(Akilah's pov)
The fire had almost burned itself out.
Only a handful of glowing embers remained beneath the blackened logs, casting a warm orange glow across the small clearing.
The Moon Goddess's riddle echoed endlessly inside my mind.
When silver skies kiss silent tides,
Seek not the surface where reflections hide.
Only the heart that dares to sink below
Will find the truth the waters choose to show.
Each of us stared at the river flowing quietly beside the campsite, lost in our own theories.
We knew there was a reason for her words.
We had figured out a part of the riddle, knowing that it had to do something with water, but what we didn't know was how the water played a part in this.
She could have told me how to break the pendant's spell.
Instead…
She'd given me a puzzle.
I rubbed my thumb over the smooth surface of the pearl hidden safely inside my hoodie.
Across the fire, Kael stood motionless, staring at the river.
His expression had remained unreadable ever since I'd recited the riddle.
Everyone else had eventually begun throwing out ideas.
He hadn't said a single word.
He was thinking.
I could tell.
Taylor broke the silence first.
"So…"
He tossed another small stick into the fire.
"We know water has something to do with it."
Darien nodded.
"But what exactly?" Darien asked."Maybe we're supposed to throw the pendant into the river."
"I doubt our coach would appreciate us losing a cursed object," Taylor replied dryly.
Darien shrugged.
"It was worth suggesting."
Kael suddenly turned.
Without saying a word, he walked toward the river.
We exchanged confused glances before quickly following him.
The river flowed calmly beneath the moonlight, its crystal-blue current glimmering like polished glass.
Kael crouched near the bank.
For several long moments, he watched the water. He then took out the pendant from his pocket. The ruby caught the sunlight perfectly.
Holding it carefully by its golden chain, he lowered it toward the water.
My heartbeat quickened.
The instant the ruby touched the surface—
A brilliant silver light burst from the gemstone.
"Whoa…"
Taylor stepped closer.
The ruby shimmered violently.
Fine cracks of silver spread beneath its surface like lightning trapped inside crystal.
Slowly…
Very slowly…
The deep crimson color began fading.
"It's changing," I whispered.
The ruby continued transforming until nearly a quarter of it had become clear.
Then—
Kael jerked his hand back.
The pendant flew onto the grass.
He hissed sharply which caused us to rush towards him.
"Kael!"
I dropped to my knees beside him. I looked at his hand. The skin across his palm had turned a bright shade of red.
A blister was already beginning to form.
"I'm fine." He said trying to push me away.
"No, you're not," I said gently grabbing his hand to get a look at the burn.
"I said—"
"I heard what you said." Without waiting for permission, I opened my backpack.
"…Do you carry an entire clinic with you?" Taylor laughed quietly.
I ignored them.
After digging through several pockets, I finally found the small first-aid pouch I'd packed before leaving the academy.
Kael watched me silently.
I uncapped a small tube of burn cream.
"This might sting."
I gently spread the cool ointment across the burn.
His fingers twitched almost imperceptibly.
I wrapped a clean bandage around his palm before tying it securely.
"There."
I finally looked up.
Only to discover he was already looking at me.
There was no irritation.
No anger.
Just quiet observation.
Then, almost as quickly as the moment had begun, he slipped his hand from mine.
"I told you I'd be fine."
His voice had returned to its usual cool tone.
He stood, bent down, and picked up the pendant again.
I released a slow breath.
Kael held up the pendant for everyone to see.
"The spell reacts to water."
Taylor folded his arms."Clearly."
Kael turned the chain between his fingers.
"Once the ruby makes contact with water, it begins to transform. Which means for us to break the spell the ruby had to be submerged in water."
"But that's going to be difficult seemingly as the golden chain creates a hot sensation making it difficult for us to hold it long enough for the ruby to fully transform," Darien said.
Kael looked back at the river.
"The siren who created this pendant anticipated someone trying to reverse the enchantment."
His blue eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
"So they enchanted the chain as a safeguard."
I looked toward the river again.
An idea slowly began forming.
"What if…"
Three heads turned toward me.
"What if nobody held it at all?"
I pointed toward the dark water.
