“That’s possible,” Ariana admitted. “You could have been using a variation of my energy when I channeled it toward you.”
Alec closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. “I think Lars is right about the air being different. I’m not sure how, but it doesn’t have the same quality on the surface. I don’t think it’s dangerous, but there’s something off about it.”
Valentina gazed around the cavern, noting the dips and jags in the earthen walls. “Something about this cavern is familiar. I dreamed it.”
Nikolai cocked his head. “You mentioned having a dream the other day. I know you’ve been practicing your abilities lately. I’m wondering if you’re tapping into my prophetic visions.”
Alec frowned. “That sounds likely. Was there anything you remember?”
Valentina shook her head. “Nothing specific. Ariana and Kayla were with me in the dream. It was more just feelings and impressions. But I think we’re supposed to be here.”
“I hear something,” Yuri said, staring off where the cavern extended into darkness.
Valentina tilted her head. “The river? I hear the low rumblings from it.”
“No, something else. I can’t quite make it out. It may be nothing.”
“Guys!” Kayla called out, jogging back over to them with Carl. “You’ve gotta come see this. I think the earthquake opened another entrance to the river. The water’s higher, but it’s not flooded. If our people were in danger from the rising water, it’s probably lessened in their location.”
Carl nodded and gestured to an area behind them. “This spot is ideal for us to tap into the river. Given the location, we should be able to drop our equipment directly down without affecting the stability of the ruins. No supports are necessary. We won’t have to worry about anything collapsing. It’s a long way down, but that’s much better than the alternative.”
“Then we can harness the river as a viable water resource,” Alec said eagerly, moving toward them. “Show me.”
Sergei put his hand on her back and led Valentina toward the area Kayla and Carl had discovered. The dragon figurine flared brightly, and she halted.
Ariana stopped in her tracks and whirled around. “I sense eagerness again. It’s coming from the dragon.”
Valentina swallowed and held up the statuette. “I think it wants us to go this direction.”
Sergei’s eyes narrowed. “It’s communicating with you?”
“I don’t know. I’m getting impressions when I hold it, but nothing concrete.”
Nikolai frowned. “Perhaps you should leave it here, Valya. I don’t like that it’s connected to you like this, especially since we don’t know what it is.”
Kayla cocked her head. “Um, I’m getting mixed signals from it now. But it really doesn’t like the idea of Valentina leaving it behind.”
Valentina lowered the dragon. “What do you mean? What mixed signals?”
“It’s lost, but it’s also found,” Kayla began and then shrugged. “I don’t know how to explain it, but you need to bring it with us.”
Valentina cradled the figurine in her hands. “Given the precariousness of our current situation, I’m inclined to keep it with us. We’ve seen what it’s capable of accomplishing and its potential for destruction. I think caution is warranted though, especially if we need to use it again. But I’m not willing to leave it behind and risk anyone else finding it.”
Nikolai frowned. “I can’t fault your logic, but be careful, Valya. I would rather lose it than risk anything happening to you.”
Sergei reached out, his hand hovering over the figurine. He paused and lifted his gaze to meet hers. “May I touch it?”
She nodded and held it out to him. His fingers brushed against the wing, and it flared even brighter before dimming again.
“Okay, now that’s weird,” Kayla muttered. “It likes you too. Still not as much as Valentina, but it definitely has an affection for you.”
“I think it’s because you’re so closely bonded,” Ariana said, studying them and the statue. “It’s resonating with both of you. When you touched it just now, it recognized you somehow. But I’m not sure you can use it. I believe Valentina may still need to direct it.”
Sergei frowned, clearly not pleased with that idea. Valentina smiled up at him and placed her hand on his arm. The rawness of her palms burned, and she pulled her hand away. Sergei captured her hand, his touch gentle, and he turned toward Ariana. “Can you heal her? She’s in more pain than she wants to admit.”
Before Ariana could respond, the dragon figurine flared even brighter, filling the cavern with its golden light. Valentina gasped at the sensation of heat that flowed into her hands. It was similar to Sergei’s energy but slightly different.
