Chapter 10 #2
“I’m an aberrant now. And I don’t think I’ll ever get used to being naked in front of people,” I mutter under my breath.
“You don’t have to do this,” Garrett says, turning my shoulders so I’m facing him.
“You’ve been thrust into this world like a kid tossed into a lake who doesn’t know how to swim.
There will be other full moons. There’s no rush.
We can come back in a month, after you’ve learned more about the evils of this territory. ”
“Not all aberrants are evil, right?” I ask, holding his gaze.
He slides his hands from my shoulders, down my arms before dropping them to his sides. “No. But there’s more evil than good out in these parts.”
“I don’t want to wait,” I confess.
“If the Spirit of the Land will speak with you…and if she doesn’t kill you…
you should know that the connection is different for everyone.
I don’t know how it works for a dustslinger.
” He shifts his weight to the other hip before continuing, “What I’m saying is, unlocking the knowledge and power within you may also cause you pain…
or it may be as simple as opening a door. I don’t know.”
I look over my shoulder to where Booker is. “What about you? Do you know what it’ll be like if she speaks to me?”
The werewolf shakes his head. “Garrett’s right. It’s different for each of us.”
“Great,” I mutter. Then inhale a deep breath, and say to Garrett, “It’ll be fine. I can handle it.” Even if I’m not feeling it, I need to appear confident in order to get this done.
Booker leans out over the pool of water that’s maybe the size of two copper tubs combined and stares up through the hole.
“Yup, the moon is almost there.” He takes his sunrider hat off and sets it on a nearby rock, lifts his leg, then grabs his boot and slides it off. “We’d best hurry and get in there.”
I watch him in horror. He’s getting in the water with me—and I’ll be naked? Oh, hell no!
I back away, and Garrett looks between his friend and me, then says, “No. She’s my charge, so I’ll do it. I’ll get in the water with her.”
The two men hold their gaze for a heartbeat before Booker concedes.
“Suit yourself.” He slips his boot back on and picks up his hat.
“I’ll go up and keep watch with Murphy.” Before leaving, he reminds me, “Nothing on your body. And when she comes, be honest with her. The Spirit of the Land always knows when someone’s lying.
Good luck to ya.” Turning, he leaves us alone in the cavern.
I look to the hole and see the moon coming into view.
“Why does anyone have to come in with me?”
“In case something goes wrong. I can try to pull you back to the living.”
“Wait, no one said anything about dying.”
“You’re not dying,” he explains. “Your soul will be doing the conversing, that’s all. And if the Spirit of the Land tries to kill you, well, then, that’s why I’m here. To wake you from the trance.”
“Now, I’ll give you some privacy to undress. Holler at me when you’re in the water.” He leaves the lantern and disappears down the tunnel.
I take off my boots first, then unbutton the high collar of my dress. Before slipping it off, I shout, “You’re not peeking, are you?”
“No!” His voice floats out from deep within the tunnel. He sounds as if he’s pretty far back, so I hurry and remove my dress before folding it and setting it on a nearby rock. Then, as I remove my undergarments, he shouts, “Are you in the water?”
“Not yet.” With nothing on my body, I walk across the cold stone to the edge of the pool, and dip one foot in.
It’s surprisingly warm. Once I’m all the way in, the water gets hotter the deeper I sink in.
This must be what Booker meant about fire.
It doesn’t burn. Rather, it’s soothing against my tense muscles.
I let a long sigh work its way free as my feet reach the bottom.
Oh, I could get used to this. If I had one of these natural hot springs in my backyard, I’d probably be out here every night.
“Bex, we gotta hurry! Can I come out?”
“Oh, yes! Sorry!” I bend my knees a little so everything below my shoulders is covered by the milky water.
He emerges from the dark tunnel but stops short of seeing me. I turn around, giving him some privacy while he undresses. With my hair still pinned up, the cool air from the cavern grazes the tops of my shoulders. I lower myself deeper into the water until the surface grazes my chin.
A gentle lap of water pushes against my back as he gets in. “Oh, it’s hotter than I remembered,” he says, more to himself than to me.
“You’ll keep your hands to yourself?” I ask.
“I’m a gentleman and would never put my hands on you…” There’s a pause before he says in a playful tone, “Unless you asked me to.”
I push my hand through the water and send a splash back at him. “Are you in? Can I turn around?”
“Yes, yes.” He chuckles.
Slowly I face him. The water’s surface hits below his chest. I let my eyes take in the lines of his body, the muscles curving along his arms and shoulders.
Then I lift my gaze to his, and we say nothing.
What’s there to say in this moment? I’m in a cavern, completely nude, submerged in a hidden underground hot spring with a stranger.
His eyes stay focused on mine, except for the one or two times they dip.
Heat blooms between my legs, and I know it’s not from the hot spring.
Booker’s voice echoes down to us from the hole above.
“You two about ready?” Then, before we can answer, he chuckles as if seeing something funny we don’t.
“Listen, Bex,” Booker says with all seriousness.
“When the moon is in position, all you’ve got to do is close your eyes, think about the fire and water surrounding you, and the stone and air above you.
Don’t think about the sexy man in front of you—”
“Booker,” Garrett scolds in a deep voice.
Booker laughs again. “Okay, sorry. Anyway, you get what I’m saying, Bex?”
“I understand,” I call up to him. My knees straighten, making me taller, while also revealing the swell of my breasts.
I only realize I’ve exposed more than I intended when Garrett’s gaze breaks from my face, dipping lower than my lips, and he swallows hard.
I quickly bend my knees again, lowering my body deeper into the water.
There’s something there. He may not want to open his heart, but he’s hungry for something. I can see it in the way he looks at me.
Stay focused. I squeeze my eyes shut and clear my mind.
Think about the elements. The warmth coming from deep underground, heating the water, along with the chill in the air as stone surrounds me from all sides.
I keep repeating the thought over and over, until I try and open my eyes—except I can’t.
I flail my arms about, not caring if Garrett sees my bare skin.
Something’s wrong.
The world around me disappears. I can’t feel the warm water.
Or the cool air. I stretch my toes, searching for the stone ground in the pool, but there’s nothing.
And then I realize there’s no water. Nothing but air.
I’m completely naked and floating through the air.
I want to scream—to cover myself up and hide from whoever is looking at me.
This is wrong. I shouldn’t have done this.
I feel exposed and vulnerable…and violated.
“Not violated.” A voice speaks to me from the void behind my closed lids. “Think of it as a test of your limits. Now, open your eyes, dustslinger, and make your case. If not, your soul is mine, and Malik Graves wins.”