Resilience

by Alicia Rades

  I stood in front of the mouth of the cave and placed my hands on my hips, peering inside. Ryland’s ass was going to get stuck in there. I was sure of it.

  “So… who wants to crawl into the creepy tunnel of doom first?” I asked.

  “I’d go first,” Fiona offered, “but we have to find the creepy tunnel of doom first. Feel anything else?”

  I furrowed my brow as she scanned the forest, totally oblivious to the cave mouth I stood in front of. “Yeah. It’s called using my eyes.”

  “What?” Fiona asked, like I wasn’t making any sense.

  That’s when I noticed everyone’s eyes still roaming the rock face. Venn stared out into the trees, as if he might find the mouth of the cave a hundred yards out. Sondra was the only one who seemed to notice the opening.

  “They can’t see it?” I asked her.

  She stepped forward and glanced into the cave. “Apparently not. You feel that magic emanating off the rock face?”

  I nodded.

  “The rock must be enchanted to hide the cavern,” she theorized.

  Teagan placed her hands on her hips. “What are you talking about?”

  I ignored her and kept my attention on Sondra. “Why can we see it when they can’t?”

  Sondra thought about it for a beat. “The artifact was made for witches, by witches. The coven that hid it must’ve enchanted the entrance so that only a witch could find it. That must be why this cavern has remained undiscovered all these years.”

  “So, if we’re the only ones who can see it, are we the only ones who can enter?” I asked.

  Sondra shrugged. “Genevieve didn’t say anything about an enchanted entrance. From here on out, we’re on our own.”

  Well, shit. That meant I was going down the creepy tunnel of doom first. Bring it on.

  “Now’s not the time for games,” Ryland warned. “Are you two being serious?”

  “Yes,” I answered. “You really can’t see this?” I gestured to the cave entrance.

  Venn stepped forward and ran his hands along the stone, eyeing it in wonder. “That’s so weird. To us, it’s just a flat rockface.”

  His hands ran flat across the opening of the cave, as if he were a mime. I wondered what it would look like to them if I entered it. Would I just disappear into the rock like a ghost?

  “Let’s see what happens if I go inside,” I offered.

  Venn stepped aside to give me room. I ducked my head and leaned forward, but before I could get my hands on the edge of the opening, the top of my head slammed into something solid. I recoiled, rubbing the area of impact and cursing under my breath. Ryland burst into a fit of laughter behind me. Teagan swatted at him, but she too was stifling a laugh.

  “Very funny,” I snarled once the curses died down. “I’m not making this shit up. There’s a cave right here! It’s just…”

  I stretched my hand out. My fingers met a cold, hard material I couldn’t see.

  “Rock?” Ryland finished for me with a raised eyebrow.

  Fiona crossed her arms and glared at him. “Well, I believe her.”

  “I didn’t say I didn’t believe her!” Ryland rebutted.

  “Can you guys just chill for a minute?” Sondra insisted. “I need to think.”

  Everyone went silent as Sondra ran her hand over the invisible rock face and inspected the enchanted cave opening.

  After what felt like several minutes, I dared to break the silence. “Didn’t Amalia say that only the witch who created a spell can break it?”

  “Usually, if the spell is strong enough,” Sondra answered without looking up at me. She was on her knees now, inspecting the rock. “But this enchantment was meant to be broken.”

  “How do we break it?” Teagan asked.

  “Genevieve should’ve known about this,” Venn said with uncertainty in his eyes. “She didn’t mention anything to you?”

  Sondra tilted her head to look at the underside of the rocks jutting out from the wall. “No, which means there must be a clue around here somewhere.”

  Fiona joined Sondra on her knees to inspect the rock. She shot the rest of us a look of disapproval. “What are you all waiting for?”

  Before we had a chance to join in, Sondra spoke. “Hold on. I found something.”

  Sondra gazed into the cave and stared at something on the rock ceiling. I squeezed in beside her to take a look. Beyond the invisible wall, a string of words had been engraved into the stone.

  “Witches rise, and witches fall, but a heart that's pure and clean will enter with revelare, three tears, and smoke of evergreen,” Sondra recited. She stood and dusted off her knees. “This is our way in.”

