Mysteries of the Water

By Marlow Miller

A narrow escape and a new mystery-things are about to turn interesting for Everard, Lucas, and Emeline... 

The trio have escaped the magic works-but they can't stay in the city of Vexdenn. Is there nowhere for them to go?

When Lucas urges his friends to follow the water currents, something unexp

• Language: English
• Publisher: Inspired Ink LLC
• Release date: Dec 20, 2023
• ISBN: 9781962510493

Marlow Miller

I love children of all ages, and love reading to children. It is such a joy watching them grow, not only physically, but socially and mentally as well. I have worked many years with children and have loved every minute. I am always amazed how fast they learn, and I love being a part of that learning process. I have worked in the classroom and in many summer camps for kids and teens, helping them build confidence and self-esteem to conquer their tasks. I have kids of my own that I have encouraged to succeed and be independent, and have many young and teen nieces, nephews, cousins that I have mentored through the years. I have been told I am the best teacher, encourager, and confidence builder many times over. I love seeing everyone succeed, especially in their courage, certainty, and self-esteem.I love sailing, photography, hiking, camping, scuba diving, motorcycle riding, and spending time with family. If it involves water, outdoors or family, then chances are I love it. Marlow Miller

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The Unseen

Mysteries of the Water

Marlow Miller

© Copyright 2023 - All rights reserved.

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1: The Cavernous Cave

Chapter 2: A Wild Whirlpool

Chapter 3: Mysterious Miss Rose

Chapter 4: Dazzling Drizzlegarde

Chapter 5: Rosalind Recognized

Chapter 6: Stuck in Slumcairn

Chapter 7: Ruminating on Revolution

Chapter 8: A Little Love

Chapter 9: Dire Disagreement

Chapter 10: A Princess' Principles

Chapter 11: Fixing Friends

Chapter 12: Lucas' Loss

Chapter 13: Then There Were Three

Chapter 14: Not the People's Princess

Chapter 15: A Sour Savior

Chapter 16: To Escape or Not to Escape

Chapter 17: Convincing a Crowd

Chapter 18: Raging Against the Rich

Chapter 19: Time for Triumph?

Chapter 20: Going, Gone

Epilogue: Major Meetings

To my mom, Gloria, for the inspiration to write books.

To my grandchildren, who continue to inspire me to write stories that matter.

To my readers, take the risky adventures to find the truth!

Chapter 1: The Cavernous Cave

Bobbing in the water, Lucas, Everard, and Emeline are all completely taken aback by what they are seeing. They're in a body of water so vast that they can't see the other side at all. It's still underground, the ceilings of the cavern incredibly far above their heads. There are only a few rays of sun breaking through certain spots where the rocks have broken apart.

Where are we? Everard breathes, staring in wonderment at how completely still it all is. There are barely any waves, and the water is mostly dark and terrifying.

Right, so, obviously... Emeline struggles to keep herself above the surface, constantly going under and coming back up. We—we should really—turn back.

Everard squints into the darkness ahead of them, and he nods, spluttering. I agree. Find another exit somewhere.

Lucas, however, is completely unfazed. He can sense something calling to him from under the surface. There's no way he's going to turn around now, no matter how scary this might seem to the others. He simply has to find out what's down there.

I think we need to keep going, Lucas says, getting two incredibly confused looks in return. I'm serious. There's something under the water.

"And you want to go toward it? Emeline shrieks, her terror immediately skyrocketing and her face turning utterly pale. Why would you want to do such a thing?"

Everard has to agree with the slightly younger Batterbee sibling. To him, it seems as if Lucas has completely lost his mind. First, he wanted them to rush down a river with currents so strong they had no idea where they were headed. Now he wants to dive head-first into a massive, dark lake with no inkling of how deep it is... or what's waiting for them beneath the silence.

Did you hit your head at some point? Everard queries, staring at Lucas to see if he has any pressing injuries. It's obvious that our only choice is to turn around. What if there's some giant monster simply waiting to devour us? A beast lying in wait for its next victim?

Both of these are possibilities, but Lucas rolls his eyes anyway. Don't tell me you're scared, Ambrose. After everything we've already done and been through, now you want to cower?

This is different, Emeline complains before Everard can say anything, still flailing to keep herself above water. It's never been a possibility that we'd all drown or be eaten by a sea creature!

How would we even go forward? Everard adds, staring across the watery abyss. "You want us to swim to the other side? You want us to hold our breath and go under? There's nowhere we can go but back. It has nothing to do with fear, even if this place is a little scary."

Lucas thinks about it. Whatever he's feeling is definitely under the water, not across it. Given that none of them can breathe down there, and the lake is clearly immensely deep, it does seem impossible to do. While he's thinking about it, Emeline is already flailing. She's not particularly good at swimming, having not grown up in an enormous underground lake.

Lucas, Emeline splutters. Back!

Everard swims over to her and helps her stay above the surface. She's light, but it's still hard to keep two people above the water, especially without extensive training. Emeline turns her head away a little, not wanting Everard to see her blush.

