Chapter Twenty-Four #2
Elana is so young, forced to grow up quickly with recent events. She was once a na?ve girl, now so full of wisdom, taking on Andi’s role, helping Mum with healing. Andi would have been proud, I am. I dread to think of how these latest events have affected her.
I hope Andi’s okay. I hope Myles is still looking after her. I wonder if she’s reached Yiren yet? Is she alive? Gods, I hope she’s alive.
She is my sister and in the care of a man I barely know and trust. Something about him rubs me the wrong way, but I’ve never been able to put my finger on it. Andi was happy with him. I didn’t want to shatter that.
I guess it wouldn’t have mattered if I went with her or not, I’d fail either way.
As my thoughts drift to home and what I would do to the guards if I had the chance, I don’t see the dip in the path, crashing down hard onto the gravel. Once the dust settles, I realise I have somehow fallen back to the start. Did I walk around the entire cave? Was it always like that?
I shout at the top of my voice, “Fuck.” I sit on the floor for a minute, my head on my knees, punching my fist on the floor until the ground is stained in my blood. I’ve been at this for hours, what in the veils am I doing?
Looking around the cave, the first bridge was back standing, I was positive it had fallen beneath me. If the first and last bridge are connected, then the exit has to be down into the abyss. Great.
Pushing up from the ground, I head to the middle bridge, the one leading into the chasm.
I could easily fall to my death here, on the narrow stone bridge with no handrails.
I’m positive the bridges were identical when I first arrived.
Ruling out this bridge based on the never-ending pit, not the sorry excuse for a bridge.
Nothing is as it seems.
Cautiously, I place my foot at the start of the bridge, testing its sturdiness. It must be around a foot wide and long, really long.
With my arms out for balance, I take one step at a time, edging across cagily. Keeping my eyes on the wall before me, unwilling to look down.
One wrong step and I’m done for.
While carefully shuffling across, I accidentally kicked some stones. I freeze, waiting for the crash at the bottom, but there is none. My mouth feels like sand, my palms sweaty, and my vision fluid.
No, I’m not going to let this stop me. The quicker I get to the end, the quicker I find a way out of here.
The end of the bridge comes into view, my heart races, and my shuffling feet move faster.
I hold my breath until I reach the end. Falling to my knees, I don’t see the slope at the end.
Sliding on my stomach, my yells echo off the cave walls.
A fog of dust and dirt surrounds me, choking me as I hit the bottom.
Fanning my hands in front of me, I try to clear the air. Not that it helps, it’s as dark as a witch’s heart down here, except for a tiny glow coming from my pocket.
The gemstone I picked earlier illuminates a faint golden glow. Laughing under my breath, I hold it out. Its light casts away the shadows, exposing a grassy plain, walled by bushes and flowers, with a tall canopy of trees surrounding a glistening pool.
It must be around here somewhere.
The cave walls are bare. I stomp hard on the ground, eager to hear the hollowness of a door. Nothing. I dig around the flower bed, pulling out deep roots from the dirt. Nothing. My hands are caked in mud from the attempt.
My tunic is stained with clay, and dirt is embedded under my fingernails.
I burst out laughing at the absurdity of the situation, falling to the ground in a fit of hysterics.
Andi is running for her life. Nia and Elana have been kidnapped, and here I am about to die in the most bizarre places ever.
The area echoes with my laughter, unable to contain it.
The chestnut tree’s joke was apt, ‘a dramatic entrance,’ if this place isn’t dramatic, I don’t know what is.
Everything about this cave is confusing.
From the boulder’s crashing open into a group of butterflies.
What do you call a group of butterflies?
A flock, a gathering, a flutter, a swarm?
I shake my head, snapping out of this train of thought.
Knowing what a bunch of butterflies is called will not help me out of this mess.
The water turning to insects, the crevices spitting out either boiling air or frozen spray.
The bridges that magically change shape or reform, none of those gives any clues as to where this door might be, or how many of the Unbound have participated in this challenge.
How many have succeeded? Did it take them long to find the mythical door? I can’t be the only one struggling to find it. I’m not sure I can stand the humiliation if I’m the last to find this damn door. It will be too much to bear.
Filled with newfound motivation, I get up and continue searching for the door. A rustling in the bushes behind me makes me halt in place. My widened eyes scan around for the source, praying to all the gods that it’s some strange-looking rabbit and nothing that can kill me.
The rustling inches closer. I step back with each rustle, tripping over a root that’s sticking up from the ground, and I fall backwards, crashing into the deep, glistening pool.
I gulp in a fast breath, just before my head goes under.
Holding my breath, I stay hidden under the water, looking up through some watercress in case the rustle maker finally makes an appearance.
Spinning, I cast a glance around, but it’s impossible to see in the pitch black.
Clutching the gemstone, I hold it out to get a better view.
I swim further down, searching the ground, the gemstone shines on something silver at the end of the pool.
I kick my feet hard as my chest tightens with the lack of air.
The door, finally.
I grab hold of the silver handle in the middle of the dark door and push, but it doesn’t budge.
My fingers feel around the frame, no locks, no reason as to why the door won’t open, must be the pressure of the water.
Using my feet to push against a rock at the base of the pool, I shoulder barge the door with all my might, and the force pops my shoulder from its socket.
I release all the air left in my lungs as I exert all of my energy.
The door flies open, and all the water is sucked into the doorway, dragging me along with it.