I stared at the water's surface, my heart hammering against my ribs as the King's demands echoed in my ears. The artifact burned in my palm, its silver glow cutting through the thick mist like a beacon.
"I said, find me a way across. Now." His voice was ice and venom, leaving no room for refusal.
Behind him, vampires gripped Regina and Ronan tightly. Their warning was clear without words: fail, and my friends would pay the price.
My mind raced. The compass pointed straight across the Lake of the Dead, but there was no way to cross—no boat, no bridge, nothing but that unnaturally still water stretching into the mist.
"I'm trying," I snapped, frustration and fear making my voice sharp.
As I stepped closer to the lake's edge, something strange happened. The water nearest my feet began to crystallize, turning white and solid. I gasped, pulling back.
"What is it?" the King demanded, moving closer.
