ae

s a punish

ing here. The immortal realm, where I am to live out a not so immortal existenc

rtality belongs to

gic beyond their means. Magic to

my subconscious, jolting m

e now, shaking me. I look up at her, tresses of dark hair

ality spell,

still seeping blood, I'm painfully aware of my sudden mora

s. "That's

ed, surely it would be here." I throw my hands up,

Oh great, the cold is probably going to kill you." Eyla covers her hands

inst it as a particularly sharp edge nip

paus

t if

ha

haping her hands like she's clutching a ball, t

ow. "What ar

r lap, huffing out a breath.

y from her. Not to mention, I'm not spending another near century in Deat

er feet. "Fine, let's check the rocks and

you're the s

ay I watch my best friend get turned into a mortal agai

Eyla. I'm unsteady, weak. The stinging from my wound is distracting, although not

here," I direct helplessly, pressing my

g to start a fi

go outside

face, her cheeks are still crimson, her limbs agile. I imagine all healthy colour

says distastefully, forehead creasing as s

Don't forget my w

esses her fingers against her temples, squeez

elf a moment before her eye

ood?" I can't tell if she sounds disgusted, or intrigued. I'm not in t

ck. "What kind of res

." She rubs the back o

tion of everything that entails living. Seven Sins and Seven Virtues. I have m

know an awful lot," I mutter, watching fresh b

tal Prince. The one I t

ho remain unseen to us commoner's eyes exist, legends are c

sense, I would

I wouldn't have slipped into a magi

person..." I hear Eyla say

uck to my pants. "I'm going to look around,

s a pureblood up here?" Eyla cuts in

ey can h

of surviving this is already slim, so I'll take help, even if it

ve. Was it always this cold? My skin burns, my e

us tone echoing across the walls. "What if it'

ath, they don't live in so

n with ice. The heel of my palm smacks the top of my flas

o be anyone, it'

g to say his name, as

widen, expression st

t one way, I see nothing promising through the cloud of my breat

I'll go this way." I point to the

head, jacket ru

before I freeze to death. Mi

. I don't even have it in me to be worried about stumbling into this Immortal Prince o

nt with the limited light. "Ugh, fine. Please

," I drawl, turni

ily. With my patch of available light getting smaller with each passing minute, I opt for

ove in the wall. Wincing, I tug my hand away, shaking it

fitted neatly into the rock,

over here,"

rom rock to rock. I keep my light trained on the wood, a

y side, breathing heavily

ooking at a door, we excha

e salvation. Eyla looks blatantly petrified, even taking an uncomf

try it?" I

a permanent fixture to her pretty fac

mor

e, g

cked or anything. Shining our lights down, it reveals another section of t

only to stumble back

es her hand up, laying it flat against a

sure? Let

o the threshold, expecting to be shoved back by magic l

d my hands out. "Woul

in this cave system knows no bounds. I get a feeling, however, that it's n

e door closed. "Okay, then we close t

super creepy hallway?" Eyla drifts of

ing is down there, lurking in the shadows, awaiting exploration. I step t

king what I a

, but I think I change my mind." Eyla sta

m from my flashlight. I don't need to go far, before the slightest wave

wn there..."

to the darkness like this, but the warmth is compelli

ressing herself against the wall of magic.

deeper into the hallway I traverse. The palms of my hands skate alon

Eyla. I should turn around, find another way to save myself

throwing her hands up. "I'

s against a wood struc

against my forehead

than it should ha

the wood, until my fingers knock ag

lls out. Oh, so no

nearly collapse. From what I can see peeking through the gap, the making of a home is laid out, the cave ext

, looking back at Eyla. "It'

hat's not the case, and instead, it's a kind cave-dweller that wi

this is a bad idea, to summon me back, but she doesn't. "Give

ng my breath, I open the do

ng in the centre of the