  Confusion crossed Ryland’s face. “What does it mean? A heart that’s pure and clean? So, we need a virgin witch to get us through? Where are we going to find one of those?”

  I glared at him and placed a hand on my hip. “Really? You’re just going to assume I’m not a virgin witch?”

  “Ryland,” Teagan scolded.

  “I was just—”

  “We don’t need a virgin,” Sondra cut him off.

  Ryland rose his eyebrows. “I suppose you’re going to cast the spell? Your heart’s not exactly pure and clean.”

  Sondra scowled at him. “I’ve made my amends, and you know that. Now, would you stop it and go find some pine needles?”

  “Pine needles?” Ryland asked in confusion.

  “Yes,” Sondra emphasized. “Did you miss the part about smoke of evergreen, or were you too focused on sacrificing a virgin?”

  Ryland held his hands up in surrender. “I heard it. I just don’t know where I’m supposed to find pine needles. This isn’t exactly a coniferous forest.”

  Teagan spun around and grabbed Ryland’s huge bicep. “Come on. It’s the least we can do to help.”

  Sondra shook her head and turned back to the cave opening once Ryland and Teagan walked away. “Cousins. I tell ya.”

  “Hey,” Fiona dragged out in mock offense.

  “Relax, Fiona. You’re practically my sister,” Sondra said with a smile.

  “Aww…” Fiona blinked rapidly and fanned her face like she was touched.

  “Keep that up,” Venn encouraged. “We’re going to need three of those tears.”

  Fiona smiled. “Always happy to help.”

  I shifted my weight between my feet. “So, we have the evergreen and the tears. What about that first part? Revelare?”

  “That’s the incantation,” Sondra explained. “So once we have the pine needles, we should be able to get through. It’s actually a really simple spell.”

  “Should we go help look—?”

  I was cut off by the sound of a twig breaking in the distance. I whirled around, expecting to see Ryland and Teagan on their way back, but the forest was empty. Chills immediately danced up and down my arms, but I quickly realized it was just the cool breeze from the storm rolling in.

  Just as I thought it, the first of the heavy raindrops fell. One splattered against the tip of my nose while another hit the back of my hand. I glanced up to the sky just as the clouds opened and it began pouring.

  Fiona ducked and pulled her backpack up over her head. Within seconds, my hair was sticking to my face, and my shoulders were soaked. I instinctively hugged the edge of the rock, hoping the cliff would provide some relief from the rain, but there wasn’t an overhang to protect us from the downpour.

  I cursed under my breath. “How are we going to get smoke in this kind of weather? And what if Ryland and Teagan get lost?”

  Venn was quick to act and pulled a small tarp out of his bag. He unfolded it and draped it over the two of us.

  “Come on.” He gestured for Sondra and Fiona to join us.

  The tarp was barely big enough to cover the four of us, and we had to hold on to the corners tightly to make sure the wind whipping by us wouldn’t steal it away.

  “What do we do?” Fiona yelled to be heard over the strong wind. “Should we go looking for th
em?”

  “There they are!” Sondra pointed, her finger getting wet beneath the rain.

  Two shadows sprinted forward. I blinked away the water from my eyes and pushed my wet hair from my face. Teagan came to a halt in front of us and quickly threw the remaining corner of the tarp over her head. Ryland stood in the rain, using his backpack as an umbrella. It was so small compared to his large frame that it looked more like he was trying to keep dry with a soggy piece of bread.

  “Here!” Teagan shoved a pile of pine needles and twigs into Sondra’s hand. “Sorry they’re wet.”

  “That’s fine,” Sondra said in a rush. She placed the pine needles on the small piece of rock that stuck out just beneath the cave opening.

  Venn stretched his arm around me to hold the tarp over Sondra’s workstation. My breath caught in my chest as his arm brushed against the side of my head.

  “Who has tears for me?” Sondra asked.

  “Working on them,” Fiona said. Her lips turned down, and her eyes sparkled like a puppy dog’s. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to force the tears.

  “Dead puppies,” Ryland blurted.

  “That’s just cruel,” Teagan snapped at him.

