Chapter 284
The entrance was massive, arched like the jaws of some slumbering beast. Moss clung to the dark stone, and faint carvings etched into the rock shimmered when the sunlight touched them. Strange symbols, old as the earth itself, which whispered of forgotten rites.
The air grew cooler as we approached, carrying with it the faint scent of damp stone and something metallic—blood, or perhaps old magic. Birds circled overhead, their cries sharp, uneasy.
Adam paused, gesturing toward the entrance. “This is where the worship session will take place,” he said. “We are hours early, but there are many things to see. The caves hold more than shadows p>
I stared at the yawning darkness, my magic stirring faintly in response. Whatever lay within, I knew it would not be ordinary.
But of course. This wasn’t my first time here.
A shiver traced my spine even so, despite the warmth of the sun on my back. Maybe because of my magic. The last time I was here, I was a little worse than a mere human.
Diana glanced at me, her eyes wide, sensing my tension. “You’re excited,” she whispered.
“Excited… wary,” I admitted, pressing a hand to my arm, feeling the faint tingle under my skin. “This isn’t just a cave. It feels… alive p>
Adam frowned, as if he heard more than he should. “You have a good instinct,” he said quietly, almost as if he were warning me without words. “These walls have seen centuries of prayers, offerings, and tests. The air itself remembers p>
We stepped through the archway. Immediately, the light dimmed, swallowed by the thick stone. The temperature dropped, and moisture clung to our skin like a thin veil.
Shadows twisted unnaturally along the walls, cast by the flickering torchlight Adam held. Every step echoed, as if the cave itself were listening to our passage.
“Wow,” Diana breathed, tugging at my sleeve. “It’s… huge p>
I nodded, my eyes scanning the walls. Paintings and carvings depicted rituals I did not understand: figures offering golden-hued objects to a towering, indistinct goddess, her form obscured in shadow. Some of the symbols glowed faintly when my gaze lingered, and I felt the hum of magic beneath the stone, resonating with something deep inside me.
This was a werewolf community quite alright, but magic was embedded deep within these walls. Maybe the goddess of magic and the moon goddess were close friends?
I bit back a laugh, shaking my head at my funny thought.
Adam led us further in. “Here,” he said, stopping before a wide chamber. “This is where oblations are offered. Before the worship sessions, the elders and young werewolves leave offerings to the goddess. It’s a tradition as old as this cave itself p>
I crouched to peer at the ground. Small bowls of water, some with petals, floated gently in shallow stone basins. The reflections glimmered unnaturally. My magic stirred more insistently here, pulling at something I could not see.
“And over there,” Adam continued, pointing toward a larger, circular pool, “is where the werewolves of age sixteen are tested. The pool assesses the strength of their wolf before they are fully accepted into the pack. Only those whose bond with their wolf proves strong may step forward p>
I stepped closer to the pool that had ostracized me. The water’s surface rippled, but not from our movement. Bubbles rose from the center as if the pool were breathing. A faint scent of something sweet and salty floated upward.
My fingers itched to touch the water, and as I leaned in, I felt a pulse; El recognized something ancient. The pool reacted to my presence. Adam stiffened behind me, his usual composure faltering.
“Dora he said quietly, almost afraid. “Do not touch it. No one is allowed to p>
I pulled back, frowning, feeling both disappointment and intrigue. Something about the pool hummed like it knew me. Like it had been waiting. What was that?
We walked around the chamber, Adam pointing out murals of worshipers kneeling, wolves shifting mid-ritual, and priests performing rites that left scorch marks on the stone.
Some figures in the paintings were humanoid; others were creatures barely distinguishable from wolves. I felt a thrill run through me, the memory of my own magic tugging at my soul.
Then we reached the far end of the chamber, where two figures awaited us: a priest and a doctor. Both were older, the priest cloaked in dark robes, the doctor’s tunic spotless and stiff.
They watched us with sharp, assessing eyes. The doctor’s gaze lingered on me, and I felt the weight of disapproval.
“This is unusual,” the doctor said, his voice tight. “Why is she here?” His eyes darted to Adam, clearly unhappy.
