Page 96 of Stolen Magic of the Deep

“All the effort it has taken to gain your trust, and all I had to do was basically die?” I joke.

“What you did was courageous,” she admits, “but I won't lie, I mostly didn't feel like dealing with a brother who lost his sea mate. He's insufferable enough as is.”

I laugh harder than I probably should, and gradually, thoughts of what my life might be like if I stayed in Virellan surface. Nyxalene and I may have started off on the wrong foot, but now I know I could trust her with my life, even if she will never let me forget it.

thirty-eight

Sarah

The Echo Cavern’s location was a well-guarded secret. It feels as though we've been swimming for hours, my world shrouded in darkness by the seaweed tied around my head. Other than the long, quiet journey, my mind could only dwell on what was to come—well, that and the fact that the Pearlguard who tied this seaweed managed to knot strands of my hair into it. Every tug against my scalp sends a small pulse of shooting pain through me, the prickling discomfort slowly budding into a headache.

Orion explained that the Echo Cavern’s magic needs to adapt to mine, and that it only aligns properly during the full moon and high tide, something about the balance between my magic and its. Current Three is supposed to be a test of your heart and mind. Whatever that means . . .

My entourage tonight consists of two Deepwatch Captains, Orion, and Nyxalene. Orion swims close beside me, his earlier confessions pulling insistently at the strings of my heart. My mind and emotions wage their usual battle as the invisible tether within each of us seems to pull tighter with each passing day.

Nyxalene called me courageous the last time we spoke. One can only hope that still holds true after my final challenge is completed.

We come to an abrupt halt and Orion’s hands brush near my temples as he unties the seaweed blindfold. A few strands of hair tug painfully as it comes free. Wincing at the sharp pinch before blinking through the ocean's dim light, and the expanse of solid boulders resting in the distance..

The Captains and Nyxalene swim off to find a place for them to rest as Orion helps me get mentally prepared for what lies ahead in the cavern. Their armor clinks softly as they drift away, the faint sound fading into the stillness surrounding us.

We hover before the mouth of a vast grotto. The sand slopes sharply downward from the entrance, disappearing into darkness. Around us, nothing stirs. No fish, no current, no whisper of life. Just boulders and silence stretching endlessly in every direction.

Orion leans in slightly, his voice a murmur meant only for me.

“Very quiet here,” he says, his tone carrying that teasing warmth I’ve come to recognize. “Almost as if the sea itself is granting us privacy. I might bring you back one day, but next time, not for a trial.”

Goosebumps rise along my neck and arms at his words, and that’s precisely when Nyxalene returns.

“Is this what my life is going to look like now?” she grumbles, giving Orion a flat look. “I just started liking you, land-dweller. Don’t make me regret it.”

I roll my eyes at her, trying not to make a scene. Orion’s doing that all on his own. I can’t control how my body reacts, but I really hope it isn’t as obvious as it feels.

Oh, it’s obvious, Snapdragon, he says flirtatiously.

Get out of my head, Orion. Not the moment.

Over the past few days, he’s stopped pretending he doesn’t intrude into my thoughts whenever he wants. Something about almost losing me made him decide he can’t bear to give me a moment alone.

It almost makes me eager to step inside that cavern, if only for a few days of peace from him. Not that I have any idea of what awaits me in there. According to Nyxalene everyone's experience is different.

“Sarah, what waits beyond the threshold of this cavern will change you forever,” Nyxalene warns. “While we cannot tell you exactly what to expect, know this—nothing that happens within is real. It's all an illusion. You must endure it for thirty-six hours. We cannot pass the threshold with you, so this is where we part. Orion and I will return here when your time is up.”

She says it as though she’s certain I’ll be fine. As though she didn’t just mention illusions in the most cryptic way possible.

With a steadying breath, I give one last glance toward Orion. His deep blue eyes lock with mine, as if willing strength into me. Then I turn and swim down into the mouth of the cavern, letting its shadows rise and swallow me whole.

The moment I cross the threshold, the ocean’s hum fades completely. The water possesses an aberrant warmth, as if the cavern itself is warping it. Shadows coil along the walls, alive with faint echoes that seem to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.

I keep swimming, deeper and deeper, the faint glow from the entrance shrinking behind me until it disappears entirely. Questionable sounds drift through the dark, a soft current sighing through cracks in the stone, the low hum of unseen magic stirring in the depths.

Eventually, I reach what must be the center of the cavern. The space opens into a wide chamber, dimly lit by the shimmer of crystal veins running through the rock. There are remnants of past challengers here. The evidence of their existence is still left behind with smooth hollows dug into the sand, and carvings inscribed on the walls. All across the surface are names and symbols. Perhaps even warnings.

Across from where I crouch down is a wide slab of stone, its surface so polished it glimmers like a mirror. I drift closer, caught by my reflection. It’s the first time I’ve really seen myself since accepting the magic within me. My serpent tail coils beneath me. Sleek, sea-glass green with soft blue and purple accents that catch the light. Handfuls of scales are missing where my scar is formed down my tail. My skin radiates a soft luminescence, my eyes brighter than I remember. There’s power here, and for a breath, I don’t recognize the creature staring back.

It’s me . . . and yet, not quite.

The night has deepened, and I’m still drained from recovering after the battle with the Mordyth. I reach down into the sand, digging a deeper hollow for myself, making room for my long tail. The sand is icy beneath my fingers, colder than I hoped for. I dig carefully, shaping it to fit me as I slither in. I coil my tail around my upper body, trying to trap whatever warmth my body still holds.