Page 90 of The Witch and The Blood Oath

I studied the swirling symbols around the images and gasped. They were turned sideways and upside down and in different handwriting than I was used to, but Iknewthe newly formed symbols.

My heart sang.

“The ancient language,” I whispered in wonder. “The one my mother insisted I learn, even though it’s been dead for ages. It’s there.”

I shook my head. “Those weredefinitelynot there a moment ago. I would’ve recognized them immediately. It’s like the cave is altering itself to help us understand.”

“So, it’s sentient?” Walker said and studied the walls. “If that’s the case, why wouldn’t it just write its messages in English?”

“Maybe it doesn’t know that language,” I said.

Walker sighed. “I’ve seen crazier things than a bilingual cave. Can you read it?”

I turned my head sideways and gave it a shot. The light was disorienting, but it had been formed frommymagic. Well, Walker’s and mine. It was ours to control.

“Help me dim the light,” I said, “just a little. Help me focus it so I can read.”

With our hands clasped, we willed the light to focus and calm, until I could make out the exact shapes of the swirling symbols.

“Bonded by magic,” I read. My heart raced. “Chosen by heart. Um…” I turned my head in the direction the line of text curved. “Destined for greatness but perish, no, doomed from the start.”

“Sounds promising,” Walker quipped.

I craned my neck farther, but the message swirled upside down. I didn't know it well enough to read it that way.

“Grab my legs,” I instructed Walker and dropped into a handstand. As I read aloud, he gripped my ankles. “Dangerous truths, dangerous stories. Buried forever, but magic immortal.”

I surveyed the other carvings, but many of them were words I did not recognize. There were other ominous platitudes but nothing concrete. I sighed, and Walker released me. WhenI righted myself, the sudden rush of blood to my head made me dizzy. As I stared at the dais, the carvings shifted and swirled.

“What the hell?” Walker asked and studied the dais. “It reallyisbilingual.”

“Wait,” I said. “I didn’t imagine that?”

He shook his head. “Can you read it now?”

I approached the dais. “Ancient magic and ancient hunger. A truth for truth, the richest plunder.”

“Are we supposed to make some kind of trade?” Walker asked and studied the empty bowl. He gestured toward it. “Maybe it’s symbolic.”

“It’s worth a shot,” I said with a shrug, though I felt anything but casual. The thought of spilling truth reminded me of my heavy secret. I couldn’t let Walker know what I had done.

Not yet.

“You go first,” I insisted.

Walker sighed and ran a hand through his curls. “Um, one time in high school, Brody and I got so drunk, I pissed myself.”

I snorted. “That’swhat you decided to offer to an ancient magical cave?”

His gaze homed in behind me, and he smirked.

“Worked, didn’t it?” he said.

To my surprise, there was a drop of glowing magic now in the bowl.

“Your turn,” Walker said.

“Okay,” I said and fought the urge to fidget. “I am still not the most confident in my fire magic.”

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