CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Winter

The world spins around me as I plummet through the air. The wind screams in my ears, and my hair whips around my face. I can see nothing but darkness and stars, and I wonder if I'm going to die.

And then, just as suddenly as it began, it's over. I land on solid ground, my legs buckling beneath me. I look up, gasping for air, and see the others standing around me, looking relieved.

"We made it," Elena says, grinning from ear to ear.

She offers me her hand and pulls me to standing. I check a second time, just to make sure I have it right.

Damon. Alec. Hank. We're all here.

I sigh in relief. Even though Alec and I just met these three, they feel so important to me already. With nothing but ravenous creatures roaming this dimension, we need each other.

"Look where we are." Damon points above us.

I gasp. Just when I thought this pocket dimension couldn't get any weirder ...

Above us, the night sky is illuminated by a swirling mass of colors. It's like nothing I've ever seen before: a cosmic aurora borealis that stretches as far as the eye can see. It's beautiful, mesmerizing, and terrifying all at once.

Next to us is a massive tree, its trunk so large it looks like it could hold up the sky. Its leaves shimmer in the dim light, and I notice that the branches go up and up, as if they could go on forever. It's like being in the most beautiful dream ever.

"Well," Elena says, "whoever created this world was certainly an artist."

I nod, too dumbstruck to answer.

"But where do we go now?" Damon puts his hands on his hips and turns in a slow circle. "I have no clue where the river might be."

Hank shrugs. "Maybe we just follow the tree? It looks like the tallest thing around, so we might be able to see the river from up high."

We all agree and start walking towards the tree. As we get closer, we notice something strange. The bark is covered in carvings, symbols and words etched into the wood.

"What do they say?" Hank asks, running his hand over the markings.

Alec leans in to get a closer look. "I think they're spells. Magical incantations, maybe?"

Damon snorts. "Like we need more magic in our lives right now."

We all laugh, but I can see the worry in their eyes. This is oddly similar to the orb we found in the cave. It's like we're getting a sneak peek at the inner workings of this dimension.

Instead of being comforting, though, its unsettling.

"What are we waiting for?" I grasp the first branch. "Let's climb."

"Hey." Alec steps closer. "How is your arm?"

Throbbing like hell.

"It's working," I say with a strained smile.

"You sure you're up for climbing?"

To prove myself, I climb onto the first level of branches. "Are you?"

He smirks. "You know I'm good at this."

I roll my eyes. "And you only take every opportunity to remind me."

The five of us start climbing. With thick, close branches, it’s almost too easy. It's like the tree was made for us to climb. I glance down at the ground below us, marveling at how far up we are already.

As we climb higher, the carvings on the trunk become more intricate and detailed. I reach out to touch one such carving, a series of twisting lines that form a knot.

But as we climb higher, the branches start to thin out, and the climb becomes more challenging. The wind picks up, and I cling to the trunk, my heart racing. Alec is close behind me, and I can feel his breath on my neck.

A red rock wall appears next to the tree, so close that you could reach an arm over and touch it. We keep climbing, going so high that the ground disappears under the multitude of branches.

We finally reach the top, and I gasp at the view. We're right next to the top of the red rock, which is on our right. Forward, however, is an expansive landscape.

The river stretches out before us, its surface glittering in the light of the aurora. We can see for miles in every direction, and the sight is breathtaking. It looks like the Southwest, with canyons and bluffs, but it glows. Neon greens, purples, and pinks light up the rock faces, like they've been coated with glow-in-the-dark paint.

"Wow," Damon says softly. "Whoever designed this place certainly had a flair for the dramatic."

Elena nods. "It's like a fairy tale."

Alec easily swings onto the top of the rock face. "Let's do this." We follow Alec's lead, climbing onto the top of the red rock wall. The wind is even stronger up here, and I have to hold onto the rock to keep from being blown away.

But the view is worth it. The river stretches out before us, a ribbon of silver winding through the neon landscape. We can see the other side of the valley, where the trees grow thick and green.

"We need to find a way down to the river," Damon says. "And then we start following it. Maybe we'll find a way to cross it."

"But it's hot, right?" I ask, remembering the ice.

He frowns. "Maybe? Honestly, who knows? I still don't understand the laws around here, and it's not like I've needed to drink water since getting here."

We start making our way down the side of the rock face, picking our way down the rough stone. It's slow going, but we're making progress.

But then I slip, my foot losing its hold on the rock. I feel Alec's hand grab my arm, pulling me back from the edge.

"Careful," he says, his voice tense.

I nod, my heart racing—but it's not just from the constant adrenaline. It's from the feel of his hand in mine too.

No matter what's happening, all Alec has to do is touch me, and it's like the world slows down.

We finally make it down to the ground, our feet sinking into the soft, glowing grass. The river is even more beautiful up close, the water shimmering in shades of silver and blue. It looks cool and inviting, but I'm hesitant to touch it. Who knows what kind of magic it holds?

It's wide. So wide that I wouldn't be able to throw a stick across it. It’s like a whole interstate made out of deep, rushing water.

"We need to start following the river," Elena says, pointing to where it disappears into a deep canyon. "It probably narrows out in there and then we can cross."

