Chapter 263 Walls of silver

Chapter 263: Chapter 263 Walls of silver

Talia’s POV

We had been walking for what felt like an eternity when Cain finally found it.

A cave. Hidden behind a curtain of dead vines, carved into the side of a blackened hill. It was not much, just a dark hole in the earth, but it was shelter.

Kaelen helped me inside, and I collapsed against the wall. My body was trembling, and my magic was barely a flicker. The pendant hung against my chest, cold and heavy.

Piper sat beside me, her voice filled with worry. "Talia, are you okay?"

I shook my head, my voice weak. "I do not know, Piper. I do not know anymore."

Jax dropped his pack and looked around, his voice flat. "This place is better than the last cave, Silas. At least it does not smell like mold."

Silas shook his head, his voice dry. "Jax, you complained about the last cave too."

Jax shrugged, his voice defensive. "I complain about everything, Silas. It is part of my charm."

Kaelen knelt beside me, his gray eyes searching my face. "We need to rest, Talia. We cannot keep pushing like this."

I looked at him, and I saw the exhaustion in his eyes. The welts on his neck had spread, and his breathing was shallow.

"Kaelen," I said, my voice soft. "Your neck..."

He touched the cloth, his voice dismissive. "It is fine, Talia."

"It is not fine," I said, my voice firm despite my weakness. "The silver is getting worse, Kaelen."

Piper reached over and touched my arm, her voice gentle. "We will find a way through this, Talia."

I wanted to believe her. I wanted to believe all of them. But the weight of the Ashen Lands was pressing down on me, and I could feel my hope fading.

Jax sat down against the wall, his voice lighter. "You know, when I signed up for this journey, I did not expect to be spending my days in caves."

Piper looked at Jax. "What did you expect, Jax?"

Jax shrugged. "I do not know. Maybe a nice inn with warm beds and hot food."

Piper snorted. "There are no inns in the Ashen Lands, Jax."

Jax sighed. "A wolf can dream, Piper. A wolf can dream."

I almost laughed. Almost. But the weight in my chest was too heavy.

Silas stood at the cave entrance, his eyes scanning the gray landscape. His face was grim.

"I need to scout ahead," Silas said, his voice low. "We need to know what we are walking into, Alpha."

Kaelen stood, his body swaying slightly. "I will come with you, Silas."

Silas shook his head, his voice firm. "No, Alpha. You need to rest. The silver is affecting you more than you are letting on."

Kaelen’s jaw tightened, and I saw the frustration in his eyes. "I am fine, Silas."

"You are not fine," Silas said. "And I need someone who can move quickly, Alpha."

Jax stepped forward, his voice light but his eyes serious. "I will go with you, Silas."

Silas looked at Jax, his eyebrow raised. "You, Jax?"

Jax placed his hand over his heart, his voice full of mock offense. "I am hurt, Silas. I am perfectly capable of scouting."

Piper snorted, shaking her head. "Jax, you complained about walking yesterday, Jax."

Jax waved his hand dismissively. "That was different, Piper. That was walking. This is scouting."

Piper crossed her arms. "There is no difference, Jax."

Jax placed his hand over his heart. "There is a difference, Piper."

I looked at Silas, my voice weak but sincere. "Be careful, Silas."

Silas nodded, his voice steady. "I will be back soon, Luna."

Jax grabbed his pack and grinned. "Let us go see what nightmare is waiting for us, Silas."

They disappeared into the gray landscape.

Kaelen watched them go, and I saw the tension in his shoulders. He was not used to being helpless. He was not used to sending others into danger while he stayed behind.

"Kaelen," I said, my voice soft. "They will be fine."

He looked at me, and I saw the worry in his gray eyes. "I know, Talia. But I do not like being helpless."

I took his hand, my fingers weak but steady. "You are not helpless, Kaelen. You are protecting me."

He sat beside me, his arm wrapping around my shoulders. "I am not doing a very good job of it, Talia."

I leaned into him, feeling the warmth of his body against mine. "Yes, you are, Kaelen. You are doing everything you can."

Piper sat across from us, her voice soft. "Talia is right, Kaelen. You are the reason we have made it this far."

Kaelen shook his head. "I am the reason we are stuck in a cave while Silas and Jax scout ahead."

Cain spoke from the entrance, his voice low. "You are the reason we are alive, Alpha. Do not forget that."

I squeezed Kaelen’s hand. "Cain is right, Kaelen. We are alive because of you."

The wait was agonizing.

Every minute felt like an hour. The cave was silent except for the drip of water somewhere in the darkness. I sat beside Kaelen, his hand wrapped around mine.

Piper paced at the entrance, her voice filled with worry. "They should be back by now, Talia."

Cain stood at the entrance, his eyes scanning the gray landscape. "They will be back soon, Piper."

Piper turned to me, her voice trembling. "Talia, what if something happened to them?"

