4. Aurora
Aurora
M y feet barely made a sound as I traversed the concrete sidewalk toward the cave. My heart constricted, wishing this place had been left natural but also understanding that the path protected the fragile landscape from the erosion the thousands of feet that visited each year would cause. Gone were the days when the only ones who entered the caves were those wishing to commune with the goddess. Instead, tourists came to gawk at the intimate details inside her. Even worse, paying was the only way to see the cave’s depths. That such wonders should be available for free was a distant memory. It was a time I wish I had known.
Lush beech and oak trees surrounded me, throwing off a welcome shade, while the golden rays of sunlight streaming through the leaves caught dust motes dancing in the air. A small group of people gathered under an immense oak tree just off to the right of the path. Next to them, a man sat on a bench, a baseball cap covering his hair. Propped up next to him was a sign reading 6:30 p.m. A family and an older couple congregated near him, waiting for the tour to start. I walked just beyond them before turning my back on the gawping mouth of Mother Earth.
The woman of the couple handed her partner a bottle of water. He smiled and took it from her, sipping the water, never allowing his eyes to leave hers. My lips curled as I watched their unadulterated joy of being together. Someday , I thought. Someday, I’ll find that. An icy hand gripped my heart. As much as I wanted it, my chances of reaching an old age were slim.
I exchanged glances with the brown-haired teen who stood with her family. “You look like you’re ready to spend a few days in here.” She smiled, pointing at my backpack.
I lifted a brow. “I certainly hope not. I only paid for the two-hour hike.” My lips curled into a smile. “I’ve been backpacking this entire trip and didn’t want to leave all my gear at the campsite. Maybe I should trust people more, but sometimes I don’t.”
The girl’s mother glanced at me, the curiosity about who her daughter was talking to etched on her forehead. “Backpacking alone is rather brave. Aren’t you afraid you’ll get hurt?”
I glanced at the ruby ring sparkling in the fading sunlight. “Someone is always watching over me.”
“Faith comes with rewards, doesn’t it?” She took her husband’s hand, obviously of the type who believed her faith held her family together. If only my faith had done that.
“Yes, it does.” I tried to smile at her, but it almost felt as though there was a knife in my heart, knowing I would never share what my group mates shared about their lives.
The man in the ball cap glanced around, counted the people under the tree, and cleared his throat. We all looked at him while he checked his watch. “We’re just waiting for one more.”
Simultaneously, a man hurried down the concrete path, looking slightly out of place, running a hand through his neatly trimmed, well-styled black hair. He wore square, wire-rimmed sunglasses that hid his eyes while calling attention to his chiseled cheekbones and square, solid jawline. His hand rested casually in the pocket of his black pants, a black shirt stretched across his broad, muscular chest, the arms showing off his well-toned biceps. He looked more like a model out for a photo shoot than a man getting ready to hike into a cave, yet he walked over to our group without a care in the world.
Consulting his watch, he smiled at our guide. “I’m sorry for being a few minutes late.” He dipped his chin. “Thank you for waiting.”
“It’s not a problem, but we should start so everyone is back in time for their bedtime snack.” The guide grabbed the sign and looked at it. “Does anyone think we need this, or can we all stay together?”
“I think we can stay together,” said the family’s father. “Can’t we, kids?”
His children nodded, which caused the guide to smile.
“Then we’ll just stash this and be off.” He slid the sign under the bench and placed a few rocks on top before he walked around the group and into the mouth of the cave.
My heart sped up as I followed him. Blood rushed to my cheeks as I held my breath, waiting for the darkness to engulf me. An eerie silence fell over the group as we walked into the cave, the dim lights edging the concrete path guiding our way. I didn’t look back at the man who had joined us, forcing myself to forget the flutter in my heart when I saw him. I didn’t have time to think about his perfectly formed features. How was I going to figure out what I was here for?
“Over five hundred miles of caves are down here.” Our guide interrupted my reverie. “And it’s my job to ensure you don’t get lost along the way.” We stopped at a small outcropping and gathered around him.
“My name is David, and I’ll be showing you some of the more interesting features of the caves. But a few quick rules. Make sure that you stay together and don’t wander off. And make sure that whatever you bring with you leaves with you. Questions?”
I glanced around the group as everyone shook their heads except for the latecomer. His eyes darted away from me as I caught his gaze. Was he watching me?
“These caves were first discovered in the 1700s when farmers cultivated the land on top of them. The forest above us had been cleared at one point, making this a second-growth forest.” We all trailed him as he spoke. “What they didn’t know at the time was exactly how large this cave system was. I’ll guide you through as much of it as I can in two hours.”
