Page 67 of Unseen Eye (Aetherian Chronicles #1)

“No, just myself.”

“Why?” I press, a nervous edge to my voice.

Cal turns his head back to the city below us, his expression thoughtful, shadows dancing across his features.

“A long time ago, I was in a bad place. My mother had just died. I realized that killing Eamon didn’t help with any of the guilt.

So, I took a gamble and went searching for something I thought was just a myth—and actually found it.

” He chuckles, but there’s sadness in his tone, a deep well of pain that tugs at my heart.

“When I first saw the, as you called her, tree lady, I was scared shitless. But she instantly knew who I was and told me to jump.”

My heart aches at the thought of Cal in such a low place. The strongest man I know, brought to his knees by grief and anger. “What did you see?” I ask.

He steps off the ledge with ease, offering me his hand. “I’ll tell you later, I promise,” he says softly. “If you want to go, I can blink us there, but first, I need to shower.”

***

Not long after, Cal and I find ourselves back on the rooftop. “In lands of icy chill,” I recite a line from the prophecy that has haunted more of my nights than I’d care to admit. “Do you think it’s talking about this?”

“Could be,” Cal replies with a wink. “Told you showers are great for thinking. Ready?” He reaches out and takes my hand.

I nod, and in the next heartbeat, we’re standing in the very place I’d dreamed of. The cave is even more breathtaking in person—the blue is deeper, richer, with light dancing off the walls in a mesmerizing display.

“These are sapphire,” Cal says, his voice reverent as he gestures to the walls. “Legend says they were formed from the tears of an ancient nymph who once guarded these waters. Her sorrow from the death of her child imbued the stones with a unique magic, making them a conduit for revealing truths.”

I reach out, running my fingers along the cool surface of a sapphire. “They’re beautiful,” I whisper, awe threading through my voice.

“They are,” Cal agrees, his gaze fixed on the shimmering stones. “And they hold more power than most realize. The waters below... they reflect the deepest parts of your soul. They’re not just any waters; they’re a bridge to the truths we hide, even from ourselves.”

As we walk through the cave, I try to shake off the eerie familiarity. “It’s almost creepy how accurate my dream was,” I joke. “If I can learn to start dreaming about hidden treasure, I might just become a full-time treasure hunter.”

Cal laughs. “I’d like to see that. ‘Eva: Treasure Hunter Extraordinaire.’ Just make sure you take me along on your adventures.”

I laugh, some of the tension easing. “Only if you swear to be my trusty sidekick.”

“Deal,” he says and grins, squeezing my hand as we approach the cave’s exit.

Stepping out, I’m awestruck all over again. The cave perches atop a mountain, surrounded by waterfalls that defy logic.

“Good thing I’m not afraid of heights,” I mutter, taking in the surreal scene. “This is... unreal.”

Cal’s expression mirrors mine. “It really is. I guess I didn’t appreciate it enough the first time.”

“You came,” a voice like sandpaper suddenly echoes, making me jump. Cal’s hand finds the small of my back, steadying me as I nearly stumble backward.

“Was that really necessary?” I shout, spinning to face the nymph I know must be behind this.

“Evangeline, daughter of Kora, you have arrived.”

“Yes,” I reply, still slightly annoyed at her for scaring me.

Eldra’s gaze shifts to Cal. “Callon, son of Drystan, we meet again.”

Cal inclines his head. “Eldra,” he acknowledges. “What do you want with Eva?”

Eldra chuckles, a sound like dry leaves rustling in the wind. Her eyes flicker between us, lingering on Cal’s protective hand at my back. “You worry too much, Callon,” she says, amusement dancing in her tone. “I mean no harm to Evangeline. Quite the opposite, actually.”

Cal’s grip on me loosens slightly, though he doesn’t remove his hand. “Then why summon her here? Why now?”

Eldra steps closer. “Because this is the first time I could reach her. Daughter of Kora, you stand on the brink of a great decision. The Waters of Truth will reveal what you need to see, what you must understand to move forward.” Her eyes lock onto mine, intense and unyielding.

“Are you ready to face your deepest truths, Evangeline?”

My heart pounds as the weight of her words sink in, but I know this is something I have to do. “Lands of icy chill,” I repeat from the prophecy, flashing Cal a cheeky grin to mask my nerves.

He raises an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at his lips, but his eyes are serious. “What do you know about the prophecy?” he asks Eldra.

Eldra’s expression darkens, all humor vanishing. “Evangeline is the key,” she replies. “Only through her can the wrong be righted. She must confront the truth to unlock her full potential and change the fate of this world.”

Her glowing eyes bore into mine. “Are you ready?”

“I am,” I say, though doubt begins to creep in. For someone about to learn some profound truth about herself, I’m not nearly as excited as I thought I’d be. I plaster on the same grin to bolster my confidence. “So, what do I do?”

“Jump,” Eldra responds simply.

I glance at Cal, who nods. “Just jump,” I echo. “Why does that seem too easy?”

“The waters will take care of the rest,” Eldra assures me.

I start removing my daggers, handing them to Cal one by one. “No point in getting these wet.” I take a minute to braid my hair, securing it with a tie. “Are you jumping too?” I ask Cal, noticing he hasn’t moved closer to the edge.

“He cannot,” Eldra answers for him. “He’s already seen his truth. If he jumps again, the waters will consume him.”

“Right,” I say slowly, trying to imagine what Cal must have seen. Then a thought strikes me. “Um, maybe this is a stupid question, but how do I get back up here after I jump?”

Eldra looks at me as if I’ve grown another head. Cal steps in. “She can’t blink.”

Eldra’s lips curl into a smile, still staring at me. “Yes, she can.”

“I can barely swim,” I begin, sarcasm creeping into my voice, “and now I have to worry about blinking, too? What could possibly go wrong?”

“It takes years to learn how to blink,” Cal argues, a hint of fear flickering in his blue eyes.

“She is capable,” Eldra insists, crossing her arms. “Perhaps you just need more faith in her—and in yourself,” she adds, turning to me.

Whatever fear I felt before multiplies by ten. “So, crash course in blinking?”

“Imagine drawing your power like you do when you summon your light,” Cal explains, his voice tight with worry. “But picture yourself somewhere else. Will the magic to move you to that spot.”

His eyes are stormy blue, full of protectiveness, and the terror of losing me is written all over his face. It tears at my heart.

“Oh yeah, ‘cause it’s that easy,” I mutter, reaching down to remove my boots. My toes curl over the edge of the cliff. Cal may be standing mere inches away from me, but I’ve never felt more alone. The look in his eyes tells me he’s not happy either, but there’s nothing he can do. I’m on my own.

“Believe in yourself, like I believe in you,” Cal says, kissing the top of my head before backing up a few steps.

I take one last look at him, committing every detail to memory—the way his dark hair curls at the nape of his neck, the strong angle of his jaw, the faint scruff of his beard that’s just starting to show, and those impossibly blue eyes. If I die, he’ll be the last person I see.

Steeling my gaze forward, I take one more deep breath, then jump.