Adam’s jaw tightened. “She comes with me,” he said. “That is all p>
The doctor’s eyes narrowed, but he said nothing more, merely muttering under his breath. I caught a glimpse of something in his expression—fear, perhaps, or irritation, but there was also a trace of respect.
He hadn’t aged much. But then, it was only two years ago since I had met him last.
“Don’t worry about him,” Adam whispered, guiding us past them. “He doesn’t like surprises. And you, Dora… are a very big one p>
I smirked, but my pulse quickened. Something told me the doctor’s unease wasn’t just pride. Were witches unallowed here?
Adam led us to a narrow ledge that overlooked the circular testing pool. The water shimmered strangely, small waves dancing as if something beneath was stirring. He knelt to point out the markings carved into the rock around it.
“These runes,” he said, “are for guidance and protection. They are older than any of us. Each year, when the young are tested, the runes ensure the goddess’s will is carried out. Some say the pool can see the true strength of the wolf—and of the person guiding it p>
I leaned closer, my reflection dancing on the water. For a moment, I thought I saw more than just myself—shadows shifting beneath the surface, too fast to be a reflection, too deliberate to be coincidence.
I froze.
Adam’s hand on my shoulder startled me. “You feel that too?” he asked, voice low. “It’s… unusual. No one reacts to it like that except royals p>
“I… I don’t know what it is,” I admitted, my fingers tingling. “It feels… aware p>
A soft laugh echoed off the stone. Not mine. Not Diana’s. Something in the depths, perhaps, or maybe in the magic itself, seemed to pulse in response to my presence. I shivered, half excited, half cautious.
Adam cleared his throat, shaking off his unease, the surprise. “Come, I’ll show you more. There are smaller pools, paintings, and relics that most never see. The elders keep these hidden from tourists and the curious alike p>
We moved through winding tunnels, the ceiling low in some spots, forcing us to duck. Moss-covered walls glistened in the torchlight. The air grew warmer in places, colder in others, and I realized that the cave was not uniform—it shifted subtly, as if the stone itself were breathing.
At one alcove, Adam stopped again. “This,” he said, pointing to another small pool rimmed with runes, “is used for prayers at the start of the year. Offerings are left here for the goddess, and the strength of the pack is tested. Many come here seeking guidance p>
I knelt, letting my fingers hover over the water. The surface rippled at my proximity, as if excited. I pulled back, unsure whether it was me or something else.
Diana leaned close, whispering, “It’s like it knows you p>
I nodded, my eyes fixed on the dark liquid. Something inside me resonated with it. The sensation was faint but undeniable—like a tug at the soul, a whisper at the edge of consciousness.
“Now,” Adam said, turning to us, “we should meet the priest and the healer properly. They oversee the ceremonies, the tests, and ensure the rituals are carried out safely. They will permit us too to see the final space. Though His eyes flicked toward the mouth of the cave’s space, they are wary of outsiders. Especially those who carry power like yours, Dora. By now, they must have felt, like I do, that the cave responds to you.” Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn
I said nothing. Rather thinking. El was silent too.
We approached the two again. The priest inclined his head, eyes glinting in torchlight. “I have heard of you,” he said, voice smooth, carrying an unspoken challenge. “You wield your strength with caution, I hope p>
“I do,” I replied, keeping my tone neutral.
The doctor’s expression hardened, though he nodded stiffly. “I do not like surprises,” he said again. “But if Adam vouches He trailed off, his disapproval obvious, though he did not stop our passage.
I caught Diana’s eye, and she gave a small shrug. She wasn’t in the least bothered.
Adam thanked them with a nod, and led us further into the inner chambers. Narrow shafts of light illuminated carvings of the past.
“And here,” Adam whispered, leading us to the final pool before the central chamber, “is where the culmination of the worship session occurs. The pool reacts to the purity of the wolf and the intent of the human. Few have ever seen it bubble like this p>
I leaned close. The water frothed gently, tiny waves forming patterns almost like a heartbeat. My fingers hovered above the surface, and for a fleeting moment, I imagined the pool could see me—my intentions, my power, my hunger. It was thrilling, terrifying, and intoxicating.
Adam’s voice broke my reverie. “We’ll stay here for a while. You can look, observe, but do not interfere with the rituals yet. The elders are precise—they do not forgive mistakes easily p>