“Trae—” I scream.
15
Traeton
LOSING RUNA’S HAND sucks both of us into the dark abyss without any sense of direction. Not only is the motion and water completely disorienting, but so is the lack of oxygen and lack of time.
~This is not an ideal situation.
~Thanks, Caelum. I didn’t realize.
Is sarcasm lost on him? Seems like the kinda guy who wouldn’t get it.
I take a moment to allow the water around me to settle, trying not to let panic set in. If there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s being under this kind of pressure. It’s the only time clarity comes. When the pull of the water subsides, I search for the illuminated stairwell. The bluish light is fading, but at least I have a direction to move towards.
It’s much further than it was, so I’ll have to make up ground quickly. As I start kicking my legs, trying to propel myself toward the stairwell, I get a gentle nudge from behind. Tethys tries to aid me in getting there quicker.
I reach the stairwell, only to inhale accidentally. Water floods my lungs, burning inside my body. I need to cough desperately, but I know if I do, I’m in for a much worse fate. Clenching my torso tight, I try to grab hold of the stairs, but they’re completely covered in algae, making it impossible.
My lungs feel like they’re going to burst into flames, and I’ve reached the point where Tethys will no longer fit. I know I’m on my own here, but I don’t know if I’ll have the energy left to make this happen.
I reach out, trying to find something—anything—to grab hold of. There has to be something in here. A railing perhaps—-
~If I knew we were going on a suicide mission, I think I may have risked going back to my own body.
~Not helping Caelum.
~I was not trying to help. I was merely pointing out a fact.
~Wonderful. How about you just keep your mind shut and let me worry about getting us out of here.
I’ve barely made it to the stairwell, and all of the blue light vanishes. Plunged into darkness, the one thing I can be grateful for is at least I’m not lost in the open water without direction.
My body searches for another way to cough, bursting at my already painful side. The broken rib from Videus’ attempt at gaining information makes it difficult to not only hold my breath, but reach out for anything.
I use my legs, trying to kick the water and push myself up that way.
Dizziness starts to set in as the oxygen in my body begins to fail. I need to breathe—
Scrambling for the stones, I try to find a railing, or something—anything to give myself an edge upward. Who knows how far I have before I find the surface of this thing. Hell, there’s no guarantee there’s even a surface. What if we go up these stairs, only to find a locked door at the top?
What in the hell were we thinking? Why would we do this without at least testing out the scene first? Caelum’s right. This was a suicide mission.
Without warning, the water begins to rush past me in a flurry of bubbles. Almost as if a drain has been pulled, all the water in the stairway recedes. Air floods into the space, and I take a deep breath, coughing and sputtering out the water in my lungs.
“Trae—Trae are you okay?” Runa yells from somewhere in the darkness, relief in her voice.
I bob up and down in the water, unable to clear my lungs enough to catch a good enough breath to respond.
Suddenly, the stairway is illuminated with the immensely bright light I’ve only seen coming from the Caudex. Looking up the stairwell, I’m a good five meters away from Runa—much too far to have swam in my current state.
Gratitude floods my body, as I rest in the water, allowing it to hold me for a moment.
“Trae, are you alright?” Runa repeats, an air of panic edging back into her voice.
“I’m okay,” I say, my voice harsh and scratchy.
Rushing down the stairs, Runa nearly slips and falls as her feet hit the algae covered rock.
“Everything’s so slippery—will you be able to make it up the rest of the way?” she asks.
“I’ll have to,” I say, trying to work out the best scenario on how to do so. I don’t really have any other choice.
Runa takes a deep breath, kneeling down and touching the stones at her feet. The algae beneath her fingertips turns a flame orange, then spreads out, burning it all away.
“How’d you do that?” I ask, my eyes wide with awe.
Runa walks tentatively down the stairs as they’re cleared away.
“I don’t know…it’s sort of evolving,” she says reaching out.
I offer my right hand and she pulls as hard as she can. Every muscle in my body screams, and mustering the energy to pull myself out of the water is nearly impossible.
~You are very lucky to have been in the Daughter’s proximity. You nearly got us both killed.
~Oh shut up. I don’t overly need your verbal assault right now.
Caelum sulks in the background of my mind, but very clearly happy we both made it out of that situation. I’ll admit, it came far too close for either of our liking.
With Runa’s help, I scramble up the steps on my hands and knees, then stop for a breath. She wraps her arms around me, and I sink into her embrace.
“I—was so worried. I thought I lost you,” she says.
Sucking in another deep breath, I turn to her and say, “There were a couple times I thought that too.”
She shakes her head.
“That was so stupid. I should have just had Tethys—I don’t know what I was thinking. I mean, really?”
“Runa, forget it. You can’t second guess your decisions. You made a call and we went for it. Now we’re here,” I say looking up the stairs. “Where is here anyway?”
“I’m not sure. By the time I got to the top, it was so dark. When the Caudex lit up, I was focused on you,” she says glancing up the stairs, unwilling to let me go just yet.
“Well, should we check it out?” I say, feeling like I could get most of my body to cooperate.
