Page 47 of Cinder's Trial
“I have a spare. It might be a little big, but it will just be the two of us. Gerome will make sure of that.”
I couldn’t resist a change of scenery and pace. In short order, I wore the one-piece swimsuit borrowed from Hannah, which hung a tad loose. As promised, the pool area, smelling heavily of chlorine, had been cleared and Gerome stood watch.
“Last one in has to marry the prince,” Hannah chirped, diving right in.
I took more time, dipping a toe in the shallow end, the water not exactly warm. I submersed my feet first then slowly walked down the steps until the water hit my hips.
While Hannah splashed and flipped, playing like a dolphin, I chose to do a more sedate front stroke. Arms moving in a slow windmill. Feet fluttering. Face in water, sideways to breathe.
With each lap, I felt my tension easing. Only another day and a half to go. Once the ball ended, the prince would head back to his country, I’d return to my desk at the bureau, and Levi… I didn’t know what would happen with him.
Would we still see each other?
Date?
Or would he see it as his chance to move on to his next conquest?
Something brushed by my foot. I glanced down, expecting to see Hannah, only the suddenly murky water didn’t show anything.
“What’s up with the water?” I asked as I began to move toward Hannah, who stood on the pool deck, toweling off.
Oddly, she didn’t reply.
I began to stroke for the side when, once more, something passed by my leg. Most likely another fish. I hoped. I tried to not think about the rhyme featuring a crocodile.
My fingers clasped the edge of the pool, and I pulled to haul myself out. My upper body and hips cleared the water, but before I could fully emerge, a yank on my ankle pulled me under!
I flailed and kicked, trying to reach for the surface, but whatever had a firm grip on my leg didn’t relent.
Despite the pool only being about fifteen feet at its deepest part, I sank farther. Far enough my lungs began to strain and spots danced behind my closed lids.
Whatever held me wasn’t letting go, and as darkness grabbed me tight, I heard a voice whisper, Are you worthy?
15
I regained consciousness—shivering, wet, cold, scared—inside a damp cave lit in a yellow and green glow that appeared to emanate from the walls. It came from some kind of moss that I’d never seen before, unfamiliar, like the place I found myself.
Where am I? Last thing I remembered I was sinking in the hotel pool because something dragged me under. At least I hadn’t drowned. At the same time, my current situation appeared bleak. Sorry, but I couldn’t recall a single story where waking up in a cave boded well.
I rose and wrapped my arms around my upper body as if that would stop the shaking. It didn’t. The damp swimsuit clung to my clammy body, and I didn’t see anything to dry or wrap myself in.
The cave had a high ceiling, at least eight or nine feet, and spanned just as wide. The only thing other than me? Bones. All kinds of bones. Some the thin skeletons of fish, but the human skull? That had me gulping.
The stone cavern had a single opening, and I hesitated before poking my head out, a quick peek, where I readied to duck back in case something took a swipe. In that brief glimpse, I saw another cave, a much larger one, lit by the same glowing moss but also gelatinous bulbs that pulsed on the walls and on the ceiling that arched high overhead. Seeing no signs of danger, I stepped into the larger space, which held a pool of water, ringed by pale stone, the surface of it smooth, unlike the walls. Water dripped from overhead, the occasional droplets disturbing the still surface of a small, clear blue lake.
I chose to walk the perimeter of the place, looking for any kind of clue as to my location or captor. I also kept an eye out for a way to escape. It took me doing an entire circuit before I realized there didn’t appear to be any exit. No holes large enough for me to squeeze through. No cracks I could slip in sideways. Nothing to indicate how I’d even arrived, which led my gaze to the lake. Whatever kidnapped me must have dragged me via an underwater tunnel and trapped me here. But why?
Food, most likely. I couldn’t forget the bones in the other room. It spurred my urgency to leave before whatever lived here chose to return. Could I escape via the lake? I knelt by its edge and stared into the clear water. I could see the channel dropped straight down, so far I couldn’t see any signs of a tunnel. Deep enough that I wouldn’t stand a chance with a single breath, not with my only adequate swimming skills.
I plopped my butt on the hard stone and sighed. “Fairy godmother, if you can hear me, now might be a good time for you to grant me a wish.”
Nothing stirred the air; however, the water did ripple. Ominous, hence why I scuttled away until my back hit the wall.
A head emerged from the lake first, the hair long and dark green, framing a face of a paler shade. A woman rose from the water, beautiful if not quite human, with smooth features, a flattened nose, lips full and dark, with eyes of pure black. Despite never having met one, I recognized what I faced.
A Nixie!
She leaned her forearms on the edge of the lake and cocked her head. “You are smaller than I would have expected. Older too. Not many prime childbearing years left on you and terrible hips.”