Dark Nine ❈ Dark Nine Universe Bk1 ❈

Chapter Ten

Mercury makes me wait behind a few stone pillars, putting his finger to his handsome mouth, telling me to keep quiet and wait, while he re-enters the pool without me.

I watch as he steps into the still water, which ripples to welcome him within.

His grey skin, covered with black stripes, gets absorbed below the water line with each step he takes, as steam rises from the cloudy turquoise water.

I see the seven others, all lounging, most with their eyes closed, leaning back, just absorbing the heat.

The pool is naturally oval shaped, although the steps down are built in architecture, like the pillars holding the roof up.

This area was a part of the prison, but nestled away into the Dark Ninth Forest. The walls had been broken down so that the hot springs had become a natural feature of these ruins, half under cover, half bleeding out into nature.

Mercury seemed confident I wouldn't run, since he did not look back to check if I would have second thoughts – and he does not alert the others.

He takes his position next to Saturn.

They murmur quietly to each other, but nothing I can particularly hear.

I slip off the Plume and Krown, silently placing it on the wet stones.

I peep around the pillar and my heart is as steady as my hand as I lean out to work out how I'll approach them, what I'll ask, say, and do.

Finally, my superpower doesn't feel so useless.

It's as clear as day, after witnessing some of their past in photographs with Empress V Cinta. What I had to do was simply everything opposite of her own actions.

And it helped that it did not feel like a forced decision.

I had always been naturally gentle, quiet and liked to avoid conflict. But I had always had a core that was unshakable, when needed I could be fierce and brave when it came to new challenges, or stepping into a zone that I wanted to be in, even when I had to overcome any fears of the unknown.

And I wanted to be here, with so many unknown risks, with all nine Kors.

Minus Venus, who did not come back with us from his old labratory in the prison.

I'd just have to do this without him for now.

I slowly slide around the pillar until I'm in full view, but I've made my breathing more smooth so it's undetectable, and no eyes see me and no ears hear me, as I softly walk forward.

I have a plan.

I wasn't going to say a word.

I approach the hot springs as swiftly as I can.

I make it to the first step without detection.

They had all been resting, eyes shut, heads back, steam simmering around them all. Mercury blended right in, pretending not to know.

My toe touches the water as I sink my bare foot onto the steps, and the first sound of my arrival echoes.

All eyes snap open, and I jump to dive bomb off the first step into the middle of the hot spring, before they can react.

I slam in and sink under the water.

My nerves feel tingly with so many ancient souls staring at me, combined with my recklessness.

I stay under the water, until it sinks into my hair, curling around my limbs, like a comforting veil. It's as if nature approves of my decision to be so bold!