Chapter Ten

SAGE

SAGE 'S ears buzzed as he groaned and opened his eyelids. Constant blinking seemed to help blur his vision. The red light on the dashboard is flashing. A piercing sound filled the air. Sage raised his hand and held his head. What just happened?

He looks out the window. White surrounds him. The slope of the mountain. He noticed this when he had to land the plane after both engines died. It took all of his school time before he calmed down and went flying in the snow. He winced as he recalled the sound of metal falling to the floor.

His limbs ached, but he still endured the pain and stood up straight. Where are Titan and Irena? His heart skipped a beat at the thought of them being hurt – or worse. His fingers fumbled for the seat belt.

"Titan? Irena?" he cried, then immediately regretted it.

Leaning down, he touched his stomach. He pulled his finger away and stepped back. There was no blood, but his ribs hurt. He wondered if he had hurt any of them.

After taking a deep breath, he rose from his seat and staggered toward the back of the plane.

"Irena?" he shouted again.

A look of panic crossed her mind. He was trying so hard to get in touch with someone on her radio that he didn't have time to discuss with her what was going on with them. For a moment, the thought that she couldn't fasten her seat belt made her stomach tighten.

He grabbed the side of the plane. His legs look like Jell-O. Every muscle ached. He didn't know where they were or if they were safe. But at least he's alive.

A groan, followed by a wet sensation on his fingers, sent his system into shock. Sage 's heart races as he looks down. Titan was beside him with his face just inches from Sage 's hand. He gasped then leaned forward and licked Sage again.

"Hey, boy," Sage gritted his teeth, reaching out and patting Titan's head.

His throat constricted and he winced as the words tried to come out.

Titan groaned again and rubbed his hands.

"It's okay. I'm fine. I just need a minute," he said. He leaned his shoulder against the side of the plane as he breathed in as deeply as his wound would allow.

That seemed to appease the dog. His tongue stuck out of his mouth as he panted next to Sage.

After a few seconds, Sage waved at Titan.

"Come on, my boy. Find Miss. Derrick." He got up and walked.

When he located Irena, relief and fear overwhelmed him, making him shiver. He held his breath as he looked at her condition. She plopped down on a chair with a small incision on her forehead. Her eyes were closed, and she was so quiet. His heart pounded as he reached out and pressed his fingers to his throat.

A hand gripped his arm as he opened his eyes. She stared at him and parted her lips. If her head hadn't been hurt before, then the high-pitched scream she let out was successful.

"Miss Derrick," Sage tried, but he could barely hear himself because of her screams." SP. Hopeless! He tried again.

She didn't stop screaming.

Finally put his hand over his mouth. It muffled the scream until it stopped. Irena 's eyes remained open, and her gaze scanned the room.

"Miss Derrick, you're in shock, but you need to stop screaming, she stopped.

"I will withdraw my hand. You won't start screaming again, will you?"

She stared at him with fear in her eyes. For a moment his heart turned to her. She must be very scared.

When she shook her head, he withdrew his hand.

She sat up and looked around.

"W-What happened?"

Sage plopped down on the chair beside her, and the adrenaline pumping in his veins dropped, making him shiver.

"The plane hit these birds. They destroyed the engine and I had to land in the mountains."

Her face turned pale as she looked out the window and back at him.

"Are you okay?" she stammered.

He shrugged, ignoring the bone-chilling pain in his stomach.

"It will be fine."

Sage felt her body shiver as she turned to face him. Her face had changed as if reality had finally settled around her.

"What did you do?" she whispered, staring at him.

All the affection he had for her before was gone.

"Sorry?"

She sat up in her chair when he blushed. On other days, he would think she looked adorable, but the rage in her eyes changed his feelings.

"What have you done?" she repeated, trying to stay steady.

Sage tries to keep his voice calm.

"What did I do? Do you think I want this? That I purposely called upon Zeus to create a storm that got us into this mess?"

Irena staggered as she stood beside her seat. His hands are raised for balance.

"I should have known not to get on a plane with a partygoer. After what you did to your father's yacht." She glared at him.

He raised his hand. There was no way he'd let her sit there and talk about things she knew nothing about.

"I suggest you stop talking now. You do not know me."

She stares.

"Oh, I think I know just enough about you."

The heat hurt his neck.

"Really?" He quoted the air. "What a joke. I haven't met a journalist who really cares about the truth and doesn't sell magazines."

