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Rowen’s sensuous mouth ticked up into a wicked grin. “Is this that corruption you were talking about?”

Playing with fire, I leaned in even closer and whispered, “Let’s see how this knot holds, and I’ll let you know.”

He halted my advance with a backward tug on the vine and groaned. “You are going to be the death of me.”

I tore my eyes away from his green gaze and lowered to the ground, maneuvering my way through the small opening. Rowen took the brunt of my weight as he lowered me into the sinkhole.

The heat in my veins cooled from the chilled cave walls, but it didn’t escape me that the knot held firm.

The well may have a small opening, but as Rowen lowered my toes to the ground, I realized it expanded into an even deeper subterranean cavern. The marble walls swirled and glistened in rivulets of arctic blue, turquoise, and lime. And the eerie sound of dripping water echoed around me.

I wiggled out of my harness, ignoring Rowen’s throaty growl as I walked towards the cave wall that had eroded into spiraling shades of aquamarine. I placed my palms on the chilly marble, feeling for any blocked or clogged water. It was there but faint and in the distance.

I lowered my hands to the ground, beseeching whatever water flowed beneath to rise to the surface. The trickle of water was far off, entrenched deep within the earth, and sounded like so little.

I pulled harder, delving deeper into my elemental connection, hoping it would be enough. As the gravitational force within me compelled the water to the surface, the ground beneath my fingers trembled.

That was easy!

Eager now, I pulled harder, the faint water rumbling like a stampede. Satisfied that I had done well, I decided to press my luck—if I wanted to grow stronger, I would have to work with stronger elements.

Suddenly, a column of water shot out from the ground and sprayed my arms and face.

Holy shit , that water was cold, but I smiled anyway. I had summoned water, and now I was going to control it.

I wiped my wet hair from my cheeks as water pooled around my ankles.

“Keira, come up now!” Rowen shouted from above.

I ignored his request as my arms and hands began to glow like liquid moonlight, and I guided the water along to its proper channels. Unexpectedly, a strong current pummeled towards me and almost knocked me off my feet.

I tried releasing my hold on the water, but it was as if I were still pulling it. More water rushed at me and doused me in a whirlpool of my own making.

A thought rounded the dark side of my mind: I was like the moon, compelling the tides, and if I wasn’t careful, the waves could rise up and drown me whole.

While I was impressed with how quickly I’d filled the cavern, I knew it was time to go. I waded through the water that was now up to my thighs, reaching for the harness.

“Keira!” Rowen called after me again, but the water answered to a celestial body, a gravitational pull, and I moved my glowing arms to stop the swirling vortex. The onslaught abated, and I thought I was in the clear, but a powerful swell plowed into me and knocked me against the cave wall .

My breath left my lungs as another swell charged up and pulled me under.

What was happening? I thought I could control water. This was yet another example of how I had absolutely no control over any aspect of my life. What a fool I was to think I could command such an elemental force. Guide and direct, yes, but control? Never.

It was as if the land were so parched that my call for water had been met with the necessity of the land. My new body was more powerful than I imagined.

Entirely submerged and swirling within the underground well, I fought to calm the waves, but as I tried to reverse the raging waterwheel, it had the opposite effect and rammed toward my face.

Water punched continuously through my nose and mouth while I breaststroked through the water, glowing like a lantern in a lake.

The water charged and swirled me. Filled me. Filled my lungs.

There was no more air.

Stars invaded my vision as I swam, but I didn’t know what was up or down. I could be diving farther away from Rowen for all I knew.

How long had it been since my last breath?

Too long. Far too long.

Determination fueled my every stroke, but then my body began to convulse, and I floated in a crystal-clear liquid that reminded me of my time as the Light.

It was peaceful yet lonely, and I realized with a jolt of fear that I wasn’t ready to return to this tranquility—not yet.

The thought of succumbing to the water’s embrace filled me with terror.

Fighting my lungs for more time, I searched for Rowen’s vine, but my vision was blurring. That rope was my only hope. I couldn’t let it slip away .

Suddenly, the loop swayed before me, and with a last desperate heave, I linked my arm through the makeshift harness. But I was too late. The water had claimed me.

I was jerked upward, then pulled through the lip of the well by the scruff of my shirt.

Glorious air hit my face, traveled through my hair, and chilled the clothes suctioned to my body.

It washed over my nose and lips like a gentle trailing finger, but that was as far as it went. It wasn’t entering my lungs.

I chased for the air, begged for it, but my lungs had stopped pulling in oxygen; they were too full of water. All used up.

My body was inert, but my mind was well aware of the fact that I wasn’t breathing, and I could feel myself floating away.

Rowen had managed to pull me out without touching me, but as soon as his hands landed on my skin, he was gone. Even in this state, the Light had other plans.

Rowen cried out as he was launched from my body and thrown into the nearest tree with a painful grunt.

He couldn’t touch me, but I knew he wouldn’t stop trying. He’d likely kill himself attempting to save me.

Hands reached for me again, and I silently pleaded for Rowen to stop before he hurt himself any further, but the touch on my collarbone lingered. Warm fingers brushed against my skin as strands of wet hair were pushed from my face and neck.

“Get your hands off her,” Rowen growled in a voice so deep it didn’t even sound human in its rage.

But the hand on my shoulder didn’t budge.