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The sound of water lapping nearby drifted to Sarah’s ears, its echo slowly growing more pronounced. “Loki?”
A soft meow answered her, and Sarah lifted her head, spotting two glowing disks in the dark. “Where did you go?” she inquired, wishing he could answer her, wishing she could understand. “This is truly where the girls went?”
Sarah had to trust that it was. After all, Loki had left with them, and she was certain that he would not have abandoned them. How had they ended up here, though? Had Birchwell been involved, after all? Perhaps he had come upon them, and they had fled into the thicket. Of course, Loki could not have protected them from Birchwell. Last time, he had gotten hurt getting into the man’s path, determined to protect Sarah.
When she closed her eyes, Sarah could still see Loki’s little body lying across the chamber, motionless. She had been terrified at the thought of losing him; yet that time he had come back. He had recovered and remained by her side as before.
“Perhaps I ought to have gone for help,” Sarah murmured as she followed Loki, slowly moving on her hands and knees. “Perhaps I ought to have told someone.” Now, it was too late, for Sarah had serious doubts she could turn around in this narrow tunnel. The only way was the way forward.
“Why is there a tunnel here?” Sarah murmured to herself, preferring the sound of her own voice to the silence that lingered. “It must be man-made. But why?” For a moment, she feared it might end in the water, somewhere below the surface of the sea. “I should’ve gone for help.”
Sarah stilled as these last words left her lips, for they did not echo back to her ears as the others had before. Was she reaching the end of the tunnel? Indeed, as she peered into the darkness, Sarah thought to see a faint touch of light. The blackness seemed brighter somehow, not quite black anymore but perhaps midnight blue. Yet the sound of waves remained, growing stronger, the soft swishing of the tide rolling to her ears.
Encouraged, Sarah quickened her movements and soon she saw starlight filtering into the tunnel, glistening on the softly swaying sea. As far as the eye could see—which was not far at all—there was nothing there, only the endless sea. “Why did you lead me here?” Sarah asked, craning her neck to spot Loki. “Where did you go?”
She crouched forward, her hands lifting to the walls. She felt the ceiling slope upward and cool air brush against her cheeks. The tunnel was wider here, and Sarah slowly rose to her feet, taking one careful step forward and then another. Her eyes grew wide as the clouds above shifted and the moon shone down upon the sea. Indeed, the water was only a few steps away, its waves lapping onto a small ledge that was the end of the tunnel.
Craning her neck, Sarah found herself on the edge of a small bay on the south side of the main island. The land curved inward, tall cliffs reaching into the sky, almost barring any view of the sea. Only ahead of her, a small distance from where Sarah stood upon the ledge, she glimpsed a small island sitting nestled in the bay, like a child embraced by its mother.
“Loki?” Sarah called once more as she stood at the black abyss, upon the last bit of solid rock. One more step, and she would sink into the waves. “Loki!”
His call made her head turn, and the moment her gaze fell upon the little feline, Sarah almost fell over backwards in shock.
Ahead and a little off to the side, Loki seemed to stand upon the water, his glowing eyes directed back at her.
Staring, Sarah shook her head and blinked her eyes, trying to clear her vision. Yet the image remained. “Loki, what are you…? How can you…?”
The little feline regarded her curiously, then shook his little paws, clearly disgusted with the wetness. Still, he lifted his head, his call urgent, demanding she follow.
Sarah shook her head. “I can’t,” she whispered, staring down into the black waves only a step in front of her. “Loki, how…?” Still, she stared at him. Indeed, he had always seemed to be far more than a mere cat, and yet she would have never expected to see him walking on water.
Again, Sarah’s mind drifted back to Mrs. Murray’s stories, to all the stories Keir had told her, all the legends and myths. Was it possible? Were perhaps some of them true? Was Loki a… water sprite? The thought seemed ludicrous, and Sarah shook her head, trying to focus her thoughts.
“I cannot go back,” Sarah murmured, doubting she would find her way, knowing that it would take too long to fetch help. Whatever Loki was trying to tell her, it seemed urgent, and Sarah trusted him.
Bracing her hands on the rock walls to her sides, Sarah inhaled a deep breath, then slowly moved one foot forward, lowering it down to the water’s surface. She felt her booted foot dip into the waves, sinking lower and lower…
… until suddenly…
… it settled on something solid and sturdy.
Carefully, Sarah put weight upon her right foot, testing whatever it was she stood upon, her heart hammering wildly in her chest. When whatever it was, did not give way, she lifted her other foot, moving it forward and setting it down as well. It, too, sank into the water over her ankle, soaking her skirts. There, however, it remained, not sinking deeper. “How is this possible?” Sarah gasped as the clouds above shifted, revealing a crescent moon, its silvery light reflecting upon the water’s surface.
And there, just below the waves, right in front of her, Sarah saw something glistening beneath the water. It shimmered, reminding her of the scales of a fish or…Oh, this is not—This cannot possibly—
Sarah froze, remembering the legend of the sea serpent that was rumored to protect the island, always out of sight, just below the surface. “This is not happening,” Sarah murmured, fear crawling up her back as she gazed down into the water, expecting the solid ground beneath her feet to move at any moment, to rear up and throw her off. “It can’t be true. I am not standing on the back of a snake.”
Feeling every limb tremble, Sarah eased her foot across the solid surface she stood upon. Her eyes squinted, trying to see through the churning water. She only ever caught faint glimpses of something underneath, glistening in the moonlight… like scales. Slowly, Sarah leaned forward, trying her best to keep her skirts from soaking through all the way, and reached out a tentative hand.
Ice-cold water sloshed into her boots and swirled around her ankles. Goosebumps chased up and down her arms and legs. Still, Sarah extended her hand farther and farther into the freezing water until the tips of her fingers brushed against something solid.
Something smooth.
Like… Like stone.
Cobblestone.
Straightening once more, Sarah followed the smooth path of thesnakewith her eyes. “Is this a road of some kind?” she murmured, taking another step forward and then another.