“It healed you,” Sergei murmured in amazement, lifting her hand to study it. He stroked his fingers over her unblemished palm. “I do not know what magic that dragon holds, but I have no objections to keeping it in your possession if it will protect you from harm.”
The figurine pulsed in her hand. She had the distinct impression it was pleased by Sergei’s comment.
Curling her fingers around it, Valentina said, “Let’s go see the river. I’m curious about it, and the dragon wants me to take it there too.”
Chapter Fifteen
A crack had formed in the wall of the cavern, leading to an even larger chamber beyond it. It was wide enough that several people could fit through side by side comfortably, but it was angled in such a way that it had been almost hidden from view until Valentina was nearly upon it. She couldn’t help but wonder if Kayla’s ability to find lost objects had led her to find it, just like she’d found the river initially.
They entered the dark cavern, and she lifted the statue, using the radiant glow to help cut through the oppressive shadows. The smell of sulphur was strong here, and the roar from the river was even louder. But it was the sight of the river itself that made her halt in stunned shock.
Sergei interlaced his fingers with hers and pressed a kiss against her knuckles. “The first time I saw the river, I thought of you. I’ve been wanting to bring you here.”
“It’s beautiful,” she whispered, awestruck by the wildness of the flowing water.
It was the purest form of her element, and it called to the innermost places within her. This entire cavern possessed an almost otherworldly air, manifesting all the elements in a primal display. It was captivating, exhilarating, and more humbling than she expected. The sheer power in the rapids as they crashed against the rocks made her once against realize how fleeting their lives were in comparison. They would all be gone one day, but this river would remain as it had for an untold number of centuries.
Valentina looked up at Sergei, letting him see the raw emotion the river had awakened. His gaze softened, and he reached up to brush his thumb against her cheek. “As beautiful as the river may be, it cannot compare to you. You took my breath away the first moment I saw you, and my heart followed right after that. The look in your eyes right now, Valechka, that sense of wonder and awe… That is how I feel every time I look at you.”
“Seryozha,” she whispered, blinking back tears. She placed her hand on his chest, directly over his heart. Hers was full to bursting from the emotions his words evoked. “Why do you keep saying such sweet things to me?”
“Because you’ll remember them and tear off his clothes the moment he gets you alone,” Yuri said, moving forward into the cavern. “I think he practices in front of the mirror. I’ve caught him making eyes at himself a few times.”
She narrowed her eyes at Sergei, who grinned and wrapped his arm around her. He leaned down to nuzzle her neck and murmured, “That is part of it. But I would not say these things if I did not mean them.”
Valentina couldn’t help but smile. “You are such a troublemaker.”
“Only with you, Valechka,” he murmured, embracing her again with his heated fire energy.
Trailing her fingernail down his chest, she accompanied the gesture with her wa
ter power and nipped at his bottom lip. “Yuri’s right. I’m cutting off your clothes as soon as we get back to the towers. Now, behave and I’ll reward you later.”
Sergei gave Yuri a triumphant look, and she shook her head in exasperation. They were impossible.
Nikolai walked a little closer to the river and asked, “Were the rapids this high in the other location?”
Kayla nodded. “When I originally found it, yes. It might be a little higher here, but not much. Our people said the other cavern has risen about eight or nine feet higher than it used to be. The rapids don’t appear quite so treacherous either.”
Lars sniffed the air. “What’s causing the sulphur smell? Is it the water?”
The dragon warmed slightly in her hand, drawing her attention back to it. Valentina detected an unmistakable sense of eagerness emanating from it. “I think it wants Ariana, Kayla, and me to link with it again. But I don’t know why.”
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea down here,” Sergei advised with a frown. “We don’t know if it might flood the area or trap us with another earthquake.”
