“You are nothing Ileus! So just get lost. You will never be able to get her!” Nyles roared in anger at him and then suddenly ran towards Anastasia. “M’lady, recreate the portal!” However as soon as blurted those words, a strong current of water splashed towards her and threw her away. She was thrashed against the wall with such a heavy force that she became unconscious again. This time they didn’t pull her out.

But seeing what Anastasia just did, they all backed.

“Ileus, this is dangerous,” Darla cautioned. “You can’t fight it.”

Frenzied, he ignored her and called her again. “Anastasia, come back. You have to!”

Anastasia closed her eyes and looked up at the ceiling. She stretched her hands up and closed her fists. Her neck muscles corded with much tension that veins popped out. And Ileus knew that she was under a lot of pain. Slowly, she dipped her head low and opened her eyes and at the same time flung her arms out strongly. As soon as she did that ring broke and water splashed everywhere, wetting everyone.

Anastasia collapsed.

The stream resumed its path and started to flow along with pink and blue bioluminescence as if it was never disturbed.

Immediately, Ileus ran to her and picked her up in his arms and exited the cavern. Aidan pulled Nyles up and carried her out.

As Ileus placed her on the fur, Kaizan started igniting the fire once again.

“Darla, pass me some fresh clothes,” Ileus barked the order. He wiped her dry, his face pale as a ghost. The girl had used her willpower to break the portal, and he didn’t know what kind of effect that would have. It was a lot of fierce and dangerous energy that she managed to shatter. He cupped her cheeks and murmured, “You did good.” Her body was cold. He covered her with fur.

—

When Anastasia woke up next, she found herself covered in a thick lining of furs. Her body was hot and she could feel heavy weight on her thighs and waist. She tried to move, but weight was so substantial that it was impossible to move. When she tried to move, his hand clamped her waist and he pulled her against his chest. It was like he wouldn’t let her go.

She lifted her head up and noticed that it was silent. Surprisingly everyone was sleeping. Turning her head to the entrance she saw that Guarhal was sitting for the guard and he was watching outside the cave. Sun must have come up because the snow reflected its beams on the walls. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. Suddenly a memory flashed across her mind—of pink and blue lights melding with the stream. With a jolt she opened her eyes and looked up towards the mouth of the cavern from where the sound of stream gurgling was still coming. The humming sound had stopped completely. What had happened to her? She thought it was a dream.

When she stirred, Ileus got up and sat down. “Anastasia!” he said. “How are you?” He checked her forehead.

Kaizan came over. He knelt beside her and watched her keenly as Ileus checked her pulse.

“Why are you all looking at me like that?” she asked.

When Ileus was satisfied, he wrapped her in his arms. He took her in his lap. His chest heaved and blood drained from his face. “Anastasia, what the hell were you doing inside the cavern last night?”

She frowned as confusion set in her mind. “I— I don’t remember going in there…” She looked at Kaizan who was looking equally flustered.

“You don’t remember at all?” he asked, blinking his eyes disbelievingly. He appeared shaken, frightened as hell, breathtaking as ever. His golden eyes pierced her to find answers.

Anastasia shook her head. “I really don’t recall anything.” She pinched between her eyebrows. “Though I saw a nightmare.”

“Can you recall your nightmare?” Kaizan asked, feeling doubtful.

“It was bad. I dreamt of walking in the cavern and staring at the water.” She rubbed her neck. “Suddenly pink and blue lights appeared from the base of the stream and they mingled with the water. It lifted from its path.” She chuckled nervously. “Gods, my imagination is uncontrollable!”

“Go on,” Kaizan goaded her in a calm but firm voice.

“It lifted off the path and formed a portal. It called me and I felt strongly pulled to it…” her voice trailed off. “When I walked towards it, I could feel its claws… its watery claws getting under my skin… demanding me to merge with it. I didn’t want to. I resisted and made the ring bend to my wishes.” She chuckled again. “This is so weird.” She looked at them and wondered if they thought she was getting insane. But the look on their face was that of concern, mixed with amazement and curiosity.

“Then?” Kaizan asked gently.

“Then I don’t know where I got the power from, but I just broke the ring. I did hear Ileus’s voice to come back.” She flushed as she looked up at him. She just admitted to having seen him in her dreams.

Ileus pulled her head in his chest and covered her face with his huge palm. “What you said happened in reality, Anastasia,” he murmured.

She became absolutely quiet as what he said weighed upon her. Her body started trembling. “You mean I went to the cavern and to the portal.” A thin line of sweat trickled down her spine. “Dear god!” She could have actually walked into the portal. How did she manage to save herself? She looked towards the cavern again. “There is no humming sound now…”

“I think you broke the spell with your magic,” Ileus said in a shaky voice tearing her gaze back to him.

“I didn’t want to go back,” she muttered.

He stroked her hair. “I know. But how did you manage to go there?”

“I don’t know. I think— I think it was the magic. I heard soft murmurs in my ears that I belong to the lands, that my destiny awaits me…” She became too confused. “The voice kept coaxing me to go to the water. I thought I was dreaming…” She looked up at his face. “The voice wanted me to go home.”