Undersea

Chapter twenty three

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

~Lily's POV~

After Jacob went into Bartemius's study, it was silent for a while.

Jenna stirred a pot of soup on the stove, and I sipped my tea.

I got so deep into thought that I was jarred back to my senses when there was a knock at the door, and I jumped.

Jenna walked over to the door and moved her hand toward the doorknob.

Then she stopped herself and asked: "who is it?"

"It's Angelica,"

Jenna opened the door and Angelica stepped in.

At some point while I had been in the house it had started raining and Angelica's hood was dotted with sparkling raindrops.

I noticed that when drops fell onto her face, thy beaded up and rolled right off, as if she was coated in butter.

"Will you stay for tea Angie?" Jenna asked warmly.

"No, thank you," Angelica said. "I'm just here to get Jacob. Father wants to talk to him. He heard about...her,"

She gestured towards me.

I smiled at her, but if looks could kill, I would have crumbled to ashes.

"Jacobs in Bartemius's study right now, but they should be done by now," Jenna told Angie.

Jenna went to Bartemius's study for the third time to see if they were done, and Angelica sat down beside me, not taking off her jacket.

The tension was so thick in the room, I could have cut with a knife.

"So," Angelica said coldly. "How have things been with you,"

I could tell she didn't really care, she was just trying to be polite.

Before I could answer Jacob, Bartemius and Jenna entered the room.

"Angie!" Jacob grinned when he saw her. "So wonderful of you to..." He trailed off when he saw the look on Angie's face, his grin fading.

Angelica stood and walked over to the door.

"Bye Jenna," I smiled, and she smiled back. "Wonderful to meet you, and thanks for the cookies and tea,"

"My pleasure," Jenna smiled, if possible, even warmer.

********

Outside the house, we walked in silence. Jacob an I got Maxa and Jayla and followed Angie towards the beach.

Angie and Jacob walked in, but even though i knew i could breath under water, i was hesitant to enter the dark water. The stormy sky made every thing seem so gloomy.

Finally I stepped into the rushing tide and was surprised to learn that the water temperature felt no different than the air. I guess I hadn't noticed that at Emberclans palace.

I also noticed that the water wasn't hard at all for me to walk in. It wasn't thick at all, and it just felt like wind was blowing around my ankles.

After a few minutes, the water was over my head, and I noticed a third thing. The water wasn't wet! Well, it was wet, but my clothes, my hair and my skin were dry.

I followed Jacob and Angie further into the depths, and soon we came to the edge of a deep cavern.

A huge staircase wove like a snake into the shadows.

"Won't it take a long time to get down those stairs?" I asked Jacob.

"I know a faster way!" Angelica smiled for the first time since I'd seen her that day.

She whistled, which apparently worked under water.

After a minute, a baby blue stallion galloped up the hill, quickly for such a fast slope.

Angie jumped into the saddle. "See you!" She waved daintily, and then kicked her horse into full gallop and it bolted down the hill, it's blue mane whipping.

"Maya," Jacob smiled. "Her horses name is Maya. That horse is the only thing she's ever happy about. I bet we could beat her!" He jumped on Maxa and was gone.

I mounted Jayla and followed them down the hill.

After Lily started to descend a figure in a blood red blazer clamped a hand over her mouth and held her still. He passed a hand over her face, and she passed out, her head on his shoulder.