But Lucas has no intention of turning around. He has to know what's under there. He'll never forgive himself if he doesn't find out.

That's when he suddenly feels something in his fingers: a pleasant tingle that reaches to him from the water.

Give me a second, he says to Everard and Emeline, who are both trying to look for a shore somewhere around them.

They're both feeling a fair amount of panic at this point. They can't exactly go back where they came from, since that would involve trying to reverse back up a waterfall. At the same time, neither of them can see any form of a shore from where they are. The closest thing are sheer, slippery cave walls a good hundred feet away.

I can't keep this up, Everard insists, his head disappearing below the water for a second. Emeline is getting heavier, and this whole thing is now 10 times harder. Both of them are surprised at how calm Lucas is, and at the fact that he's simply floating there like he's having the time of his life.

Lucas focuses on the tingling in his fingers, trying to ignore the struggle of the other two. He already knows they're in trouble if he can't fix things, but panicking with them isn't going to help at all. Besides, his gut feeling is telling him that they have to keep going deeper into the water, and he trusts that sensation with his life.

Suddenly, bubbles start forming around Lucas' fingers, floating to the top and popping at the surface. Lucas' eyes widen.

It's enough for the other two to stop panicking and simply stare for a few seconds, until they start sinking. Then, the bubbles aren't that interesting anymore, and Everard fights to keep them above water again.

Lucas, however, now has a plan. He has absolutely no idea whether it will work or even if he can really do it, but at this point, it is all they have. He holds out both of his hands under the water and pushes every bit of energy he has into the bubbles. In his mind, he pictures one giant bubble that can swallow the three of them and keep them safe.

Magically, that's exactly what starts to happen. The rush of bubbles at Lucas' fingertips come together in a little ball the size of his palm. Lucas puffs up his cheeks and pushes even harder. His face turns red, and he's starting to get a headache, but he ignores all of that.

What are you doing? Everard asks when he's above the water long enough to do so, but Lucas completely ignores him. Everard doesn't particularly enjoy being ignored, especially in this kind of dire situation. Lucas! Are you even listening?

Lucas doesn't answer. His bubble is growing, much to his own surprise. He's never had magic of any kind at all. He's been jealous of Emeline's abilities most of his life, even if he never said it out loud. Being the one who can finally save everyone with his own power is an incredible possibility.

It's likely the most impressive thing he's ever done in his life, but he can't stop to think about that too much right now. After all, the other two seem to be in the middle of drowning at the moment.

The bubble is now almost big enough for Emeline to fit inside of it. Lucas kicks his legs to get to the other two, still keeping his gaze and his focus locked.

Wait, what? Emeline breathes, beyond confused about what her brother is doing. Lucas, you're—ah!

She's interrupted when the bubble swallows her up and traps her inside. Emeline sits on the bottom of the bubble, blinking several times and trying to figure out how this could possibly be happening.

Lucas grins as he keeps growing the pocket of air. His plan is working. It's getting harder to keep its shape, but that doesn't matter. Lucas is confident in his abilities, whatever they might actually be. He'll think about that later. For now, he knows that he can make air bubbles, and that's good enough on its own.

Uh, Everard says as the bubble approaches him. I don't know about this.

Lucas only keeps smiling menacingly, almost laughing when the bubble swallows Everard too. Now, both Everard and Emeline are rolling around inside, trying to find their balance. It's funny enough that Lucas loses some of his focus and the bubble immediately begins to shrink and wobble.

Lucas shakes his head and gets himself back in the zone. He can't stop for even a second. If he does, the whole thing might pop.

It's finally big enough for Lucas himself to get in, but he finds it easy to stand up and balance himself on the thin layer at the bottom of the bubble.

What... is this? Emeline mutters, finally managing to sit up again. Lucas? I didn't know you could... like... I mean...

Me neither, Everard adds as he sits back, catching his breath and relaxing his muscles. But I'm not going to question it. We're saved. Kind of. Are you going to find the shore?

Lucas stares down at them and shakes his head. He doesn't want to talk, terrified that the bubble might not make it if he does. He starts moving his hands, trying to make the bubble go downward. When he figures it out, the pocket of air they're in starts surging deeper below the surface.

Emeline and Everard look at each other, then glance at the water becoming ever darker around them. This is definitely the opposite of the direction that they want to be going.

Uh, Lucas, Everard says, curling his hands into tight, tense fists. I don't think the shore is this way.

Lucas glances down at him for a second. I know.

With his focus slightly lost, the walls of the bubble wobble dangerously. Emeline shrieks and grabs onto Everard, digging her nails into his shoulders.

Don't distract him! she insists with wide eyes, trying not to panic. I think he's gone rogue. What do we do?

Nothing. Everard shrugs. Unless you want to try and swim all the way back up.

Emeline shakes her head firmly. She's decided that she definitely and absolutely does not like large, dark bodies of water. That makes it even worse when they keep going ever deeper with