Page 53 of Rebel Fae
Lucky us.
We formed a single-file line, walked gingerly on the smooth stone, and slipped between the rock wall into a black cave. The torch guttered, and I was afraid the mist from the water might put it out, but it kept burning. It was a good thing too, considering that no moonlight made it past the torrential water. I cast the torch around, trying to illuminate our surroundings.
The cave ceiling was about twenty feet above our heads. Rocky boulders and smooth stone glittered with mineral deposits, but other than that, there wasn’t much to see.
“Where’s this fountain?” Becca yelled over the waterfall’s noise.
I shot her a look but was concerned myself. Was Sinasre out of his mind when he told me this? Was it another trick from his addled mind?
“There’s a path this way,” Bael said, guiding my arm. He was pale and slumped over, a hand pressed against the wall. He had limped all the way here without complaint, a testament to his strength.
I angled the torch and noticed the same smooth stone as on the path outside. Again, it looked like someone had leveled the rock to make it easier to travel. Carefully, I took the lead, letting the torch illuminate the deep recesses that might hide dangerous surprises.
It didn’t take long for us to follow the path to the right and find the fountain.
There, in the center of a small alcove, a fountain rose directly out of the smooth-stone floor. The water inside gave a blue-green glow and was contained by a glossy rim of rock that seemed to grow from the ground—no seams, no breaks. It was sleek and unnatural, clearly created by magic.
“Woah!” Becca said as Ronnie pushed past her. He ran at the fountain, stood at the side, and plunged his hands in.
“Ronnie, wait!” I rushed forward, but it was too late.
The water around his hands bubbled as if it were boiling. I waited for him to cry out and rip his hands away, but his face went from concerned to serene.
“The pain… it’s going away.” He turned to me with the biggest smile on his face.
“It’s working,” I whispered, then glanced back to see Bael climbing in.
The giant Khurynian stepped into the fountain and sat. Blood from his leg turned the water pink. Silently, Bael submerged his whole body into the fountain, disappearing from view until only his horns were visible. I was about to walk closer to get a better look when a bright light flooded the cave, blinding me.
“Step away from the fountain,” a voice boomed, shaking the walls and sending small rocks skittering down.
I whirled, throwing a hand up to block the blinding light. When it dimmed, I could see whose voice had penetrated the silence.
Crescent walked forward with her hands out, light blaring from one and electricity crackling from another.
“You are not allowed to be here,” she said in her echoing voice. “Cease what you are doing and step away from the fountain now.”
Frantically, I glanced to the left and right. Becca and Ronnie stood to one side of me staring at Crescent, ready to submit. On the other side, Antonio and Regina seemed ready to fight, their postures’ tense and alert.
“We weren’t doing anything wrong,” I offered, trying to calm everything down. “We found this fountain and—”
“Lies,” Crescent said. “I know what you did, Tally. I know why you’re here. You, of all people, were supposed to know better.”
“I was supposed to know better?” I said. “They charged me with keeping these campers alive. I’m doing just that. Since you wouldn’t heal them, I found a way to do it.”
“What the hell is she talking about?” Regina asked.
I ignored her, keeping my attention on the mentalist.
“Did it cross your mind that if I wanted them healed I would have done that already?” Crescent said, walking closer. Her voice was as menacing as the blue crackling light that danced on her fingertips.
“Why are you being so mean?” Becca asked Crescent. “I thought you were supposed to help us.”
“That time is over,” Crescent said.
The blue electricity disappearing from her hand, she placed two fingers at her temple. Suddenly, Becca collapsed. Her body fell lifeless to the ground like a puppet with her strings cut.
I gasped. “No.”
