Descent - Mattheo Riddle

Chapter thirty-seven

Lucia

June 22nd, 1:45 p.m., Arabian Desert

The desert stretched out before us, vast and seemingly endless, but different from the rolling dunes we had been trudging through before. Now, the landscape was flatter, with wide expanses of cracked, sunbaked earth and scattered patches of hard-packed sand. Jagged rock formations rose sporadically from the ground, casting long shadows across the desert floor as the sun climbed higher in the sky.

Riding the sand seals was nothing like I had imagined. The creatures moved with an effortless grace, gliding over the surface of the desert like waves across a calm sea. At first, it had been a little tricky to keep my balance, but now, after some time, I had grown more confident in controlling the creature beneath me. Beside me, Mattheo rode his seal with ease, our movements synchronized as we sped across the barren landscape.

The wind whipped through my hair, the dry desert air feeling a bit cooler now as it rushed past my face. It was strange how the seal beneath me seemed to glide over the cracked earth, its fins cutting smoothly through the sand like a ship on water. The rhythm of its movement was steady, almost calming, and I found myself relaxing once again, the second time in such a short amount of time. The tension that had been coiling inside me since our arrival in the desert began to ease.

Mattheo rode beside me, a slight grin on his lips, his dark eyes flicking to me every so often as if he couldn't resist stealing glances. He'd been flirting with me all morning, his words playful, his touch lingering whenever we slowed down to rest. It was easier for me now, I realized, to respond. To let myself enjoy his teasing without that constant wall of defense I'd always kept up.

Maybe it was because we were out here, far away from everything that had haunted us back in England. Or maybe it was because of last night—how he'd made me feel like I was the only thing that mattered. Like I was someone worth loving. Either way, something had shifted between us, and for once, I didn't feel the need to fight it.

As the seals glided side by side, Mattheo glanced over at me with a smirk. "You're looking more comfortable up there. Thought you were about to fall off when we started."

I rolled my eyes, though I couldn't help the smile that tugged at my lips. "Yeah, well, I'm getting the hang of it. Don't act like you weren't struggling at first too, Riddle. I saw you almost eat sand back there."

He laughed, the sound rich and easy. "What can I say? These things are temperamental. But I think I've finally tamed mine." He leaned forward slightly, his seal responding to the motion, picking up speed and sending a spray of sand into the air as it darted ahead.

I urged my own seal to catch up, matching his pace effortlessly. The creatures moved together now, almost in perfect sync, and I felt a sense of exhilaration building in my chest. There was something freeing about this—riding through the desert with nothing but the endless horizon ahead of us, the wind in my hair, and Mattheo's constant teasing to keep me grounded.

He turned to me again, his grin widening. "So, you think we'll make it to the relic first, or are you planning to stop and admire the scenery all day?"

I raised an eyebrow, unable to resist matching his playful tone. "I don't know, Mattheo. Maybe I'll take my time and let you do all the hard work for once. I could use a break from saving us."

He chuckled, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Oh, is that what you think? I'm the one doing all the hard work, love. You're just along for the ride."

"Really?" I shot back, feigning disbelief. "Because from what I remember, I was the one who saved you from that sand wraith."