Page 305 of Caelum

Reed rubbed the back of his neck. “We told them we could deal with whatever happens here.”

“Be careful what you wish for,” I stated grimly, thinking about the other man’s wish as I looked over the terrain once more. “We’re in the right place.”

“Who were you talking to?”

Samuel’s voice was hesitant,careful. Like he knew he could offend me and totally didn’t want to.

“TheJannah,” I informed him somewhat absentmindedly.

“You can talk to it?” Eren blurted out, and I shot him a look then nodded.

“First time today.” I stared at the tumbled walls, which were half-designed by man and half-designed by God, then I added, “It’s time to grant the first wish.”

The guys cut each other a look then nodded.

It was time.

TWENTY-SEVEN

FRAZER

“I wish we were safe.”

The first wish couldn’t have been simpler, and the seven of us uttered it by rote. Of all the wishes Eve had to grant, it wasn’t like this was most difficult to remember.

But as we uttered the words, nothing seemed to occur. We stared at the cave system, waiting for a miracle to happen.

Only, it didn’t.

“We must be in the wrong place,” Samuel said, his tone gritty.

Eve shook her head. “No. It’s not. This is the right—” Before she could finish the sentence, she released a gasp, and shooting her a concerned look, I could seewhyshe was gasping.

Jesus Christ.

Each of her new marks was glowing.

All eight of them—the tree on her belly as well as the seven that represented each of the creatures.

She stumbled, and all of us reached for her, all of us connecting with her to keep her upright.

The second we did that?

Shit rained.

The light whirred from her body and blended into one large bolt. It was brighter than the sun itself and it hovered in front of us for a second, blinding us with its power before Eve exhaled.

And like that, it dispersed, shooting away.

The sun disappeared, shrouded behind a dense cloud of darkness that made it feel like an eclipse had just transpired. The swift change had my eyes aching, something that was only exacerbated by the light tunneling toward the cave systems.

A wind appeared next, but it didn’t affect the clouds shadowing the sun. If anything, it coaxed it to grow bigger and brighter before it whirred into one of the many openings in the cliff’s face.

We could see the passage of the light as it meandered through the cave system—that was how goddamn bright it was. It reminded me of light that passed through my skin if I covered the flashlight on my phone with my finger.

As it swirled around inside the caves?

Screams sounded.

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