Ariana shook her head and walked over to her. “It won’t. We’re safer here than out in the other cavern. I don’t understand how I can feel emotions from it, but I can sense its sincerity. It won’t cause any harm to us, but it wants us to do this. I think it may be a test of sorts.”
“Ari, I’m not sure you should do this,” Alec began, but Ariana put her hand on his arm.
“Please trust me with this, Alec. I would never do anything that would put you in harm’s way, but I know this is safe. I believe Fate has brought all of us here together for a reason. It hasn’t steered us wrong yet, and I’m inclined to trust in it.”
Alec’s expression softened as he gazed at her. “Be careful, love. Sometimes, Fate gives us trials before offering its rewards. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
Ariana smiled at him and reached over, placing her hand on the dragon figurine. Alec muttered a curse under his breath as the strange glow spread outward from the statue to envelop Valentina and Ariana.
“Oh, fucking hell,” Kayla muttered. “It wants me to join in too.”
Carl frowned. “Sweetheart, are you sure that’s a good idea?”
Kayla shrugged. “Probably not, but I don’t want to miss out on all the fun. I hope you’re ready to save my ass again if things go to shit.”
The moment Kayla touched the figurine, the glow surrounded all of them. The golden light filled the rocky cavern, chasing away the worst of the shadows.
A huge rock formation took over the entire far wall of the cavern and disappeared under the rushing rapids. The color of the stone was the same original deep-green the dragon statuette had once been, but Valentina could make out traces of pearlized colors in hues of gold and red. The stone was beautiful, with its patterned dips and edges, and unlike anything she’d ever seen.
“Wow,” Kayla murmured. “I wonder how much OmniLab would pay for a piece of that stonework.”
The rock formation moved, and Valentina nearly dropped the figurine as a huge reptilian head emerged from the river. Water splashed onto the ground near their feet as the green-scaled head lowered itself to rest on the rocky shore in front of them. The river receded a bit but still flowed around what she guessed was the dragon’s underbelly, feet, and tail.
Sergei grabbed Valentina around her waist and hauled her backward, away from the creature. He angled himself in front of her in a protective stance, but Valentina was too busy staring. The body was almost the size of Lars’s entire living quarters. Probably larger.
“Fuck me,” Brant whispered. “That’s not a rock. It’s a dragon.”
Two large eyes opened and blinked golden irises at them. The color was an almost exact replica of the light emitting from the dragon figurine.
“Your friend is very observant,” a voice sounded in Valentina’s mind.
Nikolai and Yuri also moved to stand in front of her like protective sentries. Carl moved in front of Kayla as Alec did the same for Ariana.
Lars made a pained noise. “If the dragon decides to roast us, we’re all in trouble. There’s nowhere to escape.”
The dragon huffed at them, the sound almost like a wheeze. The sulphur odor became even stronger as a wisp of smoke emerged from two cavernous nostrils.
“You may stand down, mates of the Fates. I intend my friends no harm. I did not bring them all this way to simply watch them expire.”
“I hear him,” Yuri said quietly. “It’s the same voice I heard before, but I can understand it now.”
“The dragon is talking to you?” Carl whispered, eyeing the dragon warily.
“I don’t hear it,” Lars said with a frown.
“Me neither,” Brant admitted. “I don’t know if that’s good or not.”
Valentina looked over at Sergei, Nikolai, and Alec. They appeared to hear the dragon too. Ariana and Kayla were staring in rapt fascination at the dragon, and Valentina knew they could hear the voice as well.
The dragon’s golden iris focused on Yuri. “You hear the voices of all winged creatures. That was my gift to you. Through you, I may speak to Atropos.”
Valentina’s eyes widened. When they’d first admitted to possessing powers, Lars had tested their abilities back in the towers. He’d told Yuri he had the ability to hear winged creatures. She knew Yuri had gotten warnings in the past while they’d been out on assignment. It was one of the reasons he’d always excelled as a tracker and scout. But apparently, that translated to him being able to hear dragons too.
Sergei frowned. “I don’t know that name. Who is Atropos?”
