Page 76 of Wicked Warlock
He chuckled and grabbed the bottom of her shirt and pulled it over her head, leaving her in her bikini top. “That never gets old.” He shoved her shirt in his back pocket.
I glanced down at Astrid with all her skin showing and smirked. “It really doesn’t.”
Water fell all around us, filling my ears with the roaring sound. A light mist covered my face and clung to my jacket. I pointed to myself. “Help me out. I’m hot.”
“Yes, yes, you are.” Astrid chuckled and covered me in smoke. A moment later, I stood there in a t-shirt and lightweight jeans.
Catherine gazed over the side of the platform. “Are we sure this is the right place?”
“It’s going to be okay, Mom.” Zinnia placed her hand on her mother’s shoulder. “We won’t let anything happen to you.”
“Psh, to me. You’re the ones I’m worried about.”
“This is the place. I see it in my nightmares every time I close my eyes.” Penny shivered.
“We’re going to do this quick and painless. And we won’t stay any longer than we have to.” I held out my hands, trying to keep the platform balanced. The sunlight began to dim the lower we got into the cave. As we drifted down, more light began to glow from beneath us.
As I guided the platform to the bottom of the cave, it wavered once more. The platform tilted to one side, then the other. Water sloshed up over its sides. Astrid pushed it away with her golden magic, keeping us all dry. A pool of cerulean water separated the hole we’d just dropped into from a beachy area peeking out from a dark cave. Ophelia stood at the edge of the platform. Should I swim again?
“I got it.” I pulled my hands together and the platform went from being a flat circle to a long bridge that extended over the water and stopped on the edge of the beach.
Warm, sultry air filled the area, and a bed of steam clung to the surface. Dancing lights reflected off the cave walls surrounding us. Multiple tunnels shot off the main area, and the water flowed slowly down each one. The main pool bubbled like a hot tub from the water falling down the sides.
Cross marched onto the beach. “Better landing than last time.”
“I missed the landing from last time.” Ophelia sighed. “It was fun.”
Yeah, nearly drowning everyone before the mission started…funnnnn.
Catherine clapped her hands together. “We have to focus.”
“Yes, Mommmm.” Ophelia couldn’t contain the smile on her face. “I’m focused.”
Penny didn’t speak; she just walked toward the back of the cave. My boots sunk into the sand as I took a step toward the cave. This was the kind of place serial killers buried their victims so no one would ever find them. Or where a mad man buried his sister and all his dirty little secrets. Astrid opened her hand and let her power flow over the ground.
“Follow me.” Tension rolled off Penny as she trudged farther.
My blue smoke seeped from my hands to the ground in front of me, mixing with Astrid’s golden smoke. The moment our magic touched the walls, pools of water illuminated like fish tanks, one by one, leading the way. It was like walking through an aquarium, but there was no glass separating us from the sea. If the magic holding the water at bay gave out, then we’d die in this underwater grave. I’d die without ever telling Astrid how I felt or making things up to her.
Cross groaned, “Here we go again.”
“Again?” Astrid glanced around at all the water. “How did it turn out the first time?”
I shook my head. “You really don’t want to know. It’ll go better this time.”
I hope.
She narrowed her eyes at me. “You don’t sound so sure. I really do want to know.”
Ophelia tiptoed into the cave. “No, you don’t.”
The farther into the cave, the heavier the pressure settled over us. I couldn’t tell if it was the pressure from being so deep under the sea or if it was an old magic holding it all together. If anything happened to me—to us—the war would be lost. The walls wouldn’t go up and the Unseelie would continue to filter into our world.
The cave opened up to a larger room. The aquarium windows continued around us, and blue light shone and reflected off the walls. There, in the center of the room, was a single boulder. A circle of torches surrounded the boulder, and when our magic touched it, the torches flared to life.
“I loathe this place.” Penny walked around the torches, eyeing the boulder. There, on top of it, was a beautifully crafted Ouija board made of smooth driftwood. “And I hate that thing most of all.” She pointed toward the planchette. “See the lines? I stared at those lines for a thousand years. I would recognize them with my eyes closed.”
Catherine held out her hands. “Is it just me or is it weird?”
