Page 24 of The Spark that Ignites (Shattered Soul #1)

A n endless dark ocean replaced the spring and salty water burned her eyes and nose.

She opened her mind’s eye to the trial as freezing water sank into her bones.

Directionless, Emmery gagged, desperate for air.

Despite her futile attempt to stay afloat, the water dragged her down as if sandbags weighed her limbs.

The resurfacing past had always prevented her from learning to swim, making it impossible to even edge into water. It was the heaviness, pressure, and the choking, sputtering panic that smothered her. Here she had no choice. Fully submerged and chest aching, she battled the ocean.

She had one chance. One moment to face her worst fear and summon her bravery. She needed to get her shit together and get out of this damned water before her chest combusted.

Emmery thought of her sister. For Maela she would do anything. But she needed to do this for herself too.

This is your birthright. Vesper’s words breathed into her mind.

He was right. This was for her. And only she could do it.

Gaining her composure, she spotted bits of seaweed on the ocean floor surrounding a large rock with a shrouded figure. Hands bound behind their back; a rope tethered them to the ocean floor. They floated—unmoving. The figure wore a cloak hood over their head, and the colour startled her.

Purple .

No . It couldn’t be. Maela?

Gods, no. Not again.

Spurring bubbles, Emmery’s clumsy hands and feet lashed out.

She needed to move faster but she was a bumbling moron in the water. Luckily the unexplainable force of the downward current guided her.

She grasped a piece of rope and reeled herself in. Praying Maela was alive—if that was possible—she yanked back the hood.

But it wasn’t her sister.

Silvery hair suspended in the water, shimmering like moonlight and a golden vestige engulfed them, like Vesper’s white mist but brighter. The woman's eyes flew open, and the honeyed hue struck Emmery in the chest.

Staring back in a cold expression was her face. She choked and water spilled into her lungs. The woman with her face surveyed her, cocking her head, and sizing Emmery up like prey.

Emmery yanked the waterlogged rope, loosening it to slip the woman’s wrists through, but it was too heavy, especially with her numb fingers. Remembering her daggers, she retrieved her blade and sawed at the rope. A lit match burned inside her chest, her lungs screaming for air.

How long had she been here? Could she truly drown in her own mind?

Emmery’s hands quickened, back and forth, her teeth grinding, until the last strand snapped. Sheathing the dagger, Emmery grasped the woman's arm to drag her to the surface. But how could she when she couldn’t swim?

The woman, unblinking, studied her and a sick, oily feeling seeped into Emmery’s gut. Something wasn’t right. A nightmarish smile crept onto the woman’s face, splitting its mouth as jagged, black teeth punctured through lips and flesh sloughed off, washing away in the current.

Emmery shrank away, putting space between her and that thing .

The gold dimmed and eyes shrivelled until only hollow sockets remained. The monstrous face was black as a shadow, depthless as the obsidian spring waters.

With inhuman strength, the monster’s hands clamped around Emmery’s throat and she inhaled water. Sputtering, her fingers clawed the monster’s hold digging into her windpipe—

Its feral screech held no hint of humanity. Emmery thrashed but its unceasing grip was too strong. Those empty eye sockets bore into her—relishing the kill—as her vision blurred. The monster’s edges smudged but the skeletal black smile permanently seared into her mind.

Emmery’s frantic hands fumbled for her dagger. Every wasted second ticked by as the air left her lungs. Consciousness faded and shadows bordered her vision.

With a taunting finger, the surface beckoned, but there was no way to reach it.

She was too far away, and failure loomed closer.

Instead of fear, she leaned into the simmering rage flooding her veins.

She didn’t come this far to die in this stupid trial. She would win this.

With every remaining scrap of strength, Emmery grasped the dagger’s hilt. Her hands shook as she plunged it under the monster’s ribs, penetrating its heart. At least if it had one. She gave a twist for good measure.

The monster’s face flared. Its grip on her throat faltered and its horrible smile fell. Black blood clouded the ocean as she yanked her dagger free. Emmery flailed away, but the monster burst into a thousand obsidian bubbles, and the force knocked her back.

Blinded, she spun through the water, the magnetic blackness drawn to her. She inhaled the darkness. It consumed yet fed every pore of her being. It became her.

Emmery heaved, her chest caving—

Invisible hands launched her upward and she disconnected from the trial, the force shoving her from her mind. Emmery’s back struck the surface as she tumbled into consciousness, water cascading from her lips. Bile and metal flooded her mouth.

