Page 59 of Stealing the Star Stone
“Mm, so I’ve got to be dying before you’ll be nice to me?”
She frowned.“When haven’t I been nice?”
He arched an accusatory brow.
“Yes, you have to be dying.”She strode off.“Keep up.The hole’s this way.”
Through the overhead crevice, the sky was changing into pinks and reds, promising night.They were running out of time.Did the countdown take planetary rotations into consideration?A few hours ago, they’d been waking up on day three.The sun setting this soon could mean they’d been cheated out of a day.
“What does the writing say?”He stroked the lettering along the arch.
“To find oneself is to face the shadows.”
“Sounds like the right direction.”He dipped and peered into the darkness.When he re-emerged, he said, “White fairy lights are here and there, but nothing else.I don’t know if we’re falling into nothing, water, or rock.”His eyes widened.“It’s a leap of faith.”
An explosion scattered the birds and sent up a cloud of pixie dust from across the oasis.
She froze, peering through the jungle like she could magically see Orien and his men.“They must have found a footprint.I was pretty sure the waves were washing them away.”
“We better hurry.We’ve left a trail…” He gripped the top of the archway and went in feet first.
She blinked.He was gone in a second.
“Shit,” she scrambled to the opening, then did the same.
The last thing she registered was the bite of stone under her fingertips.
Chapter Seventeen
The moon, Lethara
Into a dark cave.
Where the hell am I?
Day Three.
Tobeweightlesstwicein a day was new to Eli.He fought the urge to scream, to snatch at air like that would slow his descent.Have faith, the writing had said.And oh boy, did he.One moment, his mind had been filled with sensual images of Nova, the way she’d looked bare-chested, the kiss on the cheek, her admitting to liking him.The next, he was plagued by sorrow.Someone had died.A man…with platinum hair, a scruffy beard, and the brightest smile.His gaze held such love.But it was snatched away, drenching Eli with ichor.There was no other way to describe the dense sadness.Images flickered, conveying the passing of time.
And yet, the wailing of despair echoed in his mind.
Only to be awoken with eels tickling his wounds and wrapping around his limbs.
“Eli,” she said, her voice snatching him from a troubled sleep.She’d called his name.Hugged him.
Cold water engulfed him, breaking his fall.He surfaced, peering into the shadows while trying to swim away.Nova would follow, and landing on him would hurt.She hit the water next to him, coughing when she came up for air.
“See anything?”she asked, touching his shoulder.
“A blue flame.”He squeezed his eyes shut then opened them again, just to be sure he hadn’t imagined it.“Over there.”A flicker of light had to mean something good.
“I wonder if we can use these little lights, like a torch?”She started swimming toward the flames.
“Yeah, I kind of don’t like the idea of navigating a new cave by touch.”He brushed his fingers along her sides, summoning a chuckle from her.
“Thorne,” she gasped around a giggle.“No fair.You know your tickle spots.”
“Where are yours?”he asked, smiling in her direction.