Irena walked up to him and opened her lips. Before she could say anything, Titan. jumped on her and started licking her hands. She jerked him away and looked as if she was about to climb onto the chair to get rid of the dog.

Sage sat up, grateful for interrupting the conversation. He was no longer interested in fighting. He needed to know where they were and come up with a plan.

"I'm done arguing," he said, heading for the door.

He needed to know if the plane was in a safe place and if the emergency locator transmitter had survived the crash.

"Wait," Irena said, as she ran after him.

Sage ignored the panic in his voice as he pulled the latch and pushed the door open with his shoulder. A cold wind swirled around him as he looked outside. Snow surrounds them. He bent down. Half of the plane was covered in white powder, but at first glance it looked like there was no imminent danger. The plane appeared to be safely parked on the mountainside. But, from where he stood, he couldn't distinguish the state from anything else.

When he turned around, he saw Irena 's wide eyes.

"What?" he asked, closing the door to keep some of the heat they had inside the plane.

Her cheeks flushed red.

"I thought you left me," she said.

Sage suppressed a laugh. She was bored with him, it was true, but he would never leave her side. He passed her, making sure to stop a few inches away.

"Trust me, I've thought about it," he said as he looked at her. He saw her shiver and, inwardly, he smiled.

He went back, where he discovered his overnight sleeping bag and the suitcase the maid had packed. The first thing they had to do was find some warm clothes. The plane is protected from the wind, but without electricity, heat is prohibited.

"Take your suitcase," he said, nodding at her.

She walked over to her bag and grabbed its handle.

"Okay?"

He looked at her. Will he have to explain everything to her?

"Now open it up and find something to wear. It won't be long before this plane becomes a metal coffin. Temperatures drop rapidly here." He pointed to her pencil skirt and high heels. "Not really an outfit to keep a person warm."

She opened her suitcase and rummaged through it. Sage grabbed his hiking suit from the top of the duffel bag. Then he took off his sweater and jeans. There's no way he's wearing a suit in Greenland.

He turned to see Irena still standing by her suitcase, watching her go inside.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he walked towards her.

She glanced at him.

"I'm not sure what I have is suitable for the wilderness."

He reached into his pocket and began pulling out satin tank tops and fitted pencil skirts. Underneath are lace lingerie and a bra. The image of Irena wearing these items flashed through his mind. Sage tried to calm his heart as he sped up.

He clenched his fist. Calm down Sage, he blamed himself.

Redirecting his energy seems like the best idea.

"Why did you bring those to Greenland?" He tried to keep his tone harsh, but Irena seemed to have noticed.

"Not me..." She glanced at him and pursed her lips.

"Well, I guess I don't think I'm going to crash into a mountain." She stammered for a moment before turning to look at him.

He was so distracted by her ridiculous clothing choices that he hired her. He shook his head as he pulled out more items. An image hovering above the ground. Glancing at it, Sage picked it up. It was a photo of a handsome guy with his arm around Irena. For a moment, Sage allowed himself to wonder who he was.

He shook his head. What's the matter with him? There was no reason for him to care about the details of Irena 's life. She is boring and overbearing. And pissed him off.

"Boyfriend?" he asked, handing her the picture.

She took it from him. "Yes," she mumbled.

The story seems to be longer than it implies, but he decides not to go any further.

"Cold." He waved at his belongings.

"None of them will work there. Come here." He nodded toward his gym bag.

She followed him. He grabbed a flannel shirt and jeans, then handed them to her as his eyebrows rose.

"Really?" she asked.

"Really."

"Besides I'm totally offended when you think you and I are the same size, I suspect your clothes protect me more than I would like."

Sage approached her. He tried to ignore her scent. Like fresh paper and summer nights. "Miss. Derrick, with your skimpy clothes, you'd freeze to death in the Greenlandic climate. As he drew closer to her and deepened his voice, his eyes widened. Good. He won't be the only annoying person here."

He looked into her bright blue eyes.

"Now, personally, I'd rather leave you here. But I have a feeling Peter wouldn't be very happy if I let his best reporter fend for himself with the bears and the freezing cold." pressed the clothes against her chest,

"Now be a good girl and put this on."

Her arms wrapped around the clothes as she glared at him.

"GOOD." She turned to walk into the bathroom and closed the door.

Alone, Sage sighed. He will have to look around Irena Derrick. There was a fire in his eyes and a hint of wit that seemed to attract him. And that he cannot have.