Chapter 6

The iron pot bubbled. Thick, creamy foam rose to the surface, releasing a smell so rich and savory it made Ariel's head spin.

She ladled a huge bowl of the stew and handed it to Elvin.

He took it with both hands. As he did, his fingertips brushed against hers. Her skin was warm from the fire.

Elvin flinched. His fingers curled inward, pulling back slightly. He dropped his gaze, hiding the sudden, rapid thumping of his heart.

He took a sip of the hot broth. The intense, sweet flavor flooded his mouth. It pushed away the constant chill that lived in his bones. He felt a gentle warmth spread down his throat, easing the burning ache of the poison in his chest.

He looked up. He watched Ariel. She was clutching her own bowl, slurping the soup happily, her cheeks flushed.

Elvin set his bowl down on his lap. His hand slipped inside his shirt. His fingers closed around the cool, smooth surface of a diamond-shaped crystal.

It was the "Miracle" pendant. The only thing his mother had left him. A relic of the old world. It was his most precious possession. It represented a promise he had never thought he'd make.

He took a breath. He pulled the pendant out. The crystal caught the dim light, glowing with a faint, eerie blue hue. He held it out toward Ariel.

He opened his mouth, ready to speak the vow he had prepared.

Ariel slammed a heavy rock down onto a giant mutated crab claw. The shell shattered. A piece of white, tender meat popped out.

"Oh, yes!" Ariel cheered, completely oblivious to the glowing object in Elvin's hand. She grabbed the meat and shoved it into her mouth. "So good!" she mumbled, chewing happily.

His hand hung in the air. He froze. A beat of silence passed. A flicker of deep frustration crossed his mind, the sacred words dying on his lips. He had prepared himself for this moment. But then he looked at her, her dirty face lit with pure, unadulterated joy over a simple piece of crab meat, and the frustration melted into a deep, helpless affection. A wry smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

He slowly pulled his hand back. He tucked the pendant safely back inside his shirt, close to his skin. This wasn't the right time. The vow deserved her full attention. He decided to wait. He would give it to her when the underground fortress was finished.

Ariel finished the claw. She licked her fingers, savoring every drop of flavor. She looked up and caught Elvin staring at her, a soft look in his eyes.

She blinked, then smiled. She picked up the last piece of fish from her bowl and dropped it into his.

"Eat. You need the strength."

Elvin didn't refuse. He ate the piece of fish, tasting something far sweeter than seafood.

When the meal was over, Ariel pointed at the pile of crab shells and shrimp husks.

"Don't throw those away," she said. "They're treasure."

She made Elvin find two flat, heavy stones. He placed the shells between them and pressed. His grip was immense. The hard shells crumbled into a fine, white powder in seconds.

Ariel scooped the powder into a broken wooden bucket. "Fertilizer," she explained. "The best kind."

She walked to the wasteland behind the shelter. She scooped up a handful of dirt. She rubbed it between her fingers, feeling the texture, analyzing the composition.

She frowned. The soil was hard. Compacted. Dead. It desperately needed help.

She turned and grabbed the stone hoe she had made earlier. She tested its weight in her hand.

She took a deep breath. She raised the hoe high above her head. She swung it down with all her might.

THUD.

The heavy impact echoed across the empty land. The construction of the underground fortress-and the farm that would feed them-had officially begun.