Page 79 of Hell Burns Between Us

“Yes, well, it’s not like I had time to plan or research!”

“Right. How long have we been falling, then?”

“My best estimate?” Perine called back. “Around two hours.”

Oleander ran a hand down his face, trying to steady his racing thoughts. “Brilliant.” His mind was shaky, and it took every ounce of willpower to keep the obsidian walls firmly in place. “So, what’s the plan?”

“Can you push off the wall and, sort of, shoot yourself over here?” Perine asked.

He felt dubious about the plan, but he kicked his feet out anyway, trying his best to propel himself towards her. The collision was inevitable when they smashed together, but when Perine wrapped her arms around his middle in a tight hug, he couldn’t stop the tingling sensation that shot through his entire body.

“I think we’re in a loop,” she said shakily, unaware of the effect her hold was having on him. “I’ve been working on a potion to try and pull us out, but it’s tricky with a mortar and pestle while we’re constantly falling. The bright side is that anything I drop just floats next to me. Anyway, now that you’re awake, maybe you know of a rune we could use to break the loop? The potion’s a long shot.”

“Where did you get a mortar and pestle?” Oleander asked, amusement creeping into his voice.

“From my satchel!” She shot him a confused look. “Where else?”

“Your satchel is barely big enough for two books.”

“Oh, that,” she grinned and gave a smug lift of her shoulder. “It’s bigger on the inside.”

Oleander rolled his eyes, mentally reinforcing his shields as he considered a rune. “Have you got any Trygon poison in that insane bag of yours?”

“Um…” She whispered something into the bag before replying, “No, but I have Guita scales.”

He thought for a moment. “Taken, bargained for, or freely given?”

“Freely given, obviously.” She met his raised eyebrow with a sigh. “They were pretty drunk, but they willingly gave them up when I asked.”

“Then I think they’ll work too. The sacrificial element is key.” Oleander considered everything once more, then added. “Can you grind them into a paste for me? A few drops of midsummer dew would help if you have any.”

“You don’t need blood?” Perine gave him a quizzical look.

“You only use blood in runes for specific circumstances. If you're not careful, it can go horribly wrong.”

Thankfully, her mortar and pestle were enchanted to keep everything inside, allowing her to quickly grind the scales into a smooth paste. Oleander dipped a finger into it and extended his other hand, palm flat in front of him. “Alright, you remember how to draw a Hagalaz?”

Perine made a soft, exasperated sound. “I have your reference drawing right here.”

Oleander knew he was overly anxious, still, he whispered into her ear, “Remember to focus on destroying the loop. Don’t say anything out loud—we don’t know if the loop is sentient or not… but concentrate on that intention.”

She gave him a wry smile but quietly nodded. Together they carefully drew the Hagalaz symbols on their hands. When they finished, they pressed their palms together. The air that had held them vanished, and for the briefest moment, they truly were falling.

On instinct, Oleander pulled her towards him again, wrapping his arms around her. Intertwined, they plummeted towards the ground.

Only it wasn’t the ground they met—it was water.

They hit the surface with a splash, sinking instantly like stones tossed into a pond. Perine began kicking furiously, and Oleander shoved her upward as he kicked as well. They broke through the water, gasping for air but were otherwise unharmed.

“This is probably a silly question,” Perine said between breaths, “but you can’t see anything either, right?”

“No,” Oleander sighed. “Do you, by any chance, have a light source tucked away in your bottomless bag?”

“Yes, actually. Can you hold it out of the water so I can reach it?”

They treaded water as Oleander fumbled with her satchel, trying not to drop it. Perine muttered something under her breath, then produced a tiny pearl of light. Once it was in her hand, the light expanded, growing into a large, glowing orb that illuminated the dark water around them.

She met his gaze with a smug, triumphant look in her amber eyes. Oleander couldn’t suppress the smile that tugged at his lips, watching her look so pleased with herself.