She retched, her chest burning with each ragged inhale.

But she was alive . At least for now.

Vesper shook her, his hair dripping on her face, hands crushing her ribs as more water lodged from her lungs. She dragged her eyes open and locked with his wild gaze, but her eyelids were too heavy, her limbs too far away.

He said something, his voice frantic, hoarse, but she couldn’t decipher it over the ringing in her ears.

Vesper’s laboured breaths filled the air as the world fell away again.

SOMEONE CALLED HER name. Again. Her body shook. Consciousness seeped in. Sank into her flesh. And she lingered ... somewhere just outside of it. But she touched it, grazed it, and—

Knocked back into her body with a cataclysmic force, Emmery gasped and folded uselessly like a rag doll.

Every muscle ached. She slivered an eyelid to find Vesper’s face looming over hers and propped herself on her elbows with great effort.

Taking her first deep breath, Emmery cleared her throat and pushed her hair aside.

A hoarse cough slipped free. It burned. Fuck, she felt awful but simultaneously good.

Vesper stared with fire in his eyes. Of all things was he angry ?

“Why are you staring at me?” she managed, the words wheezing out.

Vesper handed her a canteen and helped her sit with a broad hand on her back.

She gulped half the water before her stomach rolled. Without warning, Emmery leaned over, and black inky water spewed from her mouth, her body violently tightening and uncoiling. She groaned, waiting for another wave but it didn’t come.

Running a hand over the back of her mouth, she immediately felt better, but the canteen slipped from her fingers when she caught sight of her hand.

Gold . The shimmer encasing her skin was gold.

“Did I—?” she croaked, her voice rough like she’d snacked on gravel.

Vesper gave a nod. “You passed.”

She should be relieved but all she could focus on was the crackling fire, the shadows of nightfall hovering around the sheltering trees.

Ugh, if she never saw a forest again, it would be too soon.

“When did night fall?” she asked.

“About an hour ago. You’ve been unconscious for a while.” Black water trailed down his cheek, his wet, tangled hair plastering his forehead.

She ran her hand down her face. “What happened?”

“Well, you drank from the chalice”—Vesper thrust his hair back, his eyes full of discontent—“and then proceeded to fall into the spring.”

“Has that ... happened before?”

“First I’ve seen.” He rolled his eyes. “Most people sit or remain standing and go into a trance. I’ve never seen anyone stumble like that.”

Shame warmed her cheeks. “You didn’t tell me!”

“I told you four times, Emmery. Four times . Apparently, you were too busy chugging the water to hear me.” He tugged at his wet collar. “Were you listening at all?”

“I—” But she really hadn't been. The ringing in her ears drowned everything. “No. Sorry.”

He patted her shoulder. “You’re so welcome for saving your life. Again, I may add.”

Emmery groaned, pressing her palms into her eyes. Muttering about ungratefulness, Vesper stood and rubbed his arm. He peeled off his wet tunic and rang it out beside the fire, before hanging it with his leather armour on a nearby branch.

Emmery yanked at her own damp clothes and grimaced. Her head swivelled the clearing, but the spring was nowhere in sight. He must have carried her here.

Vesper rotated his shoulder and winced but when Emmery tried to apologize, he shrugged it off. The bruising was faded and there didn’t appear to be any swelling, at least from what she could see in the dark.

Aera emerged from the bush, a mouse clamped in her jaw. She bit down hard, and bones crunched beneath her fangs.

“Disgusting,” Vesper muttered. Aera shot him a menacing look and growled low in her throat. He put up his hands, scooting backward.

Her white coat glowed in the moonlight as she devoured the mouse. It was easy to look away but impossible to drown out the slurping.

After changing into dry clothes, Emmery lounged on her bedroll and examined the brilliant gold wrapping her skin.

The golden fragments followed each wiggle of her fingers; her heartbeat tuned with the magic pounding in her blood.

Like it was destined to be there. Her magic swelled and the beast roared, straining against her flesh and growing stronger.

More dangerous. Emmery swallowed her panic.

This should be a time for celebration. She’d done it. All the things she ever dreamed of. She crossed the gate, passed the trial for her magic, and met Aera. Emmery kissed the fox’s head as she curled under her arm.

Yet, even after all these years, the endless black hole in Emmery’s chest refused to close.