or just my mind playing tricks.

But it remained steady. Burning through the thick haze of dust and smoke like a newborn star, searing spots into my vision.

Agatha followed my gaze, a confused noise escaping her raw throat. "What the hell is that?"

"No idea," I muttered. "But it"s not korun."

"You don"t think..." She trailed off, hardly daring to say it. I saw it in the sudden stillness of her body, the catch in her breath. The terrible, burgeoning hope on her face.

"It can"t be," I said. But even as the words left my mouth, I felt the truth kindling in my bones. That impossible, miraculous light could only mean one thing.

"Daylight," Agatha breathed, eyes huge. "It"s daylight."

I worked my jaw, mind racing. If that was indeed the sun, it could only be shining through from the surface. Through a crack in the cavern ceiling, a passageway gouged out by the same quakes that had nearly killed us over and over.

And if there was a way out...

"I need to get up high," I said abruptly, already looking around for a good vantage point. "Somewhere I can get a running start."

Agatha frowned, clearly not following. "Up high? Why?"

Instead of answering, I flexed my shoulders and unfurled my wings with a snap that echoed like a gunshot. Understanding dawned in her eyes, followed by apprehension.

"You"re going to fly us out." It wasn"t a question. "Norsuk, are you sure? That crack is really high up, and you"re still new to flying."

"Got a better idea?" I asked, more sharply than I meant to. Wincing, I softened my tone and took her small hands in mine. "I know it"s a risk. But right now, it"s our only shot. That roof could give out any second, and then we"re both dead."

Agatha searched my face for a long, tense moment. Reading the determination and steely resolve beneath my outward confidence. Then, slowly, she nodded and squeezed my fingers with a surprisingly strong grip.

"Okay," she whispered. "Okay, let"s do it. I trust you."

Emotion welled up thick in my throat. Swallowing hard, I lifted our joined hands and pressed a fierce kiss to her knuckles. Her skin was cool and gritty with ash, the delicate bones like a bird"s wings in my grasp.

"I won"t let you down," I vowed. "I swear on my life, Agatha. I"ll get us out or die trying."

She made a small, pained sound. Pulled me down until our foreheads touched, her breath warm on my face. "Don"t you dare die on me, Norsuk. Don"t even think it."

"Never," I breathed. Sealing it with a hard, desperate kiss that felt far too much like goodbye.

Then, before I lost my nerve, I stepped back. Turned to face the shattered remains of the once-proud city, looking for a good launch point. There—a cluster of buildings at the far end of the cavern, leaning drunkenly against each other. The tallest had collapsed against its neighbor at a steep angle, forming a crude ramp. If I could get enough speed...

"All right," I said, squaring my shoulders. "I"m going to climb up there and get a running jump. You stay here until I come back for you, got it? Be ready to move fast."

Agatha set her jaw stubbornly but nodded. I saw the protest building behind her eyes, but miraculously she swallowed it. Stepping into me, she wrapped her arms around my waist and pressed her face hard against my chest.

"Don"t keep me waiting too long," she whispered. "I"ll never forgive you if you leave me down here alone."

I crushed her to me, breathing in her warm, sweet scent. Memorizing the feel of her heartbeat, the soft curves of her body. The ragged sound of her breathing.

Then, with a final squeeze, I let her go. Took a step back. Another.

And then I ran. Sprinting toward the tilted spire of rock and metal like the hounds of hell were after me. The world narrowed to the burn in my legs, the harsh rasp of my breath. The sickening tilting and swaying of the ground under my feet.

But I didn"t slow down. Didn"t hesitate. I charged up the side of the building in huge, bounding leaps, wings half-spread for balance. Chunks of masonry broke away under my feet, clattering into the void below. I barely noticed, too focused on my goal.

At the top of the structure, I hauled myself onto a narrow ledge, chest heaving. The crack in the cavern roof gaped huge and hungry overhead, a jagged gash limned in blinding light. Swallowing against a suddenly dry throat, I risked a glance over the edge.

Agatha was a tiny figure far below, head tilted back to watch my progress. Even from this distance, I felt the weight of her gaze, the mute plea in her eyes.

Failure was not an option. Falling was not an option.

Gritting my teeth, I backed up as far as the crumbling stone would allow. Curling my toes in my boots, I took a deep breath. Held it. Let it out in a rush.

And then, with a powerful flex of legs and snap of wings, I launched myself into the abyss.

For a single, horrifying instant, I dropped like a rock. Limbs flailing, lungs frozen as the ground rushed up to meet me. But then instinct kicked in, some primal part of my brain screaming at me to fly, damnit!

I thrust my wings out to their full span, feeling tendons and joints pop. The wind roared in my ears, raked icy claws through my hair. And incredibly, impossibly... I rose.

Elation surged through my veins, fierce and bright. Laughing in sheer disbelief, I wheeled and spiraled through the cavernous space, reveling in the stretch and burn of my new muscles. The indescribable rush of defying gravity, of soaring unhindered through the gloom.

But I couldn"t enjoy the feeling for long. Even as I marveled at the miracle of flight, exhaustion tugged at my limbs. The lingering effects of my recent ordeals made themselves known, a deep ache radiating from my very bones.

Cursing under my breath, I angled into a shallow dive. Cupped my wings to slow my descent as the ground loomed larger. At the last second, I thrust my legs out, absorbing the jarring impact that rattled my teeth.

I hit the ground running, momentum carrying me forward in an awkward surge. Agatha scrambled to meet me, sooty face split in a fierce, incredulous grin. I crashed into her with a grunt, arms closing around her waist.

"You did it!" she crowed, voice cracking with emotion. "Norsuk, you actually did it!"

"Told you I would," I said, aiming for cocky but falling short. "You doubted me?"

"Never." She pulled back to cup my face in her hands, eyes overbright. "Not for a single second."

Throat tight, I covered her hands with my own, feeling her pulse flutter. The tremble of her fingers against my wind-chapped skin.

"Hold on tight," I instructed roughly. "And no matter what... don"t let go."

Agatha swallowed, the pale line of her throat rippling. Then, slowly, she nodded. A silent promise, a solemn vow.

She wrapped herself around me, strong thighs clamping to my waist. I felt the press of her hands on my shoulders, the hitching rise and fall of her chest. Her scent enveloped me, rich and earthy and painfully dear.

How could I fail now?