Chapter 14

With urgency, the two set out from the castle. According to Rhaine's knowledge, the Frostbloom could only grow in a place rendered by deep, unrelenting frost—an environment where even the most resilient life forms struggled to survive. And one such place was a day's journey away from the castle, buried deep in the northern wastes. The journey was grueling, but neither of them dared to rest until the flower was found. The land around them was eerily silent, save for the howling winds, the earth slick with snow and ice. The snow began falling harder, faster—each flake biting into their skin, coating the world in a frozen veil.

Rhaine's breath came out in misty clouds as the wind whipped through her hair. "A storm's coming," she shouted, her voice barely audible against the violent winds. "We should split up and search for it! We don't have time."

"No," Kaelion's voice was firm, his face tight with worry as he scanned the horizon. "It's too dangerous. We find shelter first, then continue when the storm subsides."

Rhaine's eyes hardened, her hands trembling not just from the cold. "No, we can't afford to wait. The king's life is at stake here."

"And so is yours!" Kaelion snapped, his gaze sharp as he stepped closer, voice thick with concern. "You're risking your life out here, Rhaine. I will not just stand by and let you—"

"Then let me die in my duty," she interrupted, her voice unwavering, though the storm made it harder to speak clearly. She clenched her fists at her sides, not letting the cold break her resolve. "If there's even the smallest hope of finding it, I'll take it. This is my duty."

"Your duty is not to die for anyone," Kaelion's voice lowered, filled with frustration, but also fear for her. "I just don't want to lose you." He says a little too quietly that Rhaine completely missed.

Rhaine turned to face him fully, her eyes hard, yet softened by the situation. "I'll be fine. I'll be back." She tried to smile, but the wind stole it before he could see. "Let's meet at the edge of the ridge in an hour. We can't waste any more time."

Kaelion hesitated, his gaze flickering between her and the oncoming storm. Finally, with a deep sigh, he nodded. "An hour. But if you're not back by then, I'm coming after you."

The tension between them was thick, but neither had time to address it further.

"One hour," she confirmed, nodding. "The flower looks like a dark purple orchid, its petals dusted with silver frost, and it grows low to the ground, almost hidden under snow. If you find it first, don't wait for me."

Before she could leave, Kaelion grabbed her arm, his eyes desperate as he put another layer of clothing on her. His other cloak as he hold her tightly for just a moment before releasing her. "Be careful."

"You too."

An hour passed, and yet Kaelion had not found any trace of the Frostbloom. The storm had grown fiercer, snowflakes swirling with a malevolent speed, the cold biting deeper with each gust of wind. Kaelion's heart pounded with growing unease. The ridge ahead was nothing but a blur in the raging storm, and his hands, numb from the bitter cold, clenched tighter around his cloak. He couldn't wait any longer.

He turned back toward the ridge where they had agreed to meet, but as he reached it, his stomach sank. There was no sign of Rhaine. She wasn't there. The storm howled around him, the wind biting into his skin like sharp needles. The sinking dread in his chest began to claw at him, gnawing away at his thoughts.

He couldn't—he wouldn't—lose her.

Kaelion paced back and forth for a moment, his breath quickening, eyes scanning every direction, but the white abyss that stretched before him gave no answers. Every second that ticked by felt like an eternity. He checked the ridge again, then the rocky outcrops nearby, his steps quickening, panicked now. "Rhaine!" he called into the storm, his voice carried away before it could reach the deafening wind.

No reply.

The biting wind howled relentlessly, tearing through Kaelion's cloak as snowflakes pelted down like shards of ice. The landscape was a desolate canvas of white, endless and unforgiving. Visibility was poor, the once faint outlines of trees now consumed by the blizzard. The cold seeped into his bones, but Kaelion pressed on, his heart heavy with worry.

He gritted his teeth and started off again, pushing through the storm with desperation fueling his every step. He knew the landscape, knew the terrain well enough to follow Rhaine's likely path, but the snow had piled up so thick, the world around him so lost in white, that it felt like the earth itself was conspiring to keep him from finding her.

The wind howled louder, carrying a sense of menace he hadn't felt before. His every footstep seemed swallowed by the blizzard, his surroundings becoming an eerie silence in between the gusts. The reality of the situation hit him like a wave. She had been alone in this. He'd left her to fight the storm by herself, even though she was determined to keep going.

What if the storm had taken her?

His chest tightened at the thought.

"Rhaine!" he shouted again, his voice cracking, desperate.

No answer.

