Etheria (The Halo Series Book 1)
Page 26
Logan smirked. “Let’s hope if one of us has to get thrown in, it’s you.”
“Thanks, Lo,” Aurora said dryly.
“Don’t mind her,” Gray heard Luna whisper to Aurora as they split into two groups, descending into the boats: Aurora, Gray, Luna, and Chord in one, and Sev, Logan, and Brielle in the other.
“Oh, I don’t,” Aurora said.
They pushed off from the dock and set the boat compass, directing it to the rapids to the west of the island.
“Remind me where you guys are from?” Chord asked Luna.
“Ketchikan.”
“Bless you,” said Chord.
“Ketchikan, Alaska.”
“Oh, right. I’m sort of sad we didn’t get to visit more of Alaska. Juneau was super gorgeous, but I wanted to stop at other ports.”
“Demon fighting and sugarclouds weren’t enough for you?” Gray teased.
Chord winked. “Never.”
The boat rocked as it cut smoothly through the water. Gray looked at the silver-plated sidewalks lining the saltwater river running through town. Handfuls of Halos could be seen strolling together, venturing into various buildings, laughing, exploring. Aside from the daily angel studies and Halo training, they could almost pretend they were on some sort of international college vacation.
Looking over at Aurora’s serene face as she stared ahead at the stony mountains surrounded by a thin layer of clouds in the distance, he wondered what it would be like to backpack across Europe or somewhere with her. Probably terrible. She would hate everything he suggested and likely end up parting with him permanently to venture off on her own where she wouldn’t have to deal with his stupidity.
Aurora glanced obliquely at him, their eyes connecting. Rather than shoot him an annoyed glare, her eyebrows turned up in a melancholy way. Gray's head fell sideways like a curious animal, wondering what would bring this on. But before he could figure it out she twisted back around.
They neared the rapids, and the water moved more quickly. The boat rocked and swayed with each mini-wave that slapped against it. The other boat with Sev, Brielle, and Logan was in front of theirs so they could preview what was about to happen to them. When the others suddenly disappeared from view after having soared down a three-foot drop, Gray, Aurora, Chord, and Luna clutched down harder onto the sides of their boat.
Then, seconds later, they were on a roller coaster. The water was no longer a clear blue, but a foaming, raging white, shooting them forward without any consideration for the delicate beings inside the boat. The girls and Chord let out squeals of either fear or excitement, Gray couldn’t tell which.
Looking ahead, Gray watched the other boat tilt forward over an unseen drop, followed by a chorus of shouts. He and Aurora exchanged anxious glances and, without thinking, released their hold of the seats and took each other’s hand, her left in his right.
Chord let out a string of curses as the boat jetted forward, teeter tottering for a fraction of a second on the edge of a precipice before it fell forward.
Aurora’s hand clutched Gray's more tightly, and they all kept a death-grip on the side of their boat as it plummeted down. The tip of the vessel cut into the base of the waterfall, submerging them in cold saltwater for a handful of seconds that felt like an eternity. Evidently, his phobia of feeling trapped included being held underwater.
When the boat popped up, the water having mysteriously drained through the bottom, Gray took a deep, gasping breath. He tried to calm his fast-beating heart, but then Aurora looked over at him with sapphire eyes, surrounded by wet eyelashes and a calm settled over him.
“Where are the others?” Luna said, her voice rapidly rising to a hysteric pitch.
Looking wildly around, Gray spotted the other boat, upturned against a rock…with no one in it.
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Melody is the Amazon Bestselling Author of the Underground Series. She lives in Texas with her husband and two fat cats. When she isn’t teaching, she can be found in a cozy coffee shop with a latte in her hand, typing madly away with little awareness of the world around her. As a dreamer by nature—her story worlds are where she is happiest.
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