Winter Cove

by Skye Knizley

  Richard laughed inside his helmet. “It hasn’t protected you from me, why would it protect you from the Doorway? Give up, River.”

  He wrapped his hands around her neck and slammed her into the Doorway, which gave way beneath her like a pool of ice-cold oil. The cloying darkness filled her mouth and eyes, choking her, blinding her.

  “Turn it off now and River dies, Rylee,” Richard called. “She will be stuck between worlds.”

  Come on, do something! River thought as she drowned. Don’t let this bastard win!

  The amulet at her throat flared, but it was too late. She felt consciousness beginning to fade. She felt pain, then. Her entire being felt as if it was on fire. She concentrated on the pain, pain meant she was still alive. She struggled against Richard’s grip and felt him try to pull away. She held on and realized what the pain was. The door was closing.

  A voice echoed in her head. Give yourself to me and you will live. The voice was feminine, similar to her own, with a Celtic accent.

  What? River asked.

  Time is running out, this Gateway is closing. Give me your mind, your body, and you will live, the voice said.

  Will I still be me? River asked.

  …no. You will cease, but life will go on.

  Then the answer is no, River said.

  The voice sighed. As you wish.

  I’m sorry, Rylee.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  The Doorway closed with a sound very much like bubblegum snapping. With its glow gone, the room was lit only by the console and the flickering runes which went out one by one. Rylee ran to the Doorway, expecting to see River lying at the bottom, wounded but alive. Instead, there was nothing. Not even Richard’s battered corpse.

  “River? River, where are you, honey?”

  There was no answer. Rylee sank to the ground beside the Doorway and felt tears prick her eyes.

  “You bitch! You can’t be dead! We can’t save the world and you be dead, so where the fuck are you?”

  Her words echoed in the chamber, but there was no answer. Only the quiet rasp of her own sobs.

  “I love you,” she whispered into the darkness.

  EPILOGUE

  Don’t be so melodramatic. I had to ask.

  River heard the words, clear as day. She opened her eyes and saw she was floating in blackness. There was no light, yet she was seeing. She could see the outline of her body as if she was lying in a pool.

  It isn’t darkness, it is the other side of darkness. Even human eyes can see beyond the darkness.

  That makes no sense, River said.

  Your partner is clearly the brains. Howard, this one is all yours, but you owe me a favor.

  “You know I’m good for it, Leticia. Come, River. Rylee is waiting for you, she seems to think you’re dead.”

  The End?

  Thank you to:

  Elizabeth, who always does my second-round edits.

  My publisher Sarah, who always has faith in me.

  Rebecca and Dreams2Media for my awesomesauce cover.

  Kelly, who makes me blonde and pretty even when I’m not.

  My writing family, Michelle, Piper, Sarah, the other Sarah, Mariana and all my CHBB peeps.

  My gamers, who give me an outlet for frustration so I don’t become a serial killer.

  My fans. Without you I’m just a loudmouth with a pen.

  Love and Light.

  ~Skye