The dragon blinked again, its gaze now focusing on Valentina. “Atropos. Morta. Cutter of threads. Ender of Life. I cannot remember all your names. They are inconsequential. But you are one and the same.”
“He’s talking about Valya, but I’m not sure we should correct him,” Yuri whispered. “You don’t really argue with a dragon.”
Valentina moved forward to stand beside Sergei, fascinated by the strange creature. On some level, she instinctively knew the dragon didn’t mean them any harm. Granted, it may view harm differently from them, but she didn’t think its intentions were malevolent. She felt a strange sort of kinship with this creature, something she didn’t altogether understand.
“I’m called Valentina.”
“Come closer, daughter,” the dragon urged. “Hair of fire. Eyes of the sea. I recognize you.”
“Valechka,” Sergei warned, putting his hand on her arm. “I do not think this is wise.”
Valentina covered his hand with hers. “Trust me with this, Sergei. If it wanted us dead, it would not be speaking to us now.”
Sergei hesitated and released her, and she took a step toward the creature. All the stories her grandmother had told her came rushing back. She’d thought they were just fanciful lore passed down through generations, but now she wondered about the reality. She glanced down at the water where the dragon was still partially submerged, but it was too dark to see clearly.
“What are you looking for, daughter?”
Valentina frowned. “I was trying to see if you had three heads or only the one.”
The dragon blinked at her. “Why would I have need of three heads when you are The Three?”
Valentina paused, glancing at Ariana and Kayla out of the corner of her eye. Between them, they numbered three. Was that what the dragon was saying? She swallowed, remembering how Ariana had said there were always elements of truth in every story.
“I’ve heard stories about dragons. You look similar to one called Zmei Gorynich, but it was said he had three heads.”
The dragon seemed almost pleased. “I was called that name once long ago, but it is not a true name. You know these stories?”
“Some,” she admitted, fascinated by the pair of reptilian eyes gazing at her. They were almost as big as she was tall. “My grandmother told them to me when I was a girl. They took place cen
turies ago though. How can you be the same dragon from the stories?”
“We cannot die,” the dragon replied, a trace of something akin to sadness or loneliness in his voice. “We exist and slumber when we must. But eternity grows tedious.”
“Everything eventually dies,” Kayla said, taking a step forward.
“Ah, Clotho, the spinner of threads,” the dragon acknowledged. “You are the youngest of three. Life energy begins with you.”
Ariana also moved forward. Alec made a pained noise and moved closer to her, but he didn’t intervene. Ariana clasped her hands in front of her and said, “Atropos and Clotho. I recognize those names from when I studied ancient mythology. You’re referring to the three Fates who shape destiny, aren’t you?”
“Yes, Lachesis, Measurer of Threads,” the dragon acknowledged. “You choose whether to allow the thread to continue with your healing gifts or to hand them off to your sister to be cut.”
Yuri frowned. “Who are the Fates?”
Ariana glanced over at him. “They were three women who shaped destiny. It was said they controlled the thread of life of every person, and even the gods were bound by their authority. The youngest spun the threads of life, the middle one measured the threads, and the eldest cut them.”
“Indeed. The Fates reappear in times of great need and come together to accomplish their goals. It has been centuries since they last walked the earth.”
Alec frowned. “Is the dragon saying you three represent those same Fates?”
Ariana nodded. “Yes. Kayla is the youngest, bringing about creation with her life or spirit energy. I measure their lives, and Valentina ends them.”
Yuri cleared his throat and muttered, “Always nice to know a dragon recognizes your ability to handle a weapon, Valya.”
Valentina tilted her head to study the dragon. She wasn’t as familiar with the names or mythology Ariana mentioned, but she knew about this dragon. Or at least, she knew the folklore about the dragons. If she, Ariana, and Kayla represented the three heads, that left another part of the story unanswered. “How many tails do you have, Zmei Gorynich?”
The Omni Towers Boxed Set (Books 4-6): A Dystopian Fantasy Series Page 82
