Page 101 of The Eye of the Fifth
‘If you come now, we’ll leave straight after,’ she said. Kano peered over his shoulder at her, an eyebrow raised. She rolled her eyes. ‘Ipromise.’
She dove into the water, then her head resurfaced, expectantly waiting. He was quite certain she was not using magic on him now, but he couldn’t help stare at the way her hair, a couple of shades darker blue than her skin, moved delicately in the water around her shoulders.
Mesmerising.
Damning the heat in his cheeks (and entire body for that matter), he gave a sigh and stood.
‘Yes!’ Akraia said, smiling gleefully, then dove under the surface once more.
Through the silky blue he pursued her, deeper and deeper until the penetration of the sun’s rays weakened through the dense ocean. Unease grew in his belly. They were already far from home, swimming through the Birlissus Ocean, on some reckless expedition. But Akraia swam deeper still, as though oblivious to the fact they weren’t in outlaw territory.
Finally through the dark, the other meddlesome twin came into view. She beamed a victorious smile when she saw them approaching, but it did not have quite the same effect on Kano as her gentler sister. Akeria was brash, far less yielding and a great deal moremean. It was often Akraia’s influence that swayed her to concede to Kano’s wishes.If it wasn’t for that, he was sure that Akeria would outright ignore everything he said.
Even if everything he did was to keep both of themoutof trouble, at the mer-king’s request.
Kano didn’t need Akeria’s excited gesturing and pointing to know what it was she had found on the seafloor, for it was plainly obvious.
A colossal, rounded monument stood behind her. It held such ancient grace, such magnificence in the delicately carved stone, yet it seemed to be pristinely preserved against the hands of time. It didn’t compare to the grandeur of the city of Nevatis, but as he stared at it, something beyond apprehension rose within him. A buzzing sort of current, a building pressure, like that of a riptide.
That feeling wasinsidehim.
He couldn’t understand it.
All he knew was that he didn’t want to get even an inch closer to the monument than he already was.
Skeletal human remains scattered the tomb’s entrance, as though many had tried and failed to enter, to learn its secrets, and paid the ultimate price with their lives, crushed under the weight of water above them. Or eaten alive by mer outlaws.
Kano wasn’t sure which was worse.
But he didn’t want to wait around to find out.
Akeria, it seemed, had other ideas.
She swam down towards the monument, beckoning them to follow her. Kano firmly shook his head, pointing upward toward the sky, where hesowanted to be. Akraia moved past him, shooting him an apologetic glance as she followed her sister toward the ancient structure.
Smugly, Akeria shot him a quick gesture with her hands that essentially told him he was a coward.
Oh, she knew what she was doing. Pride hurt, he swallowed his fear, his hesitation, and pursued them, hating the thought of either sister thinking him just that.
Deliberately averting his eyes from the scattered bones below his feet, his gaze latched instead onto the great arched entrance before them, the lettering etched around it an alphabet he didn’t understand.There was no door in the archway, just solid, impenetrable stone. Scratched to make a diamond shape above the words were four runes at the arch’s peak, each slightly different to the next.
Curiosity trumped Kano’s fear then, and he neared the monument, treading water between the two nymphs, unable to keep his eyes from those strange runes.
The left rune, a circular swirl, began to emit a soft silver glow. It flickered, as though it had quite forgotten how to.
His body trembled as he stared at it. His blood had begun to pulse in his veins in perfect synchronicity with the glowing rune. It was somewhat welcoming… and yet absolutely unsettling.
He didn’t like this. He didn’t like this atall.
Apprehension stole away his wits once more, but the moment he began to retreat from the monument, Akeria swam forward, hand outstretched, as if she might touch the illuminated rune.
Faster than he could even think, Kano lurched toward her, wrapping his fingers firmly around her wrist just before she could make contact with the ancient stone. She whirled on him, frowning and furious, but Kano vehemently shook his head.
Anger rippled on her features as she yanked her hand from his grasp, but as she surged forward again, adamant in touching the damned door, Kano finally reached the end of his tether.
He propelled himself in front the tomb, and with a wave of raw power, blasted Akeria (and regrettably Akraia too) a good hundred feet away in a strong current conjured from his own hands.
Even at this distance, he could see the look of deadly fury settling on Akeria’s face and immediately felt hot shame rise expeditiously within him. He’d never used his magic against them before. He’d always refrained from using his power onanyonefor that matter. Regardless of what reckless situation the twins managed to pull him into.
