Page 77 of Surface Pressure

The corridors all looked the same. The difference between her own world and Autumn’s had never been so clear. There were no markers, no coral clumps or polished stones, no way to know if she were in the same corridor she saw in Autumn’s memory or a different one entirely.

Soulara cringed as she sauntered along, keeping her eyes and ears attuned for enemies who might come around the corner. Finding an uncovered woman in this place might just send them into a tizzy.

Reaching out, Soulara ran her fingers along the wall, finding it hard and cold. She jerked her fingers back and stared at them. What had she been expecting? Her own world had similar paths from place to place and rooms behind to hide whatever was inside, but that was just the castle. The people lived in the coral reefs, using them as shelter from the elements.

Oh, how she wished she could bring Autumn there to see what it looked like. The beauty of it all. The serenity.

Which was about to be destroyed.

Soulara hardened as she took another turn and almost sobbed with relief.

Yes, this was it. She was certain of it.

The door to Autumn’s home lay ten paces to her left. It took all her strength to keep her steps light and soundless against the hard polished floor. Her feet ached from all the walking on odd surfaces since the sandy beach had vanished, and she hoped she might find some of those foot coverings as well.

Her body yearned for the water, but she pushed her shoulders back and shook off the pain and discomfort. She would lead her people to victory, her own pain minimal compared to what they would suffer if she failed.

It took a moment to work out the strange silver ball on the door. Eventually, she managed to open the heavy metal. She let it swing back, not realizing the noise it would make as it hit against the wall beside it.

She stepped into the room, fruitlessly grabbing toward that silver ball in the hopes of stopping any more sounds that flagged her existence. Her hand reached out and grabbed only air. But that hardly mattered now. What did matter where the dozen pairs of eyes staring at her. The people stared at her, mouths falling open.

“Who the hell are you?” One man stepped forward, his eyes roaming over her body. She liked her body and had never felt the need to cover it. But this look that grazed over her like sand trapped against her skin made her shudder and wish for the coverings like never before.

“You aren’t soldiers.” She had opened her mouth, not knowing what would come out. But the way they were all covered. It wasn’t at all like the coverings Autumn wore.

“No. We’re not,” a younger man said, stepping tentatively closer.

“Don’t go any closer, Josh.” The man who had looked at her so hurtfully lifted a hand, palm turned away from Soulara but toward the other man. He gently moved his hand as though it had the power to shift the younger one.

Soulara didn’t feel any magic in the air, but Josh stepped back once more and curiosity warred with fear. Did they use a magic she couldn’t sense?

“Who are you?” the man asked again. “What are you doing here?”

Soulara hissed and bent her legs slightly. It felt strange, taking up a fighting pose with legs instead of fluke. But she could do this. Moving on land wasn’t all that different from moving under water, and she’d had her fair share of practice already.

Josh stumbled back, fear in his gaze. Soulara would recognize that anywhere. She’d seen it several times throughout her life. Soulara tightened her shoulders, preparing to strike whichever one of them came at her first.

The leery man cocked his head at her, lips quirked up in a sneer. “It seems as if we’re not the only life on this planet.”

So they hadn’t known. That was at least something. Someone knew, but these ones hadn’t.

“We come in peace,” the leery one said.

“Shut up, Cole. What if she doesn’t speak our language?” Josh chimed in.

Except Soulara did, but only because of magic, and she’d already spoken to them, so they should know that. They must be just as shocked as she was. Everything rested on this moment. She hadn’t expected to walk into a room of humans and have no backup. She’d wanted to sabotage something, stay hidden in the shadows for as long as she possibly could.

But now she was out in the open.

One of the men moved slowly toward something. Soulara pushed her magic toward him, reading his mind instantly. He was so easy to read. He was looking to press a button to warn others to her presence.

“Don’t do that,” Soulara warned, making her voice sound far more menacing than she actually was. “I’ll have to kill you if you do.”

“Oh, so the pretty lady does speak our language.” The one in the front crossed his arms. “Maybe she isn’t from here. Maybe she’s a concubine that Chalmers brought.”

Chalmers.

That name rang a bell in Soulara’s memory. But who exactly was he?

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