  “You need tears,” Ryland said. “I’m just trying to help.”

  “Babe—” Teagan started to scold, but Fiona cut her off.

  “No, it’s fine. The more horrible things he throws at me, the better chance I have of crying.” Fiona blinked, forcing the tears out. Water dripped down her face, but I was ninety-nine percent sure that those were rain droplets and not tears. We were going to have to break someone’s foot if we wanted tears on demand.

  I could cry, I thought to myself. I mean, I hated crying, but I wasn’t so emotionally detached that I couldn’t shed a tear.

  “Think of Mom and Dad,” Ryland encouraged.

  I knew the words were for Fiona, but I let my thoughts drift to my own parents. For the first time in what felt like years, I dropped my emotional walls and recalled the memories I’d pushed away for so long. My chest tightened as I thought back to my mother’s soft smile and the way my dad’s scruffy beard felt across my face when he kissed my cheek. I could still smell the scent of my mother’s signature Summer Sunshine shampoo. I thought of the time she held me in her arms while I cried one night when I was twelve, the day Wendy Bolton punched me in the face for flirting with the guy she liked. I remembered the proud look in my dad’s eyes the next day when he was teaching me how to defend myself. I’d knocked him off his feet on my third try. I remembered how Jenna had offered to kick Wendy’s ass herself if she ever touched me again.

  God, I missed my family. We weren’t always perfect, but we always had each other’s backs.

  And now they’re gone.

  The words echoed in my mind. My parents were gone forever. And Jenna… who knew?

  My cheeks heated. Tears welled in my eyes and poured over the lids. I quickly leaned over the pine needle pile and squeezed my eyes shut to let the tears fall. When satisfied that at least three tears had been added to the pile, I pulled away and wiped the rest from my cheeks. I opened my eyes to see everyone staring at me in shock.

  “What?” I shrugged. “I have feelings, you know.”

  Sondra shot me a somber look, then pulled her attention away from me and to the pine needles. Venn wasn’t as quick to dismiss my display. He wrapped his free arm around my shoulder and pressed his cheek to the top of my head. He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t have to. Already, I felt warmer, and the weight on my chest began to ease beneath his embrace.

  “Let’s speed it up,” Ryland pressed. “I’m soaked.”

  Sondra muttered an incantation I recognized under her breath, and the wet pine needles ignited.

  “Revelare,” she said as the fire quickly ate away at the needles and smoke rose into the air.

  The smoke instantly changed directions, swooping into the cave mouth as if it’d been sucked into a vacuum. Everyone but Sondra and me drew a collective breath. I knew they could now see the deep, dark hole in the side of the rock.

  “I’ll go in first and make sure it’s safe,” Sondra said hastily, rising to her feet. “Ryland, you go last and make sure everyone gets through okay.”

  “I will,” he agreed, dropping the childish demeanor from earlier. Clearly, he knew things were about to get serious.

  Fiona followed behind Sondra, and I went in after her. I crawled in on my hands and knees, relieved that it was dry. The entrance wasn’t much bigger than the covered slide at my old elementary school, and it sloped down at a similar angle. Ahead of me, Sondra’s light cast shadows across the tunnel. Too bad I hadn’t grabbed my headlamp. It felt like I was crawling into the belly of a beast that wanted nothing more than to eat me alive.

  Good thing I had plenty of experience slaying monsters.

  15

  The tunnel widened, giving way to a cavern I could stand in. The space wasn’t much bigger than the bathroom back in the suite we’d stayed in, but the ceiling was at least four feet higher. Under the light of Sondra’s headlamp, I could see that three tunnels split off from the room in different directions.

  I stepped away from the tunnel we came through to give everyone else room to stand. I swung my backpack off my shoulder and set it on a damp rocky ledge along the wall of the cave. I found a headlamp in the front pocket and strapped it to my forehead.

  “This one’s a dead end,” Fiona announced as she peeked into one of the tunnels.

  I stepped toward the opposite one and shone my light down it. All I saw was a rocky wall and muddy floor.

  “This one, too,” I said.

  Venn emerged from the tunnel and stood, glancing around the cave in wonder.

