LOGINHis eyes were shut.“Is he…?”“He is alive, Miss Natalia,” one of the healers whispered, moving aside. “But he is barely conscious, and may not recognize you.”My throat tightened. I rushed forward, and suddenly saw Karl sitting there. He shot to his feet when he saw me and embraced me without a wor
Natalia’s POVThe excavation began the next morning. I woke to the sound of voices and commotion outside, and emerged from the tent to find that a stream of workers had already begun approaching the mountainside.To my surprise, Luna Ellen was amongst them. She told me that she wanted to lead the ex
“I thought I’d lost you,” he whispered into my hair. “When you fell, I thought—”“I know. I’m sorry.” I pulled back to look at him. “Are you okay? Grace said the fumes messed with your head.”“I’m fine now. It took a while for my head to clear, but I’m better.” He cupped my face in his hands. “Are y
Natalia’s POVI woke to the smell of herbs and wood smoke. My eyes cracked open slowly, adjusting to the dim light filtering through canvas walls. A tent. I was in a tent, lying on a cot with thick furs piled on top of me.For a moment, I couldn’t remember where I was or how I’d gotten here. I furro
The side passage sloped upward. That was good. Up meant out. But it was also narrow and unstable. More cracks appeared in the walls as we climbed, and chunks of stone fell around us.But Andrei was slowing down. I could see it in the way he moved, the way he had to stop every few steps to catch his
Natalia’s POVWith a gasp, I pulled my boot out of the water and stumbled backward. My legs wouldn’t hold me anymore. I fell to my butt, hardly even feeling the stone cutting against me, and panted as I stared at the rippling water.Andrei was still kneeling at the edge of the pool with my baby clut