She nods, releasing me enough to fumble to a stand. Then she grabs hold of one of my arms gently helping me. My body feels like it’s been sent through a meat grinder, but I manage to stumble up the remaining steps. We walk slowly, making sure everything is dry before taking the next step.
When we reach the top, Runa leans down to grab to the Caudex—but just as she reaches the book, she freezes. Her eyes are trained in the darkness beyond her.
“What is it?” I say, leaning into her.
She lets my arm go to point the Caudex’s light into the darkness.
“What in the?” I step forward, waving a hand in front of the motion light sensor.
Lights flickers to life, turning on a series of lamps in a large room. To the right is a large table with one chair. To the left, a small kitchen space. And in the back, a bed and small door to what I can only assume is an allay from here. There are smattering of books shelves and small tables around the room, each with a lamp.
“What is this place?” I say.
Runa’s eyebrows flicker upward mimicking the same surprise I feel, and she shakes her head.
“I honestly have no idea,” she whispers.
She walks into the room, her right hand brushing against the surface of the table. There’s not a spec of dust as she places the glowing Caudex in the center. Without a word, she moves on to the back of the room. I prop a hand on the table, resting for a moment.
Her eyes take in the bed, and she points.
“Would you like to rest?” she says.
I look down at my soaking wet clothes.
“I’d love to. But probably not the wisest until I dry off,” I say.
She continues on to the small doorway on the far end of the room. A light flickers on, and sure enough, it’s an allay.
“No stairs outta here?” I call to her.
Walking back into the room, she shakes her head, and drops onto the foot of the bed. Then she buri
es her face in her hands.
“What is it?” I ask.
Walking over to her, I place a hand under her chin and tilt it upward.
“It’s a dead end, Trae. Why are we in a stupid dead end? We’re going to have to go out the way we came.”
Tears swell in her eyes and she bites her lip to hold them back.
Shivering, I look around. There has to be a reason we were led here by the light from her mark. At least, I have to believe that.
“Are you sure there’s nothing in the allay? A ladder?”
She shakes her head.
“Just the allay, a shower, and a closet of towels and clothing.”
“It’s like someone was meant to stay here. Live here. But who? And why? Have you checked your book? Does it say anything?” I ask, pointing at the glowing monolith on the table.
Taking a deep breath, she wipes at her eyes.
“I haven’t. But it’s not glowing because it has new information,” she says.
“Then why is it—? Oh. You did it. Got it turned on like a flashlight,” I say, realization dawning.
“It was all I had. I needed to see,” she says, shrugging.
“Your powers are definitely getting stronger. Too bad you weren’t given the ability to heal,” I say, wishing I could get rid of this annoying swollen face and sharp pain in my ribcage.
Runa’s forehead wrinkles.
“Tethys has the ability to heal, but it was associated with her saliva. I should have had her—”
I hold up a hand, “Pass.”
She chuckles.
“I could try licking you if you want?” she says, jokingly.
The images that conjures are unexpected, considering our circumstances. I shudder away the feelings it arouses.
~How can you possibly be thinking about procreation at a time like this?
Caelum’s sudden words in my head make me jump. I’d almost forgotten he was there.
~I—I wasn’t. God, get outta my head, would you?
~You most certainly were. I saw—
~Yeah okay. Enough. My procreation thoughts are private. For phugsake.
Runa’s eyes watch me closely, concern sparking in their depths.
“Are you okay,” she finally asks.
Clearing my throat, I nod.
“Mind if I check the shower? If it works, I could really use the warm up,” I say, rubbing my arms.
“Of course. You do that and I’ll,” Runa blinks rapidly, then points to the table, “I’ll consult the Caudex.”
“Great,” I say, nodding.
I take a moment, realizing it’s a bit selfish to leave her—to take all the hot water for myself. Maybe it has a limited supply.
I turn back to her, “You know, you’ve gotta be frozen, too. You could always—join me.”
Her eyes widen, and she bites her lip.
“I…I better consult the Caudex first. Like you said,” she whispers, her cheeks suddenly a beautiful shade of pink.
I nod, trying to hide the jab of disappointment, as odd as it is. Turning around, I take a deep breath, hobbling along to the allayroom. As I walk in, the lights flicker back on. The space isn’t overly big, but still large enough. I turn the shower on, dialing up the temperature to where I like it. Then I walk over to the small closet. It holds the towels and plenty of clothing in drawers along the back wall. Men’s and women’s clothing are all mixed together, as if it makes perfect sense to have them in this small room beneath the Lateral.
Who was this place meant for? And why is the only access point through the water? How the hell did they get everything in here? The bed, and tables? Hell, the electricity and water.
“I’ve found the heat,” Runa calls from the other room. “It should regulate the temperature while we’re here.”
“That’s a relief. Thanks,” I call back.
Grabbing a towel and some fresh clothing I hope will fit, I head to the shower. Glancing at the open allay doorway, I take a deep breath.
Guess putting in an actual door didn’t occur to the people who built this place, huh?
I peer out the opening and find Runa sitting at the table, her face illuminated by the lamp nearby.
“Suck it up, Trae. It’s no different than the Oasis. Right?” I say to myself.