The family spoke in hushed tones, smiling as they pointed out the formations throughout the cave. The older couple followed them, holding hands and enjoying each other’s company in contented silence. Between the two groups, the man in black had removed his sunglasses and put them in his pocket. I caught his brilliant blue eyes, the color of the ocean, under the flickering lights. A slight, unexplained coldness rose in my spine.
The cave air was musty as we transitioned from the outside to the underground world. It wasn’t only the underground river that made it musty, but an energy in the air pressed upon me that spoke to the powers of the rituals practiced in this cave for centuries. Did anyone else in our group feel the magic that had come before us?
We shuffled along as David recited stories about the history of the caves and what archaeologists and geologists had found here, the promise of the ghost stories lying ahead of us. Twenty minutes after entering the cave, we stepped into an immense chamber. The brownish-gray walls rose three stories around us, the room bordering on the size of a large cathedral sanctuary. Over the centuries, waterfalls had carved designs into the rocks. Nature continued to work, water glistening as it seeped over and out of the walls. A small drip echoed in the distance. The blackened remains of fires scarred the center of the floor with a ring large enough I could have lain in the center.
“This chamber is known as the Cathedral,” said David. “You’ll notice on the surrounding walls that the designs etched in the rocks resemble the abstract work found on many stained glass windows.”
“Is that the only reason it’s called the Cathedral?” The man in black smirked as he asked the question. My arms tingled as I heard his voice, drawing my attention to him. Somewhere in the deepest parts of my mind, I could imagine us lazing together in conversation. Goose bumps rose on my arms as I thought of being close to him.
David returned the smile before glancing around at us. “No, it isn’t the only reason it’s called the Cathedral.” He pointed at the black circle. “This ring is thought to be where rituals were performed within this cavern. We know that Indigenous groups gathered here, but we aren’t sure of the exact purpose of those rituals yet.”
David’s smile widened, a glint of storytelling mischief in his eyes. “It’s also whispered that a cursed family once roamed these caverns—powerful, dark souls known as the O'Cillians. Four men: Cormac, Lorcan, Aiden, and Conall. No one knows if they were related or not.”
I stiffened and concentrated on taking slow, steady breaths, masking the sudden chill that skittered up my spine as best I could.
“Aurora, listen closely. Those stories told around our fires are warnings,” hissed my mother’s voice. “The O’Cillians were vicious and evil, nearly unstoppable in their time. No one knows why they faded into obscurity.”
I glanced at the man just in time to see him look away. Why did he keep watching me?
David continued, unaware of my discomfort. “The O'Cillians were warlocks said to have practiced rites that bound life and death, merging mortal and immortal in ways no one dared understand.” He pointed at a dark pathway off to the side. “It just so happens that if you go down that passage, there is a smaller room we call the Chapel, believed to be a site used for their smaller, darker rituals. Unfortunately, it is off-limits because of the treacherous path.”
He looked around the group, his eyes asking for further questions. “We’ll take a few minutes to look around and continue.”
I wanted to ask the man in black if he believed the ghost stories David was sharing, but he had disappeared from view. Good. I would no longer be distracted by the handsome stranger. I pushed him from my mind as I formulated a plan to get to the Chapel.
David sat on one of several stone benches around the room. I scrunched my face in faux pain as I wrapped my arms around my stomach.
“Excuse me,” I said, causing my voice to crack as I spoke.
David’s eyes swept over me. “Are you okay?”
I forced a tight smile to my lips. “I will be. I’m just not feeling very well. Migraine. Can I stay here and walk out when I feel better?”
David nodded. “It happens. The difference in the air pressure and the temperature does that to some people. Follow the path out, and please don’t wander. We don’t want to send a team back to find you.”
I laughed and flinched as though the sound hurt my head. “I promise I will go straight out of the cave and back to my campsite. Thank you so much for understanding, and I’m sorry I won’t be able to finish the tour with you.”
David nodded. “It isn’t a problem. I hope you feel better.”
I sat on a bench across from him, dropping my backpack at my feet. When I glanced up, the man was staring at me. I averted my eyes and studied my bag.
A minute later, David stood. “Is everyone ready to keep moving?” While the group gathered around him, the girl I had spoken to earlier glanced at me and raised an eyebrow.
“Let’s keep going,” said David.
The girl smiled and gave me a small wave, which I returned. Relief loosened my shoulders when the group walked from the room.