  “This one goes forward,” Sondra said, gesturing the last tunnel. “It must be this way.”

  Teagan and Ryland reached the cavern.

  “Can we maybe dry off?” Ryland asked, gesturing to his soaking clothes.

  “We don’t need Sondra using any more magic than she has to,” Venn objected.

  Ryland considered his words for a moment. “True. I suppose I’ll survive.”

  “You better,” Fiona said. “I’m not losing my brother in here.”

  Ryland cracked a smile, though I didn’t think he realized anyone noticed.

  “Aw, isn’t that sweet?” Teagan feigned. “Let’s get going.”

  We started down the only tunnel that led anywhere. It was cramped at first, barely allowing enough room for my hips and shoulders to squeeze through. We went single-file. Ryland had to go sideways so that his shoulders would fit. It felt like the walls were squeezing in on us. The farther we went, the less I felt like I could breathe. All I heard were the footsteps and the sound of everyone else’s breathing around me.

  After a good five minutes in the Suffocation Tunnel, the ceiling gradually dropped, but the walls of the cave widened until we could walk side-by-side. We came to a room that was bigger than the last one, but it appeared as if we’d hit a dead end. That was, until our lights passed across the five-foot-wide hole in the ground.

  Sondra approached the pit cautiously and glanced inside. She sighed. “I’d get us all down there with telekinesis, but that’s going to take too much out of me. I’d pass out by the time we were done. It looks like that rope Genevieve gave us is going to come in handy.”

  Fiona held on to Sondra for support and peeked over the edge. “Who wants to drop forty feet to their death first?”

  Venn and I reached the rocky ledge and glanced inside the pit. Rock outlined the hole like an old-time well for about ten feet before a wide cavity opened below us. It looked like an acrophobic person’s worst nightmare.

  “No one’s scared of heights, are they?” I asked.

  Ryland took a look, shining his headlamp into the hole. “Pfft. That’s easy. I could jump that far.”

  “Then I guess you’re going first,” Teagan challenged him.

  Ryland stepped back from the edge. “Hell no.�
��

  “We’ll go one at a time,” Sondra cut in, taking charge. “Venn, you had the rope in your bag, didn’t you?”

  “Yeah.” Venn swung his bag off his shoulder and pulled open the main zipper.

  “How are we going to do this?” Fiona asked. “There’s nothing around here to safely secure the rope to. We can’t just leave someone behind.”

  “I’ll go last,” I offered. “I can fly, so I don’t need the rope anyway. And you all know I’m strong enough to lower you down.”

  Ryland shrugged. “Good enough for me. I trust her.”

  “Then you’re up first,” Venn said with a smile as he tossed one end of the black rope into the pit. I heard it hit the bottom with a soft thwack.

  “I’ll assist as much as I can,” Sondra offered.

  “Nah, I got this,” Ryland declined. “Don’t tire yourself out. We don’t know how much energy you might need later.”

  Venn, Teagan, and Fiona helped me hold the rope as Ryland climbed down. Sondra slid down the rope next, then Teagan.

  “What’s down there?” Venn called.

  “It’s a big cavern,” Ryland replied. “About the size of our house. There’s only one tunnel leading out, but we’re going to have to climb. It’s about fifteen feet off the ground.”

  “You go next,” Fiona said to Venn. “I’m the lightest, so I’ll go last. That way I can help Rae hold you up.”

  Venn nodded in agreement. “Just don’t drop me.”

  “Then don’t doubt us,” I teased lightheartedly. “Or we just might.”

  “Would you now?” He smirked back at me.

  “No,” I admitted, “but we could.”

  “Stop batting your eyes at each other, and let’s go,” Ryland called up to us. “We’re losing daylight here.”

  Fiona shook her head as she grabbed the rope and braced herself. “My brother’s an idiot.”

  “We know,” Venn agreed with a light laugh.

  I planted my feet firmly on the ground and held on tightly to the rope wrapped halfway around my torso. Venn lay on his stomach and grabbed the rope, shimmying his way down. It vibrated in my hands as he descended. I felt when he touched ground because the weight on the rope vanished, and it went slack again.