Supernatural Academy: Year One (Supernatural Academy #1)(93)

“What the hell is this place?” I whispered.

Calen’s voice was filled with awe. “The underground caves of Atlantis,” he whispered.

Where we had popped up, somehow there was no water, even though we were still deep under the ocean. There was a long series of caves that extended far back into the distance. Water-filled crevices were dotted about, like the one we’d just popped up from, but for the most part it was dry and filled with oxygen.

Calen and I swam to the closest ledge, pulling ourselves out. “Stay close,” he said softly, taking his first step into the cave system.

I stayed as close as I could without actually climbing onto his back, my eyes darting around as I tried to take it all in. The cave was long and without adornment. There was very little light in here, so Calen sent up a mage light to help.

He was shirtless, I was pantsless, it was freezing under here, and for once I was feeling the cold. I wrapped my arms around myself. When we stepped out of the first cave tunnel, we found Jesse standing there wearing just his shorts as well, along with a pissed-off expression. I rushed forward, wrapping my arms around him.

“Thank God you’re okay,” I murmured as he squeezed me tightly, lifting my feet off the ground before he set me down again. “Where’s Connor?” I asked, looking around.

Connor stepped into view; he’d been hiding behind some huge pillars that I hadn’t even noticed until now. Whoa. Those two pillars were the first of many. There were long rows of them, all hand carved into the stone, each etched with glittering rocks and gold veins.

“This way,” Connor said, turning to walk between the pillars. It was almost like they lined the path. The path … to Atlantis?

“What about the others?” Calen said shortly. “We’re not leaving until our brothers arrive.”

Connor made a low rumbly noise. “They’ll be right behind you. The Arterians have strict instructions not to hurt you.”

I snorted. “Yep, that was very obvious when they immediately started to fight us.”

Connor shook his head. “You attacked them. They were just defending themselves. We do not kill our blood brothers without reason. There are too few of us left.”

I guess that was a possibility, but still. My experience with this group didn’t inspire any sort of trust in them.

He must have known we were serious, because Connor didn’t argue, he just leaned back on a pillar to wait. A minute later, Rone walked into view, followed by Axl. Not caring to wait for the Arterians, I stomped toward Connor. “Let’s go,” I said shortly. “Take us to Asher.”

He grimaced. “Gladly. The madness has to end now. I’ve been waiting for you to come here so you’d set the right tides in motion.”

I glared at his back, those broad shoulders defined in the leather outfit. “What does that mean?” I asked. “Is Asher okay?”

Connor stiffened, and I tried not to panic, but it was insanely difficult. All the worst-case scenarios were running through my head. “He’s alive” was all he said, which was not at all reassuring.

The pillars led us to a doorway in the rocks, and when we stepped through I choked back a gasp. There was a waterfall … under the damn ocean.

I had so many questions.

We stood on a precipice, the water below rough and tumultuous. A narrow bridge spanned out across it, leading to the waterfall. As we walked closer, I tried to find the top of the waterfall, but it was too huge. I also couldn’t see either end of it—it spanned out for miles across the caves. Following Connor along the narrow walkway, more pillars came into sight, and it was here that the landscape of my dream finally came to light.

Then I saw Asher. It took all of my control not to shove Connor into the raging waters below, because I almost couldn’t stop myself from running to him. In the dreams it had appeared that Asher was being held under the water, but it was the cascading waterfall behind him that made it appear so, drenching his body, which was secured between two of the pillars right at the base of the torrent.

Six supes were standing around him, and they turned toward us, almost in sync. My entire focus was on Asher, though, who had his arms and legs tied to all four corners of the pillars. His chest was bare, a pair of black shorts his only covering. His hair was longer than the last time I saw him, hanging across his forehead as his head drooped forward. His chest was moving, that much I could see, but I hardly felt a sliver of his energy.

No! Were we too late?





37





Asher’s fake mother stormed toward us. I’d never bothered to ask for her name, because we all knew that this was not Ash’s real mom. “About damn time you got here,” she snapped. “I couldn’t break the promise, but breaking Asher seems to have done the trick anyway.”

It was very difficult not to punch her in the face.

I swallowed hard, my breath coming out in gasps as I fought to control my anger. “I’m going to kill you,” I said, meaning those words more than I’d meant anything else in my life. “What have you done to Asher?”

She smiled at me, a genuine smile, completely unconcerned that I’d threatened to kill her. “Turns out he doesn’t have enough power to open the gates. I gave him his chance, but maybe the famous Asher is not quite as strong as we believed. Which is why I need you.”