“What’s that?” I pointed toward the object.
Maveryck climbed up the ledge and stood beside me. “No idea. But it’s impossible to tell from here.” He turned to me. “Are you a good swimmer?”
“You want me to go in there?”
“One of us has to.”
“Why does it have to be me?”
“Because one of us will have to stand watch.”
I crossed my arms. He always came up with the worst plans. “In that case, I should be the one to stand watch. You’re useless in combat. Plus, if something magical is at the pool’s bottom, I’ll have no idea how to handle it.”
“So you’re suggesting I should go into the pool?”
Wasn’t he an intellectual? “Yes, I am.”
He studied the pool with apprehension. “Very well,” he said finally, and then he leapt off the ledge and walked toward the water’s edge. He removed his shoes and coat, and then unbuttoned his shirt. I dutifully kept watch over him, just as he’d asked. His chiseled chest and muscular arms certainly didn’t lend credence to my theory that he wasn’t a warrior. Although he lacked the bulk of most fighters I knew in Danegeld, his lean and toned muscles meant he must have physical skills of some sort, and I wasn’t sure if dancing around with a flimsy dueling sword counted.
He stood by the water’s edge wearing only his pants. The light from the water reflected off his bare skin, and I reminded myself to breathe. He’d clearly bewitched me. I’d have to demand he remove the spell. Some other time. Later. Of course not now.
He waded into the water, first to his knees and then to his thighs.
“Is it cold?” I called.
“No. Magic must be warming it. I’m going to dive to the bottom to see what’s down there. Make sure nothing tries to kill me.”
He took a deep breath and then submerged underwater. The rippling water distorted the shape of his body, but I still watched as he swam deeper.
A scraping sound came from behind me. I had my knife out before giving it a second thought, holding it in a firm grip. Its handle conformed to my hands like I’d used it a hundred times before.
I backed toward the cave’s only exit. The pool’s light didn’t reach the pathway, so making anything out in the darkness was impossible. The only chance I had of discovering an intruder was to watch for movement, but even then, they’d have to be fairly close for me to find them.
As I studied the dark opening, the ground rumbled beneath my feet. A small tremor shook the pebbles on the cavern’s floor. The rumbling stopped a few seconds later.
Behind me, water splashed. I rounded to find Maveryck swimming to shore, breathing heavily.
“What’s down there?” I asked.
“A spellcasted disc of some sort. It’s keeping the portal from functioning. I tried to remove it, but it’s too heavy for me to lift. You’ll have to come help me.”
I glanced back toward the path. If I went into the water, we would be completely vulnerable to an attack. But if I didn’t, we’d have no way of restoring the portal and no way of getting home.
“Fine,” I grumbled, and then I walked to the water’s edge and removed my shoes. The knife holster around my waist would have to come off as well, so I unbuckled it and laid it aside, leaving my knife on the shore. Brushing my fingers over the dagger’s hilt, I still wasn’t sure if I had the nerve to use it, but if we were attacked, I’d have no other choice. I backed away from the knife and turned toward the water.
After removing everything decently possible, I stepped into the pool. The water was warmer than I expected—almost uncomfortably so. There must have been a great deal of magic interacting with the liquid.
“It’s easier to swim without your clothing,” Maveryck said.
“Ha! And give you the opportunity to seduce me once again. No thank you.”
He raised an eyebrow. “I’m only trying to be helpful.”
“You’ve been helpful enough already,” I said, eying his bare torso and well-defined shoulders. Water dripped from his dark hair and ran in rivulets down his chest. The bluish glow of the water only served to make his eyes a more shocking shade of lavender. I wanted to know what his lips tasted like again.
He drew closer toward me and then outstretched his hand. “Are you coming?” he asked. I looked down at his hand. Maveryck made me feel things I hadn’t experienced in a long time. Excitement tingled through my body at the expectation of his touch even though I knew what getting close to him would do to me. Yet I couldn’t seem to control my movements as I reached out and placed my hand atop his.
He pulled me toward him, and the lingering scent of his cologne wafted toward me. My heart pounded and my skin tingled with pure excitement. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. Magic or not, he seemed to hold a power over me that I didn’t know how to fight.
“Heidel,” he said my name softly, “I think I’m falling in love with you.”
“What?” I pulled back, surprised. “What did you say?”
He came closer, so close I could feel the warmth of his breath as it brushed over my bare neck and shoulders. He lightly trailed his finger down my arm, making a tremor run through my body.
What was he doing? Weren’t we supposed to be restoring the portal? But then he pulled me closer,
