Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Connected

We choose our joys, and sorrows long before we experience them. - Kahlil Gibran

Vlad pulls me forward. He cups my chin, tipping my head to the side, sliding a finger over the cut above my cheek.

"Did he do this to you?" He clenches his jaw. The muscles of his face are taut and tense. 'Did Sam Spencer mark your face?'

"No, the current sucked me under the water, and I hit the rocks. He pulled me out."

He presses his lips into a thin line. 'Come. We must find higher ground.'

My chest constricts and my lower lip trembles. The tension between us makes me feel as if I cannot take a deep breath.

Turning away from me, he releases my hand, leaving me to standalone in the darkness. Following close on his heels, I make my way through several catacomb openings. When I come to a flat area, he motions for me to sit on a stony surface.

"So, what, you're not speaking to me now?" Drawing my knees to my chest, I hug my legs to my cold body.