The deeper into the mountain tunnel they moved, the more their surroundings changed. From the open, warm dry cavern, it had gradually narrowed until they were now wading through a continuous running stream of water that was almost ankle depth.
“Leila, Leila!” Kevan shouted. “Leila, are you sure we’re going in the right direction?”
“Yes,” Leila growled, as she continued to push ahead through the water, further into the tunnel.
“What about the water?” Wren argued, but Leila ignored them, and pushed ahead. Kevan was filled with trepidation, as she followed behind Leila.
Continuing to push farther into the tunnel, and the rising water, they had all slipped on the unexpected dips and rises on the floor. Joseph had just helped Kaitlyn up once more, when Kevan had it.
“This is crazy; one of us is going to get killed. We have no idea where this tunnel goes, or how much deeper the water is going to get.” Kevan stopped, and watched the obsessed Leila pushing ahead. “Leila, we’re not spelunkers. If you know what we have to deal with, we would really appreciate hearing it.” Leila stayed quiet; she hadn’t even heard Kevan.
Kevan slogged through the water, grabbing Leila’s arm, pulling her around so that she was facing them, and that was when she saw the glazed look in her eyes. Acting on instinct, Kevan shook Leila hard, and then slapped her across the face. “Snap out of it, Leila.”
“Kevan?” came the hesitate voice. She looked, and this time she saw Leila.
“I don’t know what the hell was just going on, but you’re back, and I need you to tell me if we should turn back.”
Leila looked around them, taking in the wet, cold group that stood behind her.
“What happened? Where are we?”
“We are where you told us to go. Now concentrate, and tell us if we need to turn back,” Kevan said again. Leila thought for a moment, and then shook her head.
“I don’t know what exactly happened, but no, we need to keep going. We only have a very short way to go to get to the chamber where the grimoire is waiting.”
“How short?” Kaitlyn asked through chattering teeth.
“I don’t know how far, just that it is near.”
“Okay Leila, but no more of the weird trance thing, we don’t like that,” Kaitlyn said with a shudder.
“You and me both,” Leila whispered, as she pushed forward.