"Rhaine!" he bellowed into the storm, his voice swallowed by the howling wind. The echoes of his desperation faded into nothingness. His pulse raced, panic clawing at his chest as he scanned the snow-covered expanse. There were no signs of her—not a shadow, not a footprint.

Her trail had been mercilessly erased by the ceaseless snowfall, leaving him stranded in uncertainty.

He clenched his fists, ignoring the stinging cold numbing his hands. "Rhaine!" he roared again, fighting against the wind, but it was useless.

As he closed the gap, his heart nearly stopped. It wasn't Rhaine.

It was only a hollow tree, its twisted branches reaching like skeletal fingers out of the snow, mocking him.

Time had lost all meaning. Minutes stretched into agonizing eternities as he trudged through knee-deep snow, searching, hoping—praying. The thought of her, frail and shivering, lost in this merciless storm, gnawed at his resolve.

You should've insisted harder.

Kaelion cursed himself bitterly. He had relented when he shouldn't have. Let her go off alone in this deathly storm. And now—

"No," he gritted under his breath. He wouldn't let her be lost to the cold. He wouldn't.

The snow whipped around him like an angry veil, cutting visibility to mere inches. His muscles screamed with each step, but Kaelion refused to yield. His breath came in ragged gasps, clouding in front of his face.

"Rhaine..." he whispered hoarsely, desperation creeping into his voice. "Where are you?"

As if in response, the storm raged harder. His heart sank further.

Two hours. It had felt like two agonizing hours, though he wasn't sure anymore. Fatigue threatened to buckle his knees, but he pressed on, unwilling to give up. Not on her.

Suddenly, something caught his eye—a glimmer of fabric barely visible beneath the layers of snow.

His heart leaped.

Kaelion sprinted toward it, his legs nearly giving out as he dropped to his knees. His fingers, numb and trembling, dug frantically through the snow.

It was his cloak.

And beneath it—

"Rhaine!"

Her body lay still, partially buried under the thick blanket of snow. Her skin was pale, lips tinged with blue. Snow clung to her lashes, framing eyes that were closed in eerie stillness.

"No..." Kaelion's voice broke as he dug faster, his hands raw from the icy sting. He freed her from the snow's suffocating grip, cradling her frail body against his chest.

Her pulse—faint but there.

Relief mingled with fear as he whispered, "Hold on. I'm here. Stay with me, Rhaine."

The wind roared around them, relentless and uncaring, but Kaelion was focused solely on her. She was barely breathing, each shallow inhale weaker than the last.

"I've got you," he murmured fiercely, his voice trembling. "You're going to be alright."

He knew he had to move—had to find shelter fast, or she wouldn't survive. The snowstorm showed no mercy, and staying out here was a death sentence.

Clutching her close, he maneuvered through the blinding snow, each step a battle against the elements. His own strength was waning, but the determination to save her fueled him forward.

Fortunately, fate hadn't entirely abandoned him. He remembered stumbling across a cave earlier while searching aimlessly.

It had to be close.

Gritting his teeth, Kaelion forced his way through the storm, his boots sinking deep with every step. Rhaine's weight pressed against him, but he held her tightly, shielding her from the cold as best he could.

At last, the dark mouth of the cave loomed ahead, barely visible through the swirling snow.

Kaelion stumbled inside, his legs nearly buckling beneath him. The sudden absence of wind was a jarring relief. The cave was spacious, its walls smooth and dry, offering blessed protection from the storm.

He lowered Rhaine gently onto the ground, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

"Rhaine..." he whispered, brushing snow from her face. Her skin was icy to the touch. His heart clenched painfully.

She needed warmth—now.

Kaelion worked swiftly, stripping off his own cloak and wrapping it around her. He pulled her close, his arms encircling her slender frame, trying to share his body heat.

"Stay with me," he murmured against her ear, his voice raw with emotion. "Please, Rhaine... you're stronger than this."

He rubbed her arms, her back, desperate to stir warmth back into her body.

Minutes passed, each one agonizing.

Finally, a faint shudder ran through her frame. Her lips parted, a weak breath escaping.

Relief flooded Kaelion, his eyes stinging.

"That's it," he whispered hoarsely. "You're alright. I've got you."

Rhaine's eyes fluttered open, her gaze unfocused but searching.

"Kaelion..." she breathed weakly.

"I'm here," he assured her, holding her tighter. "l'm here."

 "Rest now," he urged softly. "You're safe."

As the storm raged outside, Kaelion stayed vigilant, his resolve unshakable.

He would protect her with every fiber of his being.