“We don’t have a choice if we want to save Raphael,” I said plainly. “And it sounds like you don’t either.”
“But what’s the plan?” Raena hurried forwards, grasping my arm.
Arenn scoffed. “We all hold hands and run to our death apparently. Did any of you even see the size of that beast? We don’t stand a chance against fighting that thing.”
Of course we didn’t. My shoulders sagged, but inside my mind, thoughts and ideas swirled together like a growing wave.
And then that wave hit the shore.
“Arenn’s right,” I muttered, but instead of a scowl, a growing smile pulled at my cheeks.
“What?” The faery prince stared, confused.
“I think I have a plan.”
The growling was loud enough to fill the entire ocean by the time we returned to the murky cave. Just like we’d planned, Adriana, Arenn, and I kept our pearl necklaces dim and ourvoices low as we took our first steps inside. Raena had been left behind with Sweetie in the coral forest to stand guard. Though I’m sure she knew as well as the rest of us that she’d been left there more for her own benefit than any of ours.
I could almost feel the sharp edge of Erik’s sword if anything were to happen to her down here.
“You’re still certain about doing this?” Arenn whispered. His pearl’s dim glow caught on the whites of his eyes.
Taking Adriana’s arm, I nodded. “Yes. As long as we follow the plan, we’ll be back in Ryntook in no time. Just try your best to keep him distracted.” The beast’s steady growls were making my skin crawl. “And, Arenn?”
His nervous gaze flicked to mine. “Yes, human?”
“You don’t have to be here, but you’re helping anyway, and for that, I will be forever grateful.” I resisted the urge to place my hand on his arm. Mixed signals would be the last thing he needed right now. “Just try not to get yourself hurt, alright?”
A slight smile brushed his lips. “So you do love me, after all?”
Rolling my eyes, I turned my focus back to the darkness.
“I jest, human,” he laughed before pushing up from the floor and swimming higher in the cave. My chest couldn’t help but seize as he rubbed his pearl light to make it shine brighter, turning himself into a faery-shaped, glowing beacon. Then, cupping his hands around his lips, he bellowed into the darkness, “Come and get me you foul, slimy thing! I’m up here!”
A huge orange tentacle whipped up from the gloom.
“Now!” Adriana hauled me deeper into the cave beforeI could tell if the beast had met its mark. Either way, it didn’t matter. Arenn had magic so he’d survive if he’d been caught. We, on the other hand, would be in more trouble.
“Where’s the cure?” I hissed, struggling to see my hands flapping about in front of me.
“I don’t know. I was just told it swims around the plants in the cave. And that I’d know it when I saw it.” I caught the occasional flicker of a blue fishtail as Adriana fumbled around in the dark with me.
We needed more light! Reaching for my pearl, I glanced up to see Arenn throwing spears of seaweed as he battled against half a dozen tentacles.
“Anytime today, ladies!” he cried down to us. Despite his yelps, he seemed to be distracting the beast well enough. So, after sending up a silent prayer to the Ancients, I gently rubbed my pearl.
White light spilled out in front of me. It bounced off swaying reeds, jagged rocks, and a huge looming tentacle!
I clamped a hand over my mouth to stifle a scream.
“Watch out!” Adriana yelled, slamming into my side and sending us both flying – seconds before the tentacle crashed into the sand behind us. Our combined screams echoed through the cave.
So much for being stealthy.
“Find the cure!” I panicked. My head whipped around in every direction. She’d said the cure would glow, but the only thing surrounding our pearls was ominous darkness and now several furious tentacles.
Arenn growled as he sent a thorny vine barrelling into the closest tentacle. The beast hissed at the impact,withdrawing some of its arms to focus on the faery.
“Hurry!” he cried, shielding himself from another angry slash by summoning a wall of seaweed. “If we can’t find it, we need to get out while we still can!”
