Page 106 of Lore of the Tides

She spun around, holding her glowing hand up above her, casting it over the circular cavern.

And that’s when she sensed Syrelle’s powers. The dark, raw magic thathecommanded.

“Syrelle?” she whispered, hopeful. She didn’t want it to be him... but at the same time she did. She knew him. As much as one could know the enemy.

He must have followed her here. Maybe he got here first, hidhimself from her somehow... Maybe the disappearance of the exit was just a glamour of his. All she had to do was convince him to make it reappear, let her free.

The rasping sound came again. Lore whipped her head side to side, searching the darkness.

“Syrelle, I can sense your magic...”You’re scaring me.“Show yourself,” she commanded, failing to conceal the fear in her tone.

There was something awful, terrible, in here with her, but where?

The light she cast wasn’t bright enough to see more than three feet in front of her. Darkness pressed in from all sides.

“Mine... all mine...” the voice said.

This wasn’t Syrelle’s voice.

It was somethingother. It grated against her ears; shivers slithered up her spine. She ground her teeth as she backed into the cavern wall.

“Wh...” And then she saw it.

A decomposing body lumbered toward her. Its movements werewrong. It jerked and shook, halted and stumbled. Rotten flesh hung from bones like ribbons. Its eyes had decomposed long ago, or more likely had been eaten by the insects who made this cavern home.

She broke out in a cold sweat; shallow breaths burst in and out.

The thing... It had no lips, only hints of flesh that once were cheek, forehead, chin. Its hair was long, spun in braids that had sprouted moss and lichen. A cockroach slipped out of its gaping mouth and crawled up decomposed flesh to enter the hole where its ear should be.

Lore’s eyes shuddered closed for a moment. She had to close them, for she was on the verge of retching from the scent, the sight.

This, like the bugs, was also a creature that made this cavern home, though it should not have a home.

It was obviously long dead. She felt faint. She held her breath, trying to stay quiet.

Go away, go away, go away!

Its haltering, shuffling footsteps stopped.

She steeled herself and opened her eyes once more, pleading to the goddess that it would be gone.

It was closer. Too close.

“Stay away from me,” Lore gasped out. Gods, she had no room left to retreat.

Lore needed her dagger.

But one hand was her light, and the other gripped the book. She wouldn’t have time to store it safely in her satchel. Her fingers numb and clumsy with terror, she hastily untucked her shirt, shoved the book beneath it.

“Who has come to steal what is mine?” The voice was clearer now. Less grating. Still, each word pierced Lore with terror.

Lore opened her mouth, working her jaw, but no sound came out. Finally, she uttered, “Auroradelcalled to me. I have come to claim it.”

“Who has come?” The creature paused. It surveyed her, finding her wanting, despite its lack of eyes.

Lore cleared her throat, blinking rapidly. “I am called Lore.”

“I do not recognize your scent.” It could smell without a nose. How? “What species are you?”

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