We nod and start walking, our eyes constantly scanning our surroundings. The neon landscape is beautiful, but it's also dangerous. Who knows what kind of creatures could be lurking in those vibrant canyons?

As we walk, I feel Alec's hand brush against mine. I glance over at him, and he smiles at me, his eyes crinkling at the corners. It's a small gesture, but it fills me with warmth.

Am I just tormenting myself here, letting myself enjoy little moments like this? Alec and I will never happen. It would be more realistic for me to go for a guy like Gregory.

Gregory.

My stomach sours. Is he even still alive?

Is there anyone left alive at Hawthorn?

I haven't had much time to think about what happened in town with Gregory and Heather, but now that we're trudging along the river there's nothing to do but think. Alice stabbed me in the back, and I never saw it coming.

She was the first person to really show me kindness at Hawthorn. I thought she was a true friend.

Turns out, she was working with Heather to bring me down. To create a story that would turn Gregory against me.

I liked Gregory. A lot.

Or ... at least I thought I did.

Standing next to Alec, feeling the energy pulsing between us, it’s a reminder that there's nothing else like what we have. Nothing in the world can compare to this connection. It's hard to describe, but it feels like we were meant to be in each other's lives.

And here I am, bottling up my feelings for him, pushing them down, and acting like they don't exist. Honestly, I'm not sure how much longer I can do this for.

Looking up, I realize with a start that we've reached the canyon.

Its walls rise up high above us, casting an eerie shadow over the river. It's like entering a different world. Everything is darker, the neon colors muted by the shadowy walls.

I shiver, and not just from the sudden drop in temperature. This place feels like it's hiding secrets.

We continue along the canyon, the walls closing in around us. It's getting darker and colder, and I can feel goosebumps forming on my skin. But the beauty of the canyon is still stunning, the neon colors of the rocks glowing in the dim light.

The river is still too wide to cross, so we follow it as it twists and turns through the rock. It occurs to me that we're kind of sitting ducks in here. If some more monsters see us and decide to attack from above, we have nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide.

"Hey." It's Elena, who’s fallen back to talk with me.

"Hi."

She nods at my arm. "How is it?"

"Sore, but I'll live. It's the least of what we've been through this week."

"Oh, yeah?" She cocks her head. "I can only imagine. It was no easy task finding the lighthouse."

"Especially when you're being hunted by people who want to kill you."

Her face folds with concern, but I shake my head. I shouldn't have said anything. Talking about the Silver Hunters will only depress me.

"Alec was so worried when we didn't come through the portal right away," she says. "He looked like he was about to go crazy."

"Did he?" I don't remember that part. Maybe I was too busy getting my bearings.

Her lashes flutter, and it looks like she's trying not to smile. "I think he likes you."

Heat fills me. How do I explain this to Elena? How do I tell her that Alec is afraid of losing control and hurting me without revealing that he's a vampire?

I guess I can't.

I shake my head. "I don't know."

"I think he does." She bumps her shoulder against mine.

I look at the others, walking a bit ahead of us. A normal human couldn't hear our conversation, but with Alec's advanced hearing he might be able to, so I lower my voice.

"He should make a move and kiss me then," I whisper.

Except it doesn't come out as a whisper. It’s a booming yell that echoes through the canyon. The rock face shakes, dust spewing into the air and stones rolling into the river.

Alec, Hank, and Damon turn around in surprise. Everyone is staring at me.

And me?

A hole to crawl into and die in would be great right about now.

"How did you do that?" Damon asks.

"I-I did-didn't ..." I can't even control my own tongue; I'm so embarrassed.

Elena touches the canyon's wall. "It was a whisper, but it came out as a shout."

"Yeah," I say, looking at everyone but Alec. I can feel his gaze on me, and I don't want to know what his expression is.

"It was an opposite effect." Damon starts getting excited. "Kind of like the lava and the ice. How what we're used to being hot is cold here, and vice versa." He cups his hands around his mouth and takes a deep breath. "Hello!"

It's weird, but even though I know he's trying to shout, I can barely hear what he said. The shout came out as a whisper.

"Strange," I say.

There must be something about this canyon. Does it distort sound?

We continue walking in silence, the awkwardness thick enough to cut with a knife. I can feel Alec's eyes on me, but I don't dare to look up. Everything inside me is a mess. I can't believe I just yelled out like that.

The canyon twists, and we come face to face with a solid rock wall. The river dips under it, disappearing beneath the stone.

My heart falls. "That's it."

Hank curses and rubs his brow.

I spin all around, looking for another path. There's nothing, though.

"We'll need to turn back." Damon is trying to sound positive, but I can tell he feels defeated.

I chew on my bottom lip. If that's the way it is, then that's the way it is. We're only wasting time by standing around here being disappointed because we chose the wrong path.

I take a step, but Alec throws his arm across my chest. "Wait."

"Uh-oh." I stare at him. This won't be good.

"Do you hear that?" he asks.

Damon nods slowly, his eyes widening. "Yeah. It sounds like ..."

He doesn't need to describe it, because now I hear it too. A scratching, like a million bugs scampering along the rocks.

A million giant bugs.

Ones that are headed right for us.