Winter Fire [ Book 1 ] ✔

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Claire and Draz approached the front entrance of the warehouse with slow, cautious steps, their eyes sweeping the exterior for any sign that their presence had been detected. The heavy metal doors that had once served as the primary entry point had long since fallen from their hinges leaving a gaping black hole in their wake.

"We are going in there?" Claire asked quietly.

"Yeah," Draz replied, attempting to sound confident. "Don't worry, I'll be right beside you the whole time.

"Who's worried?" Claire announced, earning a doubtful look from Draz.

As they drew closer, a wave of uneasiness swept over her and Claire found herself hesitating. Who knew what was waiting for them in the darkness?

Alek is waiting.

That thought alone was all the encouragement Claire needed to press onward as she one again found herself following Alek into the unknown.

Claire held her breath as they crossed the threshold, and the darkness seemed to envelope them, drawing them in while pressing down all around them. The deeper they went into the blackness, the more stifling it became.

As their eyes grew more adjusted to the lack of light, Claire could see the floor was littered with garbage and debris. Each time they passed an open doorway which often opened up to an abandoned office or storage room, Claire wondered how long it had been since anyone had been inside.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Claire asked, her voice a barely audible whisper.

"It would take incredibly strong magic to counter the charm," Draz replied. "It's here alright."

Claire nodded and pressed her hand against her heart. She had tucked the trinket beneath her shirt to mask the glow and found comfort in the warmth of the metal against her skin.

"Let's keep searching, okay?" Draz said.

Claire nodded again and the two continued down the main hallway, listening and searching for anything out of the ordinary -- including shades.

Every time they kicked something and sent it skittering across the floor, Claire cringed and felt her heart skip a beat.

Soon the hall came to a dead end and their only option was to go to the left, or to the right. Claire pulled the pendant out from beneath her shirt, the soft glow illuminating the space around them. The light seemed brighter than ever now, which made Claire more anxious than excited.

What if someone, or perhaps something, saw?

Shoving the thoughts aside, Claire held the pendant out and watched with bated breath as it swung back and forth for what seemed like an eternity. Finally it stopped, the chain going taunt, though it wasn't pointing left or right. Instead it was pointing straight down. She looked towards Draz who looked as confused as she felt.

"What do we do now?" She asked. "Is it broken?"

"No, we're just close, and this sort of magic has no concept of spatial orientation," Draz explained. He raked his fingers through his blond hair and Claire could tell he was trying to figure out what to do next.

"If it's pointing down, then maybe it's trying to tell us he's beneath us?" he said. "Wait here."

He was gone before Claire could stop him, disappearing into the darkness. She started to call out to him but stopped herself. What if they were close? The last thing she wanted to do was alert Sevik, or anyone with him, to their presence. He returned a few seconds later, startling her when he erupted unexpectedly from the shadows.