Bound by Dusk and Embers

Chapter Fifteen - Echoes Of The Past

Amberlynn's breath echoed through the narrow, suffocating walls of the tunnel as she followed Riven deeper into the twisting underground labyrinth. The weight of the stone above them felt oppressive, as if the earth itself was pressing down, trying to swallow them whole. The air was thick and damp, filled with the smell of mould and decay, and every step they took seemed to stir up dust and the remnants of an ancient world long forgotten.

Riven led the way, his movements swift and sure despite the cramped space. Amberlynn followed closely behind, her heart pounding in her chest, her body tense with adrenaline. The flickering light from the small, enchanted flame Riven had conjured cast eerie shadows along the tunnel walls, dancing like ghosts as they hurried through the darkness.

"Do you know where we're going?" Amberlynn asked, her voice a little more breathless than she wanted it to be. She tried to keep the edge of doubt out of her words, but they were surrounded by stone, trapped underground, and the deeper they went, the more claustrophobic she felt.

Riven glanced over his shoulder, his sharp blue eyes gleaming in the dim light. "I have a vague idea," he said with a half-smile. "These tunnels were built long before Lady Eira took control, but they're connected to the older parts of the palace. Somewhere, there is an exit. We just have to find it."

Amberlynn bit her lip, the unease growing in her chest. They had been walking for what felt like hours, winding through the tunnels that twisted and turned, leading them deeper and deeper into the earth. The plan to escape had seemed clear at the time, but now that they were in the thick of it, the reality was much more terrifying.

She was starting to doubt Lucaerys would ever come. He should have been there. He should have done more to stop her capture, to stop Lady Eira from sinking her claws into her. But he hadn't. He'd let her be taken.

And now, Amberlynn found herself wondering if she even cared anymore. Sure, there was that connection between them, but what if that was just her wanting to be wanted and Lucaerys happened to be there.

Lucaerys had promised to protect her, to help her figure out this prophecy. But his promises had led her here—locked in a cell, waiting for a death she didn't deserve... a death by his hand. He had warned her about Lady Eira, had confessed his role in being sent to kill her, but when it seemed to have mattered the most. He did nothing. How could she want someone like that?

A bitter knot formed in her chest, she forced herself to push those thoughts aside. Now wasn't the time to dwell on broken promises. Lucaerys was far from here, and she was stuck underground with Riven—the only person... well Fae, who had been there for here when it really mattered. Who had helped her not to break in that prison.

"You're quiet," Riven noted, his voice breaking the silence between them. He slowed his pace slightly, casting her a sidelong glance. "Thinking about him?"

Amberlynn stiffened, shaking her head more vehemently than she'd intended. "No. Not anymore."
Riven chuckled, a low sound that echoed off the stone walls. "Good. You shouldn't waste your time on someone who couldn't even stop your capture."

Her jaw clenched at the reminder, and the resentment she'd been trying to bury surged to the surface. "I don't want to care about him anymore," she repeated, her voice hardening. "If he really wanted to help, he would have found a way."

Riven nodded in agreement, his expression thoughtful as they continued to walk. "You're right. He's tied to Lady Eira. He's never going to be free of her—not completely."

Amberlynn didn't respond, her mind swirling with conflicting emotions. The betrayal she felt toward Lucaerys was still raw, but at the same time, she knew Riven was right. Lady Eira had a hold over Lucaerys that was stronger than Amberlynn could understand. But that didn't excuse his failure.