Reign (An Unfortunate Fairy Tale, #4)(26)

Anders, visible again, shifted into an otter, dove under the water, and disappeared.

“I really hope he doesn’t expect us to follow him,” Nan asked. “Do you know how to get in?”

Ever shook her head. “Do I look like Godmother material? Ha, no. I brought Nix here, but I prefer to stay away from them.”

“What about the front door? What would happen if we knocked?” Nan asked.

“I’m not sure. There was another way in that Jared knew about, but they closed it off once he became—you know—evil. I’d say follow the Baldander,” Mina answered.

Ever looked around. “Something’s not right. There are more wards in place than last time. She pointed up at the branches of the nearest copse of trees. Mina noticed how still this grouping was compared to the others.

“That means there’s a ward, like a warning system in place. Like motion detectors. If they get disturbed, the Godmothers will know,” Ever explained.

The ground suddenly rumbled underneath their feet, and the water began to recede, away from the embankment.

Five feet—ten—fifteen—twenty—thirty. The water continued to move and part, as if two invisible hands were pushing it back to reveal a hatch in the middle of the lake floor. Anders popped out of the wall of water on the left and danced excitedly by the door.

“I guess that’s our cue,” Mina said, taking off toward the entrance. Nan and Ever followed closely behind. The closer they came to the metal hatch, the higher the wall of water looked. It was eerily similar to a biblical story, and Mina slowed down to study the river carefully. If it was released back, it could literally crush them beneath the water and they’d most certainly drown. But she couldn’t focus on that. She needed to reach the door and make it down the hatch before whatever magic was working stopped.

Nan slipped on the riverbed and fell on her rear. Anders’s movements became more frantic, but she promptly got up and ran for the door.

Mina made it first and turned the hatch wheel, but it wouldn’t budge. “Ever help!”

Both girls tried to turn it together. Nothing happened.

Water started to spill slowly back into the lakebed, soaking their shoes.

Nan, muddy and covered in sand, reached the wheel and tried as well. Anders looked confused and upset. “It’s stuck!” Nan yelled out. Fear was all over her face as she gauged the distance back to shore. The water wall clearly wouldn’t hold much longer. “We need to run for it!”

Ever shook her head, her face red from exertion with all the straining. “We won’t make it.”

“What are you talking about? You can fly!” Nan choked out.

“I’m not leaving either of you!” Ever screamed. “Back up now!”

Mina and Nan let go of the door. Anders crawled up into Mina’s arms and they watched as Ever closed her eyes and concentrated on turning the hatch handle. She got it to move, but even once turned, it wouldn’t open. Her forehead glistened from sweat. They could hear the giant door groaning, as it glowed brightly from Ever’s magic.

“Ever, hurry!” Nan screamed and wrapped her hands around Mina.

The door flew open, splashing water everywhere and revealing a downward staircase that was quickly filling with water.

“Go now!” Mina yelled, carrying Anders down the stairs into the darkness. Nan and Ever were on her heels. “Ever, can you get the door?”

Ever turned and used magic to pull the door closed just as the wall of water broke. The hatch fell back down, but didn’t latch because of the rushing water pouring into the stairwell.

Mina dropped Anders and ran for the hatch wheel. The force of the river almost swept her away. She held her breath and dropped her head under the water. Bracing her feet against the frame of the door, she pulled with all of her might. It felt like eternity, and her hands kept slipping, but if she didn’t close the door and stop the water, they would surely drown. Another pair of hands closed over hers and together they were able to turn it until they heard a click. They’d sealed off the onslaught of water.

The flood level began to recede, drains pulling gallons into the walls of the culvert every second. As Mina’s head broke the surface of the water, she looked over and saw Nan holding onto the large handle, her eyes squeezed shut.

“Thank you.” Mina coughed.

The rushing water pulled at them, but Nan smiled and nodded.

Mina reached up to wipe the water from her eyes.

“Don’t let go!” Nan reached out with one hand to stop her from releasing the wheel but realized her own mistake. She slapped her hand back on the cold metal and gripped even tighter with both hands.

“I think it’s fine. The river will keep the door sealed now that it’s closed,” Mina tried to reassure her.

“How do you know?”

“I don’t, but Anders seems sure.” She pointed to the Baldander who was now waiting a ways down the tunnel looking at them eagerly.

Ever walked up to the door and inspected the lock. “I wonder why it wouldn’t open. It’s kind of odd for them to send you this way if it’s going to almost kill you.”

“It’s been welded shut.” Nan pointed from her perch on the stairs. She finally released one hand to point at the bead trail that ran around the whole door.

“It’s a good thing it was shoddy work, otherwise I might not have been able to get it open,” Ever admitted.