Chapter 165: Breakable promise

"You told me never to lie to you," Anaisa managed to bring a smile to her words. "I promise I'll try to stay safe."

Trace stared at her for a long moment, then shook his head as he turned away.

"If I didn't already love you…" He mumbled.

"Then you would now." She finished the sentence in a whisper. He looked over his shoulder and smiled, then held a finger to his lips.

He drew his sword, which made Anaisa trepidatious, and stepped carefully into the dim entrance of the cave.

They both had to duck, and neither had a torch. Just before they left the last of the sunlight behind and ventured into pitch blackness, a faint glow appeared ahead in the tunnel.

Trace paused, probably letting his eyes adjust more fully to the darkness, or trying to assess what lay ahead. There was no noise, no speaking, so it seemed unlikely that there was more than one person, if anybody, at the light source.