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Before I could respond, a burst of warm air slammed into us from somewhere ahead, carrying the acrid stench of rotten eggs. I pulled my shirt over my nose, but it did little to help. Through my enhanced vision, I could see the passage ahead narrowing into what looked like a crevice—barely wide enough for one person to squeeze through sideways.

"Sulfur," Aether said, moving toward the gap. "We're getting closer."

The tunnel walls pressed in from both sides until my shoulders brushed against rock with each step. The ceiling dropped lower, forcing us to duck our heads. In the darkness, I could make out every jagged edge, every protruding crystal that threatened to catch on our clothing. The stone itself seemed to pulse with a dull heat.

"We'll have to turn sideways," Aether called back. "Watch your footing—the ground slopes here."

I pressed myself against the right wall, turning so my chest faced the left. The rock was uncomfortably warm against my back, and sharp edges caught at my leathers as I edged forward. My boots scraped against loose pebbles, each one threatening to roll beneath my feet.

"This is cozy," I muttered, watching as Aether navigated the narrow space ahead. His shoulders barely fit through the gap, forcing him to angle his body awkwardly. Another blast of hot air rushed past, stronger this time, making my eyes water. "Please tell me it opens up soon."

"Actually..." He stopped suddenly, and I nearly slammed into his back. Through the darkness, I could see his posture tighten. "Damn."

"What?" My heart skipped. "What is it?"

"The passage splits here." He gestured to where the crevice forked into two equally narrow paths. "And it gets narrower. Much narrower."

Heat seemed to pulse through the air, and the leathers suddenly felt suffocating.

"You should remove some of those layers," Aether said, as if reading my thoughts. "It's only going to get hotter."

"I'm fine." Even as I said it, I felt the beads of sweat forming across my forehead.

"Suit yourself." Fabric rustled in the darkness ahead. "But I'm not carrying you if you pass out."

"What are you—" I started, then stopped as I realized what he was doing. "Are you taking your shirt off?"

"Would you prefer I collapse instead?" The smirk in his voice was unmistakable as he pulled the leather uniform over his head. With my newfound vision, I could see every detail with frustrating clarity—the way his muscles moved beneath his skin, how the void burns traced down his frame. He tucked the shirt into his belt, completely unbothered by my presence.

"Suityourself," I muttered, forcing my gaze to the tunnel ahead. Though my eyes kept betraying me, drawn back to the shadows that danced across his shoulders.

"Your pride is going to get you killed one of these days." He turned back to examining the split in the passage. I noticed how the heat had caused a sheen of sweat to form across his back.

I was about to respond when another blast of hot air hit us—but this time, something was different. The heat came with a deep rumble that vibrated through the stone around us. The crystals in the walls seemed to shiver.

"Aether—"

"I hear it." His voice turned sharp. "We need to move. Now."

"Which way?"

The rumble grew stronger, and loose pebbles began to rain down from above. The heat was becoming unbearable, pressing against us like an iron.

"Left," he said, already moving. "Stay close to me."

I followed, pressing myself against the wall as the passage narrowed even further. The rock was hot enough now to feel through my leathers, and I tried not to think about what that meant. Ahead, Aether's bare shoulders barely fit through the gap, the muscles in his back tensing as he navigated the tight space.

The rumbling intensified, and suddenly steam burst from somewhere above us with a deafening hiss. The hot vapor filled the passage instantly.

"Aether!" I called out, but the steam was too thick—I couldn't see him anymore. The hissing grew louder, and more bursts of scalding vapor shot from cracks in the walls. "Aether!"

It burned my throat as I tried to call out again, my voice lost. I pressed myself flat against the wall, the heat of it searing my leathers, but it was better than the scalding clouds billowing through the center of the passage.

Fuck.I was going to die in this Esprithe-forsaken cave.

"Fia!" Aether's voice came from somewhere ahead. "Don't move!"

"Wasn't planning on it," I said, though my heart still raced.