Page 85 of What Beats Within the Tunnels

“Good thing we haven’t gotten trapped so far,” I comment, trying to lighten the mood. Lyra shoots me a look, both playful and warning.

“Don’t jinx us.” I smirk, raising my hands in a jesting surrender.

But the mood quickly turns somber when the path narrows, forcing us into a crawl. And when I think we’ve faced enough challenges, Colton’s voice stops me in my tracks. “Nyx, we’ve got a situation.”

Straining my neck, I try to glimpse past Lyra. “What now?”

“It’s a portal pool,” Colton answers tersely, confirming my dread.

“Carefully move around it,” I order.

He replies with a mixture of frustration and urgency. “There’s no way around. It’s a dead end.”

The sight of that ominous, swirling black void leaves us with few options. But it’s Lyra’s unexpected proposition that catches me off guard. “Do we risk it?”

I flash back to our last disastrous portal encounter. But before I can voice my concerns, Colton, ever the daredevil, dives in. Fuck.

“Lyra, wait. Do you remember what happened the last time I let you go into a portal before me?” I say, thinking about Samael in the dungeons. The things he did to her haunt me.

Lyra’s outstretched hand beckons me, her eyes reflecting our shared memories and unspoken promises. “Together?”

I don’t like this. Colton, as much as I can’t stand the bastard, already went through, and we can’t not follow him. I firmly grasp her hand. “Always.” Together, we plunge into the unknown.

The sensation of the portal is chilling, akin to diving into deep water, yet we can breathe unhindered. The bizarre sensation occupies my mind for only an instant before gravity takes over, and we’re plummeting. Instinctively, I coil my body around Lyra, cushioning her from the brunt of the impact as we crash onto rocky terrain then tumble into the water below. Almost immediately, Colton surfaces, wrenching Lyra from my grasp and dragging her to safety.

Rising to my feet, I take in our surroundings. The cavern we find ourselves in is immense. It’s a vast, aquatic expanse nestled deep within the bowels of the earth. Stalactites descend from above like nature’s own chandeliers, periodically shedding droplets that cause ripples upon the serene lake beneath. Mineral veins streak across the cave walls, emitting a soft glow. Their muted illumination casts cerulean tints around the chamber, making particular areas of the rock face gleam mysteriously.

Scattered stone platforms emerge from the water, differing in height and reach. Farther away, strands of kelp dangle from the ceiling. Impossibly, they flourish even outside the water, transforming this part of the cavern into a verdant forest.

“Stay close,” Colton murmurs to Lyra. With caution, we venture away from the water’s edge, heading closer to the kelp-laden expanse.

As we delve deeper into the kelp forest, a faint, irregular rasping catches my ear. It’s someone, or something, trying to stay hidden yet struggling to breathe. Instinctively, I step in front of Lyra, Colton mirroring my movements. We’re her shield.

The sound leads us to a secluded alcove surrounded by dense curtains of kelp. Inside, scattered remnants of makeshift meals – fish bones, shells, and some edible underwater plants – litter the ground. This place isn’t just an alcove; it’s a hideout.

And there, in the center, a shadowed figure sits— Samael. But he’s...different. The intimidating force he once was is now gaunt, his powerful presence dimmed. But his eyes— those are unchanged. As they latch onto Lyra, they gleam with the same hunger, the same dark obsession.

I step closer, anger fueling my voice. “What are you doing here?”

A weak sneer plays on Samael’s lips, and even now it manages to irritate me. “Even at my lowest, I knew you’d come,” he rasps, his focus locked on Lyra. “Euric may have taken much, but she is the key to what I desire.”

Colton’s voice, deep and threatening, interrupts, “You’re in no position to demand anything.”

Lyra, not one to be intimidated, moves forward, her voice firm. “Where is my family’s grimoire, Samael?”

He chuckles, the sound more like a cough. “The grimoire? Ah, so you’re still chasing shadows. Why am I not surprised? I knew you would come for it eventually.”

My fists clench. “Answer the question.”

“We’re not leaving her here with you, if that’s what you’re after,” Colton says, placing a hand on Lyra’s back

His seedy leer grows more menacing. “Who said you had a choice?”

That’s when I notice them. Emerging from the shadows are several figures – Samael’s followers. They might be as magic-deprived as he is, but together they pose a threat we can’t ignore.

With a swift motion, I yank a dagger from my boot. Simultaneously, Colton draws one from within his trousers. But it’s Lyra who truly catches me off guard. From the sheath secured on her thigh, she draws a full-length sword. Dressed in sleek black leather, with her wet hair and now wielding a blade… Fuck, she’s distracting. I shake off the trance.

The three of us form a defensive triangle, our backs touching, ensuring no angle is left unguarded as the Sorcerers begin their menacing circle around us. Quickly, I tally the numbers in my head: seven against three. The odds could be worse.