The Guardians Crown (The Guardians Book 5) by Wendy Owens Page B

exactly,” Sophie replied. “They’re bugs, they must have a high acidic content in them and after years of darkness and the exposure to the active volcano, they have this sort of reaction.”
    “They glow?” Haim asked.
    Rachel stepped forward, getting a better look at the creature. “It’s not that abnormal. Lots of creatures have been discovered throughout history with similar abilities. There are actually a number of aquatic life that do this, ranging from fish to squid.”
    “Not that this science lesson isn’t fascinating,” Uri chimed sarcastically, “but don’t we have a weapon to find?”
    Rachel pressed her hand against the wall, leaning her weight into it, taking in a deep breath. The fall had caused some pains in her stomach, and the baby weighed heavy on her mind. With her other hand she rubbed her stomach gently, contemplating what she should do next. Though she felt compelled to say something to Gabe, now didn’t seem the appropriate time, considering she had not yet revealed her condition.
    Suddenly, the rock Rachel was leaning against broke off into her hand, causing her to stumble.
    “All right Gabe, you’re going to have to keep an eye on your wife before she falls down another hole,” Uri grumbled, glaring at Rachel.
    “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean …” Rachel stopped. What could she possibly say in her defense? She was merely a human and it was becoming quite obvious, even to her, coming along on this journey was probably not her best idea.
    “Honey, I know, just try and be careful, okay?” Gabe interjected, placing a hand on her back. She nodded in response.
    “Remember what Mirada said, this place has been eaten away for decades by acid. It’s going to be like one big death trap, so everyone, be careful,” Sophie instructed, shifting the focus from Rachel’s recent blunders.
    “So now which way?” Haim asked the group, glancing around.
    Sophie moved to the left, searching for a trail of some kind. The others observed her for a moment, and then proceeded to do the same.
    “Do you smell that?” Rachel asked, crinkling her nose as she looked around.
    Sophie paused, sniffing the air. “Sulfur. My guess there’s pockets of it all over inside this mountain.”
    “It’s disgusting,” Rachel complained, squeezing her nostrils, her stomach flipping wildly. “And is it me or does it seem to be getting hotter in here?”
    “Rachel, are you okay?” Sophie asked, turning and staring at her.
    “Huh?” Rachel’s moaned, her head starting to spin.
    “You don’t look so good,” Sophie added.
    “She’s right, you look really pale. Do you feel okay?” Gabe asked, taking his wife by the arm, and leading her to a nearby chair-height boulder. “Here, you should sit down.”
    “I’m fine,” Rachel argued, but then complied with his request. “I think it’s just the smell, it’s making me nauseous. I’ll be fine.”
    “Here, drink this,” Gabe commanded handing her the canteen. “Rest while we look for a way out of here.”
    Rachel nodded, taking a sip of the water. The problem was that the smell was so strong it overwhelmed her senses and her mind kept telling her the liquid tasted like rotten eggs. Rachel watched silently as the others continued to search.
    “I don’t get it,” Uri grumbled. “There’s no way out of here.”
    “There has to be,” Gabe insisted, “just keep looking.”
    From the corner of Rachel’s eye she caught a glimpse of an emerald colored sparkle, then a bright white twinkle, followed by a blue one. Turning and standing, she slowly approached the shadowy corner of the room. In front of her she spied a waterfall, the colors dancing throughout the cascading drops as they fell.
    The closer she looked, the more she realized this wasn’t a normal waterfall. The water was not flowing down the rock wall, instead it seemed to be a solid wall of flowing water with nothing behind it. Rachel stared at the liquid a bit longer, shifting from side to