Page 53 of Of Serpents and Ruins
The cold choked and burned as I wriggled. The water pressed harder against my face, threatening to steal the last gasp of oxygen from my lungs. An aching chill speared into my marrow.
No. No! Not like this.
Forcing my eyes open, I moved my arms. Which way was up? Was I even facing the right direction? People could drown swimming the wrong way. It was bright all around me. The blue water glowed. No one direction was more correct than the others.
My lungs burned as her laughter rang in my ears.
The waters sparkled, a beautiful crypt. Panic every bit as cold as the waters clutched me tighter.
No. I wasn't going to die here.
I kicked harder and faster. I closed my eyes and listened. No words came to my mind. My instincts said to twist around. A deep, quiet pressure that moved from my gut up around my heart. Bubbles streaming from my mouth, I kicked around and forced my eyes open. The waters weren't as bright here. It felt—
No. No more arguments.
That pulse of knowledge intensified. I sliced my legs faster through the waters. Stone rubbed along the back of my neck and against my feet as I shot forward.
My body was so heavy, my fingertips going numb. It was like daggers into my cheeks. Gritting my teeth, I pushed forward. Each kick and slice through the water took me deeper into inky darkness. I couldn't go much farther.
Then—no warning, no sight, nothing!—the waters broke away, and I emerged into darkness. Gasping and choking, I sucked in a breath that was half water and half air.
Air! Blessed, blessed air!
I flung my arms over a rock and heaved myself up, coughing and sputtering.
I'd made it. For now.
My whole body ached, and my hands throbbed, but I was breathing. Where was I?
It took several moments for my eyes to adjust to the darkness of the cavern. There was a bit of light to my left. Something soft, almost purple-blue, provided just enough illumination for me to see I sat on a broad stretch of stone.
My teeth chattered, and my body shook. If I didn't get warm soon, I would be dead as surely as if I'd stayed in the water. Clumsily, I pushed my sopping hair out of my face.
There had to be a way out. With that thought, the familiar tugging sensation returned, urging me toward the gentle light. There was just enough to reveal the slick obsidian stone I rested on.
My body still trembling, I edged forward. No way was I falling back into that ice bath. The gentle lapping of the waves against the stone sounded almost soothing. No signs of predators or even anyone else here. Not that I wanted to imagine what might be lurking in here.
Another shudder trembled through me as I drew closer to the soft glow. Its light intensified, revealing the slick stone that was almost the opposite of the uncut stone on the inside of the well.It opened into a larger passage. A soft humming filled my ears as I stepped into the soft light.
There was something familiar about this place.
Blinking, I lifted my hand to shield my gaze.
Wait.
Wait!
My eyes widened as I realized where I was. The crystal grotto from my dream, but far more vivid this time.
Towering amethyst crystals jutted up from the cavern floor, glowing with an ethereal violet light. Their smooth facets reflected and refracted the light, scattering it across the cavern walls in mesmerizing patterns. Interspersed with the amethyst were rose quartz crystals, their pink hues contrasting beautifully with the purple. The crystals sang with energy, a soft hum reverberating throughout the space. Their soft hues bathed the chamber in ethereal light. Great formations of naturally forming wands tapered into columns of marble and granite. A crisp mineral tang flavored the air, biting my tongue and burning my nostrils.
Water ran off me in rivulets, leaving shining puddles on the glossy rock. Another river sliced through the dark-purple stone of the crystal grotto. The sound of whispering water came not from the river behind me but the one before me. Just like the well, this water glowed, blue in portions and purple in others. It caught the vibrancy of the amethysts and quartz and shimmered in its own dance.
"Stella?" A rumbling sensual voice came from my left.
My breath caught in my throat as I turned in his direction.
Brandt.
