Chapter 48
Aurora
Camryn and I go from standing to crawling in a matter of minutes. As we descend deeper into the cave, it swallows us whole. Rock scrapes along my sides, and my palms slide over cold stone.
Darkness weighs on us like a heavy blanket, the dim glow of an orb the only source of light as Camryn follows it blindly deeper into the cave. The passageway constricts around us further until we have to army crawl on our stomachs to fit through the narrow opening.
“Good thing you’re not claustrophobic, huh?” Camryn pants ahead of me.
I keep my eyes on the soles of her slippers as they drag along the rock. “No fucking kidding,” I breathe. The effort to speak forces more air from my lungs than I want to give. I stop crawling for a moment to catch my breath, watching Camryn continue into the darkness.
As her feet slip out of sight, I restart my descent into the abyss. “Camryn?”
No response.
“Camryn?!” My voice cracks as déjà vu fills my mind.
Desperate, I slither along the ground as fast as I can muster.
It’s not long until I stretch my arm out to pull myself forward.
But instead of feeling the stone beneath my hand, there is only air and darkness.
My fingers pat around until I feel a curved lip of rock.
Gripping it, I pull my body to the edge and I tip over it.
I crash face first about a foot below, my lip bruising against the rock. “Ow.”
I look up to see a pulsing orb of light illuminating a small, circular cavern. Opposite from where I lay on the ground stands Camryn, her back to me and head tipped toward the ceiling.
“Why didn’t you answer me?” I ask. “I thought you disappeared into the ether again.” I sit back, resting on my knees.
“Huh?” Camryn mutters, not turning toward me. “Oh, sorry. I thought you were right behind me. And I was too mesmerized by this weird painting.”
I stand, dusting my hands on my sweater. I step to her side and follow her gaze. There, on the ceiling above us, is a glowing image of a pair of hands cupped together holding liquid that trickles down the wall.
I tilt my head to the side. “The pool of magic,” I whisper.
“What?” Camryn looks at me before glancing around the small space. “Where? Do you think it dried up or something?”
I scrunch my face. “I don’t think that’s possible. And I think your magic led us here for a reason.” I start walking in circles around the cavern.
“My magic?” Camryn’s face looks puzzled. “You think I made those glowing balls? You’re the light lady.”
I halt and chew on my lip. “You said you’ve seen them before.” My eyes return to their scouting as they scan over the space. “I think we’re missing something.”
“You mean, like this handprint thing over here?”
I turn to see Camryn crouched down near the wall opposite where we came in. And there, close to the ground, is a faint outline of a handprint.
She reaches out, about to press her palm to the stone.
“Wait, don’t!” I lurch forward to grab her hand.
“What? Why the fuck not?” She whirls at me with her mouth agape.
“What if this is some kind of trap? What if Isolde did this to mess with us? It’s just very … ominous.” I glance around the dim cave as though I will catch someone watching us.
“I don’t know, Rory. As horrible as she sounds, I kind of trust her. And something inside of me is telling me this is right. I think we need to trust the process.”
I look into her brown eyes, reflecting the limited light in the darkness. I heave a sigh and gaze back at the handprint. “Fine. Just do it.”
“That’s my girl.” Camryn tries to sound confident, but her hand trembles as she places it against the rock.
We both hold our breath as her skin grazes the stone. For a moment, nothing happens. It’s just us, breathless in the silence. And then Camryn’s hand begins to glow. She gasps and looks at me with wide eyes.
“Oh, fuck,” Camryn says as the stone floor cracks down the middle and groans.
We scramble to the wall, pushing our heels against the rock. We watch in horror as the floor splits in two, one side moving away from us while the other moves toward, widening the gap in the center.
Camryn and I cling to each other, ready to plunge into whatever lay below the cavern. Just as the end of the stone is about to meet my toes, I close my eyes, imagining Soren’s handsome face.
And then, everything stops.
It goes quiet.
And there is nothing but darkness.
Is this death?
“Um, Rory? What the fuck is that?”
I crack open my eyes, ready to see whatever awaits me. But as I peer into the darkness, light reflects from the hole in the ground below. Shimmering silver bounces off the ceiling.
I turn my head to look at Camryn, who is gaping into the hole. I follow her gaze to a silver pool of liquid.
Leaning carefully forward to get a better look, the surface of the pool reminds me of the communication mirror Arc had given me. “It’s real. And it’s here, just like she said it would be.”
Suddenly the metallic surface ripples from a pebble Camryn tosses into it. I sneer at her.
“What? I just wanted to make sure we aren’t seeing things.”
I sit back against the wall, folding my aching and scratched legs beneath me. “So this is what the king is after. The pool that will transform Silverveil into whatever dark world he wants.” I turn to look at Camryn. “This is what we have to keep from him.”
Her brow furrows. “How the hell are we supposed to do that?”
I exhale. “I have an idea. But it’s going to hinge upon trusting Isolde.”
“Fuck,” Camryn huffs.
“Exactly,” I reply as I turn, nudging Camryn to place her hand on the wall again to close the gaping chasm of pure magic.
We need Isolde. Uncertainty settles onto my shoulders as I realize the fate of everyone in Silverveil rests upon trusting a woman who has done nothing but manipulate and deceive. All I have is her word.
I hope it will be enough.