Chapter 11 Wonder
666words
"Holy crap." I couldn't hold back the awe.
"Gorgeous, isn't it?" she beamed. "I knew you would like it here."
The cave was littered with crystals and sparkling stones. Someone had strung strings of pearls from the cave's ceiling, glimmering like tiny lights caught from the sun shining in from outside, and someone painted colorful patterns in metallics on the flooring. It appeared to be the ocean's base, color and coral-like, what you would see in one of those underwater scenes shown off by National Geographic.
"Kayn painted those," Ember said, bursting my little bubble. "He's quite artistic, though the walls of the cave are naturally this pretty. He just added to it."
"You think he'd be okay if you bring me here?" As much as I thought it was the most stunning place I've ever seen, I'd rather not invade more of Kayn's space than needed.
She shrugged. "He knew other people would occupy the land, and technically, this is a part of your backyard. You have every right to be here."
She didn't answer my question, and I didn't bother to point it out. I didn't need to.
I already knew the answer to that question, whether it was a part of our land or not.
He would still have a fit if he found me here.
Ember unpacked the basket, smoothing the floral quilt for us to sit on, and spread out the food and drinks on top of it.
This consisted of two bottles of apple juice, strawberry pie, cookies, and croissants. "My mom loves to bake," she said when she saw me eyeing the food.
Everything looked scrumptious, and thinking back to that pie she sent me, I knew they had to be. "She's good at it too."
"She's the best," Ember agreed. "She always enters the Bowmore baking festival, and she always wins."
"Do you bake?"
She shook her head. "Absolutely not. I'll burn down the whole country."
I snorted a laugh. "I like to but rarely get to bake because my parents are always moving back and forth."
Ember sat down, and I followed the notion, folding in my legs underneath me.
A colossal wave crashed on the shore, transferring a gentle spray into the cave where we sat.
Ember bolted up onto her feet, shaking her arms and legs.
I raised both brows. "You okay?"
As Ember turned with a disgusted expression on her face—was when I saw it.
On her arm was a bit of moisture, and a strange, violet bruise formed beneath it. It had a slight shimmer to it.
"What's going on with your arm?"
Her eyes widened, and she covered it with her hand. I got up, reaching to pull off her hand, and when I did, it was gone.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she responded, dropping her hands to her sides.
I gaped back down at her markless arm. I could swear I saw scales forming within the bruise.
Actual, freaking scales.
I looked up at her again, shaking my head. "I'm sure I saw—"
"It's okay. The cave's walls sometimes reflect, and you end up seeing weird things," Ember explained in a rushed tone.
I rubbed my eyes, sitting down. "Must be."
Yet…
"We should move in a bit deeper. I don't like getting wet." Ember picked up the food and began placing it into the basket. "You know, I told you about the infected water."
"Yeah." I had a feeling there was something more to it. That or my parents were starting to rub off on me.
I followed Ember further until we found a spot to get comfy.
"Smells nice in here," I commented, placing down the pie on top of the quilt. It was somewhat familiar—floral and ocean, but I couldn't remember where I had smelled it before.
"It stinks like dead fish to me," a deep voice sounded from behind me.
