An Ember's Tale

Chapter Thirteen

 Ember's shaking legs stopped as she leaned against the cold cavern walls. She took several deep breaths in as her head rested against the hard rock. Her eyes slowly closed as her fists clenched at her side. She listened to the water dripping down from the stone and onto the floor beneath her.

Drip. Drop.

Ember opened her eyes, but her gaze was consumed by nothing but grey, flat rocks.

Drip. Drop.

"Red."

Ember turned her head to find Mark walking toward her with a slight frown.

"Tell me you found something..." but her hopeful expression died with his worried glance.

Mark shook his head. "It's just more of the cavern. There is nothing here."

Drip. Drop.

She rubbed her aching temple while her breath grew shallow. She didn't know how long they had been exploring the cavern, but it had to be hours. She had only just realized they were going in circles, but once she did, her exhausted body had given out until she felt as if she was going to collapse.

Drip. Drop.

"There has to be something," she muttered as she looked around. "Something we are missing."

Drip. Drop.

Ember stood up from the wall as she began to pace around the cavern in frustration. She ran her fingers through her long damp hair. Her small steps quicked while her head ached the more she thought of where the jewels could be in the cursed cavern.

Drip. Drop.

"Be quiet!" she yelled. Heat burst from her, flooding the silent cavern. It quickly disintegrated the water dripping from the cavern walls.

Ember looked back at Mark, but he was just staring at the wall behind her. She turned around and gasped when she saw faded blue markings. They seemed to form from her heat as they showed the elements in glowing symbols. Water was a small wave. Earth was a cypress tree, ice was a snowflake, the fire was a flame, the air was blowing wind, and electricity was a lightning bolt. They glowed and then dimmed until they disappeared once again on the walls.

Her fingers lightly traced the cold stone before she looked up at Mark with a comprehensive look of realization. "We have to prove we possess an element."

Mark smiled. "Well, that should be easy."

He held out his hand as small strings of purple electricity appeared in his palm. Ember had only seen his powers once, but she found it intoxicatingly beautiful. Her eyes locked on the electricity in his palm as she set her palm beside his. She looked up into his eyes that reflected the electricity beneath him, and a small flame appeared and flickered in her palm.

"What's supposed to happen?" Mark asked her.

"I'm not sure," Ember looked around skeptically. She turned back and looked down to see the electricity and the flame were beginning to intertwine with one another until it was a blur of purple and red.

She looked up at Mark, but his gaze was on his palm. His finger reached over to her hand as the electricity followed him. Ember swallowed dryly as she, too, reached her finger onto Mark's hand. His hand slowly grazed hers until she set her palm on his. The fire and electricity grew more prominent as her heart fluttered in her chest.

She looked back up at Mark to find him watching her intently. Something changed in his eyes as they locked with hers. She found him slowly drawing her closer when she took a small step toward him. And then another and another until she was craning her neck up at his broad frame.