~Are you afraid of getting undressed?
~Shut up. I’m not afraid.
Nevermind what I told Runa, I can’t wait to be the only one in my head again.
Peeling off my wet jacket and shirt, I set them aside hoping the auto dry will kick into gear. Bending down, I take off my boots and place them beside the wall. Then I undo my trousers and let them drop to the floor. Standing in the allayroom naked, I feel more than just exposed. I feel oddly—alive.
It’s like every cell in my body is humming, and I can’t stop it.
“Okay, Trae. Get a grip,” I whisper to myself.
My eyes slam shut. That’s exactly the kind of thing Fenton would have said. Only it would have been meant as a double entendre. He would have loved to watch me squirm over it, too.
Is it sad I kinda miss that?
I open the shower door and step inside. The instant steam assaults my senses, then the hot—damn near scalding—water. After everything I’ve been through lately, I don’t think anything has felt so good.
I stand in the water, letting it pound my back and cascade over my body for a few moments without moving a single muscle.
A knock on the glass outside makes me jump. Then the glass door slides aside and Runa steps in.
Do I cover up? Do I care?
“Runa? What are you —” I say, realizing she’s as naked as I am.
Runa’s eyes don’t leave my body, and mine don’t leave hers.
Turn about is fair play, I suppose. No time for dignity.
She steps forward, concern creating lines across her face. Her eyebrows tug inward, but her lips play upwards. Placing her left hand over my swollen eye and her right hand across my broken ribs, she closes her eyes.
The water cascading around me begins to glow a brilliant, pure white. It pools under her hands as if she’s commanding it the way her Waterbear can. Inside my body, my broken ribs snap back into place with very minimal pain—just enough to know they’re repairing. My swollen eye instantly feels better.
The water continues to pool under her hands, glowing to the point where I can even see the bones in her hands through her skin. When she’s satisfied, she releases her hands and meets my gaze.
“How did you know that would work?” I begin.
She smiles softly.
“When you were in here alone, it got me thinking about all of the trials I’ve been through. Then it got me thinking about my connection to each of the four Pillars. I didn’t know it would work, but I hoped,” she says.
“So you’re saying the trials are what gifted you these powers?” I say, trying hard not to focus on the way her skin felt and how exposed we both are.
“Maybe? Something like that…maybe they just made them stronger,” she says, placing her hands on my chest. Water flows from my body to hers, as it cascades down her arms and escape at her elbows to the floor of the shower.
A shiver runs through my body and I’m extremely aware of the space where her fingertips touch my skin. And how little separates my naked body from hers—
I bend down, kissing Runa’s lips gently. An undercurrent of passion threatens to sweep me up. I could very easily give in to its energy, if I’m not careful.
I take a deep breath, and shiver.
Runa stands on her toes, pressing her lips to mine. Her scent of vanilla wafts gently around us, but it’s more potent now—mixed with something else. Electricity? Power? Maybe both.
Her kiss is soft at first, but something ignites between us—just like it had before—and it’s as though the months apart—everything keeping us from being together—they all melt away. The worries of Caelum, Videus—it all vanishes from my mind as I’m consumed in the moment with
her.
We may never have a future. Hell, if things go as planned, and the Beacon thing is ignited—it could end everything we know. Even if it puts Videus in his place.
My hands wrap around her face, pulling her in to me, allowing the fire to consume us both. No fear of rejection, no fear of hurting her down the line—this moment is literally all we have. We nearly died in the water. We could die at any moment. And I have to let her know how I truly feel.
Her body presses against mine, and she kisses me with such force, such ferocity. God, I’ve missed her. Not even just this—but her. Everything about this—its all so unfair.
My heartbeat picks up, pounding through my veins—working its own sense of magic on me. Making me wish things—want things I have no place in wanting. Not now. But I can’t help it. I need her and I hope like hell she needs me too.
I may not have been able to explain things in words—but I could show her.
I place my hands on her neck, then gently run them along her bare shoulders. She shivers, but her eyes twinkle, and her lips curve upward.
Taking in her naked body adds fuel to the fire already burning intensely inside me. Her hands add their own dimension, soft and oddly sure of themselves. I’ve envisioned how this could go down before—how could I not? But I’d always anticipated more awkwardness. From her, from me. I’m not sure why. Maybe because I assume that’s how I would have been fresh from the Helix. I also assumed it would be a more appropriate time…
Runa takes a step closer, her body inches from mine as she steps into the stream of hot water along with me. I search her eyes, wanting permission to keep going.
Without any words, after a moment of silence, a slow, sexy smirk slides across her lips. God, if she only knew what she does to me.
“I want you to teach me, Trae. Teach me what it’s truly like to be human. To embrace all this. I need you to,” she says breathlessly.
I hold still, taking in all of her—the soft skin of her torso, the curves of her body. I’m not even ashamed to take it all in. I don’t feel embarrassed for myself or for her. It’s like everything has led us to this point.
The Complete Pendomus Chronicles Trilogy: Books 1-3 of the Pendomus Chronicles Dystopian Scifi Boxed Set Series Page 63