"If the problem is keeping the pendant submerged…"
"…then maybe someone should go underwater with it."
No one spoke.
I continued."The deeper the pendant goes, the less likely it will burn since the entire thing will be submerged underwater."
Taylor's eyes widened.
"…That could actually work."
Darien nodded.
We all looked at Kael, waiting for his response.
"It might."
My heart lifted.
He didn't dismiss the idea.
"But," he continued, "there's another problem."
"We'd have to remain underwater until the transformation finishes."
"Judging by how slowly it changed…"
"…that could take several minutes."
Taylor rubbed the back of his neck.
"I definitely can't hold my breath that long."
"Neither can I," Darien admitted.
I looked down at the river.
Neither could I…
Unless…
Something pressed gently against my hoodie pocket.
The pearl.
My fingers slowly slipped into my pocket as my pulse quickened.
Maybe…
Just maybe…
It hadn't been a gift.
Maybe…
It had been the missing piece all along.
My fingers closed around the smooth pearl hidden inside my pocket before I pulled it out.
I opened the palm of my hand simply staring at it.
I had been so focused on the pendant that I'd almost forgotten the gift she'd placed in my hand.
"…Akilah?"
Taylor's voice pulled me back.
"You okay?"
I blinked.
Darien stepped closer first.
"I don't remember seeing that before."
"I…" I hesitated.
"I found it."
Kael's sharp gaze settled on the pearl.
"Where?"
"It was lying in the grass." I lied.
Darien gently took the pearl from my hand.
"It doesn't look valuable."
He tossed it lightly into the air before catching it again.
"Just looks like a—"
The pearl slipped from his fingers.
It bounced once against a rock before rolling straight into the river.
My heart stopped.
"No!"
Without thinking, I dropped to my knees at the riverbank and plunged my hand into the icy current.
The water distorted everything beneath its surface.
I searched for it but could not see it.
"There!" Taylor pointed toward a patch of stones.
I reached farther, my fingers brushing against something smooth.
I released a sigh of relief upon finding it.
The instant I wrapped my fingers around the pearl—
Silver light exploded beneath the water.
A translucent sphere blossomed around my submerged hand.
I froze.
Bubbles shimmered gently, perfectly enclosing my hand while the river continued flowing around it.
Darien crouched beside me.
"That's impossible."
Taylor reached toward the glowing sphere.
"Mind if I…"
I nodded.
Carefully, he slid two fingers inside the shimmering bubble.
"My hand is completely dry it's as if air is being trapped inside," he said.
Kael knelt beside us, his expression more focused than I'd ever seen.
He studied the pearl for several long seconds.
Then, without saying a word, he hurried back toward the campfire.
"Kael?" Darien called out.
A moment later Kael returned carrying the old leather-bound book.
Dust puffed into the air as he opened it.
His fingers moved rapidly through the yellowed pages.
Then he stopped.
"I knew I'd seen it before."
He turned the book toward us.
An illustration filled the page.
It showed a pearl almost identical to this one.
Beneath it was a faded title.
Moon Pearl.
Taylor leaned closer.
"So it is real."
Kael nodded.
"It shouldn't be."
His finger traced the ancient text.
"'Moon Pearls were fashioned by the First Moon Priestesses under the blessing of the Moon Goddess.'"
Darien folded his arms.
"Keep reading."
Kael continued.
"'Each pearl contains a fragment of lunar magic capable of creating a sanctuary beneath water.'"
He looked up.
"It creates breathable space."
Taylor looked back at the shimmering bubble.
"So…we can breathe underwater? Within the pearl's radius."
Kael nodded once."Yes."
He returned to the book.
"'Moon Pearls were entrusted to guardians who protected sacred rivers, forgotten temples and submerged sanctuaries.'"
"'Over time they vanished from history.'"
"'Very few remain in existence.'"
Darien slowly looked at me.
"Where exactly did you say you found it?"
My stomach tightened.
"Somewhere there on the grass," I said pointing to where I was standing previously.
His brow furrowed.
"Well, that's odd for it to be simply lying around in the open. That's incredibly lucky of you to have found it," he said.
"…I suppose."
Kael closed the book.
