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Second book in the Rowan Series. Our adventure continues! Add this to your library to get updates after the first book ends. This book is unedited.
When I woke I was still under the sea, not flying high above the clouds or walking in secret tunnels. It felt to real to be a dream. A memory not my own but it felt as if it was. Pyros stole it.
I sat up and floated a little. Roka wasn't around but maybe its better that way. I checked my bump and felt the occasional wriggle and kick. Still doing well in there. A kicking jab hit my ribs and I took in a gasping breath. Hes doing extremely well. The caves were smooth inside. Not a sharpe or jagged edge could be found. Without eyes to watch I explored this new place getting lost in thought.
It was odd. In the dream there was not this dome structure over the city. How could Pyros dive in and steal with all this rock protecting the city. It was definitely the same place. As i ventured back and back there was an unusual spot. The brown rock compiled of compressed layers gave way to rock that was competly different. Porous and slate grey. It wasn't smooth, the wall was like many clumps of this rock was added on top of eachother. I placed my hand over one of these chunks, it fit roughly in the palm of my hand.
A corner is the weekest spot. A natural break. Since there was no other soul around, I decided to test my theory. I kicked at the place in the wall where the different kinds of rock met. I kicked and bounced off the wall. The sound reverberated in the water. It would be great if no one heard the noise. A few more times, I encouraged.
My punches and kicks felt entirely to slow. I bounced off the rocks and was propulsed away. When I checked over my work I felt pleased to see a fissure had formed. Progress but not enough. Getting out of the ocean this way would take a really long time. It might be better to check other places before I waste to much time here.
Outside there was a forest of sea weeds. I swam up and out of it. In the distance, there was many Sirenaidea swimming around to my suprise. Slowly I moved along the wall looking for weak points. Up and down. The wall was the same here, hand sized chunks of grey rock piled on top of eachother formed together more tightly and without cracks than any rock i had ever seen. The dome was increadibly hard and durible.
"Its called cement." Someone sang as they brushed against my leg.
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She was very green. Her tail, eyes, and hair were forest green. Her skin a soft beige. She lacked a gem on her forhead and her horns were short and dull.
She stretched out a hand just out of my reach. Pushing off the wall I grabbed her hand.
"Nori greets the Pearls child," she sang.
"Hello." I replied. We floated out away from the wall drifting without purpose. "What is cement?"
"Its a rock that is made. The longer it sits in the salt water, the stronger it becomes." She answered. "Your safe in here, theres no need to check for cracks nothing will get in."
I nodded. I doubt this group would be pleased if they discovered I was trying to leave. It was better if they thought I feared the outside ocean. Nori began to swish her tail propelling us into the areas where the Sirenaides lived. Not a single child was seen but it was a excited bunch all the same. Looking more closely there were many Sirenaides that didn't have gems in their foreheads. Only a handful had them embedded in their skulls. Similar to Roka their horns were longer than others.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
"Nowhere everywhere." She responded.
The phrase didn't make since to me but I nodded. We continued to drift through different groups. One group was passing around a pokey ball like fish and biting it. Another group took turns hitting a rock between eachother with their tails. A game. The water became warm at one edge
Then it became very warm. Impossibly warm. Hot. Even by my new standards.
"Too hot!" I exclaimed. Nori pulled us away. Swishing away purposfully.
"What was that?" I asked my voice full of concern.
"The vents." She replied.
"I dont know what a vent is." I told her.
"Its a hot spot." Nori sang tilting her head.
"Roka says you eat big meals often, do you want something to eat?" Nori asked as we reeled around in swirls.
"Roka asked you to spend time with me?" I prodded.
"I volunteered." Nori said. "I was picked because you like to spend time with green ones." She smiled.
He thought her coloring would remind me of Ortha and Gorza. I didn't like them because they were green. I liked them because they genuinely cared for me as a person and not a means to an end. Maybe they see me more as a child than an adult and they can be intimate in less than desirable proximity but still good people. Im going back I decided. With or without Rokas help.
"I want to eat back in the den if i can?" I asked Nori.
"I'll take you." She agreed with a sharp toothed smile.
Returning Roka still wasn't around. "Where did Roka go?" I asked.
"To craft in the vents." Nori supplied.
"But its so hot, how could he stand it?" I asked.
"Crafting material needs heat. Its not to hot." She said setting me back in the den. "Stay, i'll bring a catch."
I didn't waste anytime and went back to the crack i had made in the wall. As far as i could tell this dome over the city was strong. This would be the most concealed place to break out. As long as their wasn't another layer behind this one.
I had already developed a plan. First break the wall then when everyones asleep I swim away. Then I get to land and walk back to the Orks. They can't walk on land so its not like they could follow me even if they wanted to.
