Page 73 of Chasing Stripes (Enchanted Falls #3)
SEVENTY-THREE
A rtemis walked beside Bartek, their arms brushing with each step. She found herself cataloging sensations to maintain her focus—the soft leather of the protective gloves Thora had insisted she wear, the warmth of Bartek’s presence at her side, the weight of her mother’s journal tucked securely in an inner pocket of her jacket.
As they approached the town square, the twins began to fidget, exchanging glances and whispers.
“The sad smell is getting stronger,” Lily finally announced, her small hand clutching Gloria’s tightly.
“And spiky secrets,” Jade confirmed with a solemn nod, pointing toward the central fountain.
The fountain itself appeared perfectly ordinary—a three-tiered stone structure with water cascading from the top into a wide basin. Magical fish swam within, occasionally leaping through the spray in shimmering arcs. Tourists often tossed coins into the basin, making wishes that sometimes came true in unexpected ways.
“I’m not sensing anything unusual,” Kalyna admitted, her fox shifter senses scanning the area.
“Me neither,” Thora agreed, frowning. “Could the twins be picking up something unrelated?”
Artemis approached the fountain cautiously, her fae senses extending beyond normal perception. When she placed her hand against the cool stone of the fountain’s edge, a shock of recognition jolted through her.
“There’s something here,” she confirmed, her voice barely above a whisper. “Like a void in the magical field—not absence, but concealment.”
Bartek joined her immediately, his presence strengthening her magical perception through their bond. He traced his fingers along the stonework, following her lead.
“Here,” he said suddenly, pressing against a section that looked identical to the rest. “It feels... thinner somehow.”
Before anyone could stop her, Lily wriggled free from Gloria’s grip and darted forward. “This is where the sad smell comes from!” she declared, pointing to a small decorative carving near the base of the fountain—a tiny honeycrisp apple nestled among more elaborate designs.
Jade joined her sister in an instant. “The secret is inside,” she stated with absolute certainty, touching the carving with one small finger.
The stone apple depressed slightly under her touch, then began to glow with golden light remarkably similar to Artemis and Bartek’s soul-tether markings. A low grinding sound emerged from beneath the fountain as a section of the surrounding pavement slid away, revealing a narrow staircase descending into darkness.
“How did you know?” Thora asked, visibly impressed despite her caution.
Lily shrugged as if the answer was obvious. “It smelled like Aunt Artemis’s magic. Like sunshine and honey.”
“Only sadder,” Jade added helpfully.
Gloria immediately scooped both twins into her arms, backing away from the opening. “And that’s quite enough excitement for you two. Haavi, help me get them back to the pride house.”
Haavi nodded, though he looked torn between his duty to the pride’s children and his desire to join the underground expedition.
“Keep your communication charm active,” Bartek instructed him. “I want updates every fifteen minutes, and immediate alert if anything seems off at the pride house.”
“Yes, Alpha,” Haavi replied, slipping automatically into formal address under the stress of the moment. He hesitated, then added more casually, “Don’t do anything stupidly heroic without me there to witness it, okay? I have a reputation for telling the best stories at pride gatherings.”
With the twins safely on their way back to the pride house, the remaining team gathered at the entrance to the tunnel. Cool air wafted up from below, carrying the scent of old stone and something less definable—a magical residue that raised goose bumps along Artemis’s arms.
Bartek reached for her hand, his warm fingers intertwining with hers. “Ready?”
“Let’s do it” she replied, squeezing his fingers.
Rust and Thora took point as planned, descending carefully into the darkness with magical light orbs hovering above their shoulders. Artemis and Bartek followed, their connected hands providing both illumination and comfort. Artair and Kalyna brought up the rear, the bear shifter’s powerful frame barely fitting through the narrow opening.
The staircase wound downward in a tight spiral, the stone steps worn smooth from centuries of use. Ancient carvings lined the walls—symbols from various supernatural clans intermixed with more abstract magical notation. Artemis ran her free hand along the cool stone, feeling the history embedded within.
“These are founding family markings,” Kalyna observed, her knowledge of town history evident in her reverent tone. “Look—there’s the Blu family crest, right next to the original Leonid lion.”
Artemis traced her fingers over her family symbol—a honeycrisp apple bisected by a wand.
The staircase eventually opened into a wider tunnel with multiple branching paths. Rust paused, considering which direction to take.
“Any suggestions?” he asked, glancing back at Artemis and Bartek.
Artemis closed her eyes, allowing her fae senses to extend through their bond. The golden connection between them pulsed gently, then tugged slightly toward the right-hand passage.
“This way,” she said, a certainty she couldn’t explain settling into her bones.
The tunnel they selected sloped gently downward, the ceiling occasionally so low that Artair had to duck his head. Strange luminescent fungi grew in patches along the walls, providing sporadic natural lighting that cast eerie, shifting shadows. The air grew cooler, tinged with a metallic taste that coated Artemis’s tongue.
“Stop,” Thora hissed suddenly, holding up one hand. Her sabertooth shifter reflexes had spotted something the others missed—a nearly invisible thread of magic stretching across the passage at ankle height.
“Tripwire,” she explained, crouching to examine it without touching. “Magical alarm system. Very sophisticated.”
“Can you disable it?” Rust asked, his lion shifter eyes glowing faintly in the dimness.
Thora’s lips curved in a predatory smile. “Of course. But it’ll take a minute.”