Page 100 of Poseidon's Trident
A dim light in the cave catches my attention. It’s not enough to see anything but the outline of the creature. It’s large and appears to have a humanoid shape. Is it a giant? Are there giants in the sea? That is slightly terrifying.
Jayden grips my arm as my foot slips on the slight ledge we’re on. The sea water is making it slippery the deeper we move into the cave.
“Careful, watch your step,” Jayden growls.
“There’s something in here. Can you see anything?” I ask Jayden.
“No, only shadows.” Jayden shakes his head.
“Who’s there?” A woman’s voice booms through the cave.
The walls shake with the loudness of her voice. What the hell? What is this woman doing in the cave? Why is she in pain?
“We’re demigods on a mission for Poseidon,” I say. “Are you trapped down here?”
“Yes,” she wails and something splashes in the water again, the force of it knocking me back into Jayden.
His arms wrap around me as we steady ourselves against the onslaught of the salty sea water.
“Do you need help?” I ask.
Jayden stiffens. “Beth, are you sure about this? We can’t see her and she could be a threat.”
“She’s trapped here, Jayden, and she’s clearly in pain.” I turn my gaze to meet his.
“Did you think that maybe there’s a reason she’s trapped down here?”
“What if it’s like Claud?” I ask.
Jayden’s shoulders slump in defeat as I move closer to the woman or whatever she is. I’m not getting monster vibes from her, but I could be wrong. We will have to cross that bridge when we come to it.
“How are you trapped?” I ask her.
“Chains, they hurt.” She wails again.
The closer we get to her, the more the ledge widens until we are able to stand side by side. I still can’t make out her features as she’s shrouded in shadows. Is this a trick? Is she luring us to our deaths?
I clench and unclench my fists. Is this a good idea? What if Jayden is right and this creature was chained here for good reason? Will I fail the task by setting her free?
Another thundering splash knocks me back into the wall as a stream of water pelts me in the face, some getting in my nose and mouth, and I cough to expel it.
“If you can hold still, we can try to get you out of the chains,” I say.
“Why would you do that?” the creature asks me.
“Because you need help and I think that’s why we were brought to this island.” I shrug.
“No one has ever tried to help me before,” she cries.
The ground rumbles with her cry and a rock falls close to me, barely missing slamming into my head, but Jayden pulls me back at the last second. I place a hand on my racing heart, gasping in a breath.
“Can you calm down?” Jayden snaps. “We can’t help you if we’re dead.”
“You don’t even want to help me. You think I’m a monster,” she growls.
The sound is definitely akin to a monster growl, but I shake the thought off and step around the rock that smashed into the ground at my feet.
“Are you a monster?” Jayden asks.