"I don't believe in luck."
His eyes lingered on me for only a second.
Long enough to tell me he knew I wasn't telling the whole truth.
Thankfully…
He didn't press further.
Instead, he stood and looked toward the river.
"The pearl solves one problem."
"The breathing."
Taylor nodded.
"But not the mission."
Kael lifted the pendant.
"Whoever goes underwater still has to stay there until the ruby completes its transformation."
"I'll do it."
The words left my mouth before I could second-guess them.
They all snapped their heads towards me. Looking at me like I had grown a second head.
"No."
Taylor answered immediately.
"You've only just recovered."
"I'm fine."
"You fainted."
"I've recovered."
Darien shook his head.
"We don't know what's waiting down there."
"Exactly."
"Which is why one of us should go."
Taylor sighed.
"I'll go."
"I should," Darien argued.
"I'm the strongest swimmer. I literally grew up swimming rivers."
Before either of them could continue, Kael spoke.
"Enough."
His calm voice cut through the argument.
"We're wasting time."
He looked at each of us in turn.
"The challenge clock isn't stopping because we're indecisive."
Taylor crossed his arms.
"So what's your suggestion?"
Kael didn't answer immediately.
Instead…
He looked directly at me.
"Why do you want to be the one?"
I met his gaze.
"Because this is my responsibility too."
"No."His voice remained even.
I swallowed. "I've already cost us time. I feel like I owe it to you guys."
He didn't protest like I thought he would instead he looked at me as if he was studying me carefully.
As though trying to decide whether I truly meant it.
Finally, he gave a slow nod.
"Any water fears?"
I blinked. "What?"
"Are you afraid of water?"
The question caught me completely off guard.
"Ahh…"I looked at the water before looking back at him.
"No," I answered. I was lying I was scared of water especially deep water, where you can't see what's at the bottom.
"I thought cats didn't like water," Taylor said.
"Well, you thought wrong."
"Okay then, it should be easier for you than," Kael said.
I wasn't sure whether that was supposed to be encouragement.
Coming from Kael…It almost felt like one.
Taylor let out a long sigh before walking over to me.
"If anything feels wrong, you come back immediately."
I smiled softly.
"I will."
I stepped behind a tree, taking off my clothes, leaving me only in my bra and underwear so that my clothes wouldn't get wet as I got into the water.
When I returned, the others were waiting. I ignored their stares as I placed my clothes near my bag.
Kael clearing his throat stepped forward, he didn't look directly at me as he held up the pendant.
I reached for it.
Our fingers brushed.
The contact lasted barely a heartbeat.
Yet somehow…
Neither of us moved.
He finally looked at me, his blue eyes searched mine.
"Don't lose it."
A tiny smile tugged at my lips.
"I'll try not to."
I fastened the pendant around my neck.
The ruby rested cool against my skin.
In my left hand, I held the Moon Pearl.
It pulsed softly beneath my fingers.
Darien rummaged through his pack and produced a length of sturdy climbing rope.
"We'll secure this around your waist."
"If the current gets too strong…"
"We pull."
Kael inspected the knot himself before giving one firm tug.
"It'll hold."
Taylor walked over one last time.
"If you aren't back in fifteen minutes…"
"I'm coming after you."
I smiled.
"You won't need to."
"I'd rather hear you complain about me worrying than never hear you complain again."
Despite everything, I laughed.
"Fair enough."
I turned toward the river.
Its surface reflected the sunlight.
I tightened my grip around the Moon Pearl.
Took one slow breath.
Then another.
There was no turning back now.
I stepped into the freezing water.
The cold climbed rapidly up my legs.
Across the riverbank, three pairs of eyes followed every movement.
I glanced back only once.
Taylor gave me a reassuring nod.
Darien raised a clenched fist in encouragement.
Kael said nothing.
But he hadn't looked away.
I drew one final breath.
Clutched the Moon Pearl against my chest.
And dove.
The instant the pearl slipped beneath the surface, brilliant silver light erupted through the river.
The water swallowed me whole.
Above me, the faces of my teammates blurred into wavering shadows.
Then they even disappeared.
There was only silence.
And the darkness waiting below.