I looked at her, my voice steady despite my fear. "Nothing happened to them, Piper. They are fine."

Piper’s voice was desperate. "How do you know, Talia?"

I squeezed Kaelen’s hand, and I felt the warmth of his fingers through the cloth. "Because I believe in them, Piper."

Kaelen looked at me, his gray eyes soft. "You are right, Talia. They will be back."

Piper stopped pacing, her voice quieter. "I am sorry, Talia. I am just scared."

I smiled at her, and I felt the warmth spread through my chest. "We are all scared, Piper. But we are not giving up."

Kaelen pulled me closer, and I rested my head against his shoulder. His breathing was still shallow, but I could feel his steady heartbeat beneath my ear.

"We will get through this," I said, my voice soft. "All of us."

Cain spoke from the entrance, his voice relieved. "They are coming back, Alpha."

Silas and Jax ducked into the cave. Their faces were grim.

Kaelen stood, his voice sharp. "What did you see, Silas?"

Silas sat down, his voice low. "The fortress is two days north, Alpha."

Kaelen’s jaw tightened. "Two days, Silas?"

Jax shook his head, his voice grim. "That is not the worst part, Alpha."

Piper stepped forward, her voice trembling. "What is the worst part, Jax?"

Silas spoke, his voice heavy. "The walls are made of silver, Luna. Everything is made of silver. The cages, the gates, and the barriers."

I felt my blood run cold. "Silver, Silas?"

Jax nodded, his voice grim. "The entire fortress is coated in it, Luna. There is no way in without touching it."

Kaelen’s hand tightened around mine. "Silver walls. Silver cages. Silver everywhere."

I looked at him, and I saw the fear in his eyes. The one thing that could kill him was everywhere.

Piper’s voice was barely a whisper. "How are we supposed to get in, Silas?"

Silas shook his head. "I do not know, Luna. But we have to find a way."

I gripped my pendant, and I felt the cold weight of it against my skin. "I will find a way," I said, my voice firm. "I have to."

The cave was silent after Silas finished speaking.

Silver walls. Silver cages. Silver everywhere.

I looked at Kaelen, and I saw the fear in his eyes. He was trying to hide it, but I knew him too well.

"Kaelen," I said, my voice soft. "You do not have to come inside."

He looked at me, his eyes wide. "What, Talia?"

"The fortress is made of silver," I said. "It will kill you, Kaelen."

Kaelen shook his head, his voice fierce. "I am not letting you go in there alone, Talia."

"Kaelen..." I started.

"Talia," he said, cutting me off. "I am coming with you."

Piper stepped forward, her voice determined. "Then we find another way, Talia."

Jax nodded, his voice serious. "We have come this far, Luna. We are not stopping now."

Silas’s voice was calm but firm. "We will find a way in, Luna."

Cain spoke from the entrance, his voice low. "I will find a way in, Luna."

I looked at all of them, and I felt the tears prick at my eyes. "I do not know what I did to deserve all of you."

Kaelen squeezed my hand, his voice soft. "You survived, Talia. That is enough."

I looked at the cave entrance, and I felt the determination rising in my chest.

Silver walls or not, I was going to find my mother.

I whispered into the darkness. "I am coming, Mother. I am coming."

Piper moved to sit beside me, her voice full of hope. "We are going to find her, Talia. I know we are."

I looked at Piper. "How do you know, Piper?"

Piper smiled, and I saw the hope in her eyes. "Because I believe in you, Talia."

Jax walked over, his voice lighter than before. "And because we are too stubborn to fail, Luna."

I laughed despite everything. "That is true, Jax."

Silas spoke from across the cave. "It is also because we have no other choice, Luna."

Kaelen pulled me closer, his voice low. "We will find a way, Talia. I promise you."

I looked at him, and I saw the love in his gray eyes. "I know we will, Kaelen."

Cain spoke from the entrance. "We should rest, Alpha. We have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow."

Kaelen nodded. "You are right, Cain. Everyone, rest. We move at dawn."

Jax leaned against the wall, his voice flat. "Two days of walking through this nightmare. And then a fortress made of silver. This is going to be fun."

Piper shook her head. "Jax, stop complaining."

Jax sighed. "I am not complaining, Piper. I am just stating the facts."

Piper rolled her eyes. "You are complaining, Jax."

"I am expressing my feelings," Jax said.

"You are complaining," Piper repeated.

Jax threw his hands up. "Fine. I am complaining. Happy now, Piper?"

Piper smiled. "Very happy, Jax."

I laughed, and the sound carried through the cave. It was a small thing, but it felt important. It felt like hope.

Kaelen held me close, his voice soft. "Rest, Talia. I will watch over you."

I closed my eyes, and I let myself rest.

Somewhere out there, my mother was waiting. And tomorrow, we would continue walking toward her.

I gripped my pendant, and I whispered into the darkness. "I am coming, Mother. I am coming."