Chapter 8

• I put the blade back in the case on my back and pulled out my phone. As I hit the flashlight on the screen, the whole cave was illuminated with a bright orange light. Bethany was lighting it up. I turned and aimed the light toward the opening on the other side. It was gone. “The tunnel is gone.”
• Daxx pulled Crissy to stand again. “There was no tunnel over there, Kinsley.”
• Alona turned to look at her. “There wasn’t?”
• Daxx shook her head and shone the light from her phone around at the others, quickly assessing everyone was all right. “No, just a pile of stones.”
• “It was an illusion.” Bethany whispered. “I saw a tunnel entrance too.”
• “How’s the haze now?” Kara turned to look at Reagan.
• “There’s still a lot of it here.” Reagan turned slowly. “Like, a lot.” There was a nervous edge to her voice.
• “Shit.” Daxx turned to look at the area we’d come in. “The guards are on the other side of that.” She pointed.
• We all turned to see the rocks covering the opening where we’d come from.
• “This was a trap.” Reagan stated in a quiet voice.
• “Well if you’re still seeing green, it’s not finished.” Daxx put her katana in the case and turned slowly. “Do we have phone signal?”
• Crissy’s phone started blaring loud music.
• “That would be a yes.”
• “Vic…”
• “Cristy. What has happened?” Victor didn’t sound happy on the other end.
• “Is everyone okay?” That was Rafael.
• “We’re fine.” Kara said loudly.
• “We’re also trapped.” Alona went over and stood beside Crissy.
• “We’re on our way there.” Arius sounded like he was running.
• “Are the guards okay?” Paisley asked.
• “They’re all right.” Quinton said in a gruff tone.
• “It was an illusion.” Bethany said, “all of us but Daxx saw an opening on the other side when we came in. Reagan says there’s still a lot of green haze.”
• “Port out. Now.” Arius said bluntly.
• Paisley nodded and closed her eyes. “Just need to settle my heart down.” She opened them. “Okay.” She continued to stand there. Frowning, she squeezed her eyes shut again. “It’s not working.”
• “Try your porter.” Rafael said.
• “Right.” Blowing out a quick breath, Paisley pushed her sleeve back and opened her porter. She frowned again. “Not working.”
• “I can’t port either.” Daxx said.
• “So they’ve taken our option to leave.” Bethany said in a whisper. She gave Paisley a quick look, “but my magic works. I don’t understand what’s happening.”
• “Check the exit you all thought you saw, maybe it’s an illusion too.” Michael’s tone was calm and even.
• I went over and shone my light where it had been. “It’s filled in now. I mean we can see it is.” I carefully climbed up a few of the rocks to look at the top of the pile of stone. “And very real. We can probably dig our way out though.”
• “Uh, I hate to say this,” Paisley sounded scared, “but it’s filling with water.”
• “Bad water.” Crissy whispered.
• “Stay clear of where you came in.” King Chase said, sounding like he was in a hurry. “The guards are moving the boulders and it may cause them to fall toward you.”
• The women moved as far away from the collapsed rock pile as they could.
• “What do you mean it’s filling with water?” Leone asked in a strained voice.
• I climbed back down off the rocks and was standing in ankle deep water. “It was dry when we entered and now it’s over my boots.” I told them in a loud voice.
• “Where is it coming from?” King troy asked.
• All of us began shining the lights on our phones around the cave.
• “I can’t see anywhere it could come from.” Paisley said in a hushed voice.
• Autumn went over and shoved against the area we’d all seen a tunnel. “How’s that digging going?” Standing back, she kicked the pile, it didn’t move.
• “Not great.” Michael stated in a flat tone. “It’s like the stones are replacing themselves as fast as we’re moving them.”
• Autumn stopped and shone the light on the rising water. “Maybe send someone to see if there’s another tunnel.” She turned and looked at me. “We’re going to try to move things on this side.”
• “I’ve already sent three of the guards to look around the other side of this area, for possible exits.” Arius said in a low tone.
• Paisley nodded and rubbed her hands over her arms. “A mage wouldn’t hurt.”
• “Rafael has gone to get Romulus.” Arius told her.
• “Get Clairee.” Bethany said quickly, “I don’t know how to break this spell.” She lifted her arms and then opened them above her head. The arc of light grew between her hands. “Get back.”
• Autumn and I moved away from the pile.