He blinked as the bubble moved—propelled gently forward by a soft current of water under Dolph’s control.
Juno dove in headfirst, laughing as he cut through the water like a silver dart.
Dolph followed seconds later, arms slicing cleanly as he powered ahead.
Zohar grinned and pressed his hands against the interior of the bubble. The surface was cool and flexible beneath his fingers, like touching living glass.
Then—
The water beneath him churned. A swirl of rainbow light erupted from the depths of the lake, curling upward in a spiraling column.
The portal.
It caught all three of them in a heartbeat.
Zohar’s breath caught as his bubble surged forward into the swirl of color.
It was like riding a comet underwater.
The world became light and motion and movement—rushing currents pulling them faster and faster through the liquid tunnel. Bands of glowing energy shimmered past like veins of molten crystal. He floated in awe, watching as bright, bioluminescent fish race alongside them before vanishing into seagrass gardens that bloomed and faded in seconds.
A school of ribbonfish spiraled around his bubble, their scales catching the light in waves of pink and gold. Far below, a sleeping leviathan drifted through a canyon, eyes closed, its body the length of a city block.
Valdier just as awesome, his dragon said dryly. You like more if you pay attention.
Zohar rolled his eyes, but the wonder in his chest didn’t fade.
And then?—
Everything changed.
The light vanished.
The colors collapsed into black.
The temperature dropped so fast, his breath fogged the air inside the bubble.
The current beneath him slowed. The pressure of the water changed.
He looked around.
Nothing but darkness.
No coral. No fish. No glowing lilies.
The vibrant world of the magical lake was gone.
He couldn’t see Dolph.
He couldn’t see Juno.
“Guys?” he called, twisting in the bubble. “Dolph? Juno?!”
Silence.
His bubble floated downward, drifting deeper and deeper into the shadows.
Somewhere far above, a single strand of light from the portal flickered and disappeared.
