NINETEEN
Emma
Huddled together at the bottom of the pit, we watched Beth's fingers move deftly in the dim light of our phones, tracing symbols in the air that glowed faintly before dissipating. Her face was laser-focused, her blonde hair tied back and out of the way as she muttered under her breath, the words too soft for any of us to catch.
"Anything yet?" I asked.
"Shh," Beth hissed without looking up, a small frown creasing her forehead.
Time dragged on. My legs cramped from standing still for too long. The phones’ flashlight beams flickered against the soil and roots above us, shadows dancing ominously as if mocking our predicament.
"Come on, Beth." Wade shifted restlessly beside me. "You've got this."
Beth didn't respond, just continued her silent recitation.
I swear hours were passing, but they were probably just minutes. Daniel ran his hands along my arms, which I appreciated. Although I was wearing a sweater, it was cold. He couldn’t do anything about the dark, but his magic hands certainly chased away some of the chill. Still, I was miserable, uncomfortable, and ready to go home.
"Can't you speed it up?" I nudged, feeling like a cranky child.
"Magic takes time," Beth replied curtly, not breaking her concentration. "And quiet."
I bit back another retort and exchanged a worried look with Daniel. We settled back, waiting for Beth to work her magic, literally. And I vowed to myself that I wouldn’t bother her again, no matter how long we were down here.
More time passed and my thoughts started to change. How was it that the unicorn’s scent led us here? Wouldn’t the unicorn have been trapped in this hole too? And why was it concealed? There was more going on here than what meets the eye.
I shuffled closer to Wade, peering into the dimness. "Who do you think dug this thing?" I whispered.
"Beats me," he muttered back, scratching his head. "But it wasn't nature."
No, it wasn’t. Which made me nervous. We probably needed to get out of this pit as soon as possible, before meeting whoever set this up.
Beth continued her work, her hands steady despite the desperation of our predicament.
Or maybe I was overreacting. Maybe it really was as simple as it seemed.
"Was it for the unicorn?"
Wade shot me a skeptical look. "A pit? For a unicorn?"
"Could be," I said, not convinced myself.
"Unicorns are smarter than that," Beth interjected, not pausing in her spellcasting.
"Then for who?" I pressed, my mind racing through possibilities.
Wade shrugged. "We'll figure it out when we're not in a hole in the ground."
"Focus on the positive," Daniel said. "We're finding out new and exciting ways people want to trap us."
"Yay," I deadpanned.
"Keep talking to each other," she said, in a serious voice. "It helps me concentrate."
"Right." Wade rolled his eyes. "Because who doesn't find our banter absolutely enchanting?"
"Talk, both of you," I said. "The witch is working."
I shuffled my feet, uneasy on the cold dirt floor. "We've been caught before, but not like this."
