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| "Vortex bw" by ahisgett is licensed under CC by 2.0 |
I promised to give you an excerpt from my new book, The Vortex: Book III of the Alban Saga. The section below comes from the beginning of the third chapter and contains two of the most important characters from book two of the saga. Enjoy!
As Aran watched Bea enter the Vortex of the Black Pool, his only thought was of not wanting her to be alone. The two of them had been through so much together, including the deaths of his father, her grandmother, and others. He had watched over Bea for so long now, protecting her from Priestess Brenna’s peering eyes and had even saved her life more than once. They had bonded deeply, and he cared for her. Following her into that swirling maelstrom was as natural for him as breathing.
He ran towards the pool, took a deep, gasping breath, and by the time he entered the water, all of Bea had disappeared, except for the ancient staff that she held in one hand. Reaching out, his fingers missed the staff but wrapped around her wrist. He held on desperately. Bea felt his firm grip, and their eyes met for only the briefest of moments, as they were both caught up in the chaotic violence of the Vortex. It carried the two of them down and down, farther and farther into its dark emptiness, and it was at that moment that Aran’s tenuous grasp began to weaken. He fought to hold on with every inch of his being, but he simply couldn’t. His hand slipped, and the centrifugal force of the water ripped him away from her.
His arms and legs flailed in search of purchase. Dread and adrenaline took hold, and at the very last possible instant, he brushed up against something solid. His fingers clamped down in desperation, and this time it was Bea’s staff. There was little chance he could maintain control as it thrashed about wildly, so with what leverage he could muster, he pulled as hard as he could. It cost him, as the staff flew out of his hand, but the effort brought him close enough to reach for it again. This time both hands clutched its slippery surface. He clamped down as hard as he could. His grip held, and as it did, Bea felt a strong tug at the other end of the staff. It was almost ripped away from her, but its bulging jewel caught in the crook of her arm, enabling her to wrestle it closer to her chest and maintain control.
Swirling around and around within the relentless speed and momentum of the whirlpool, the two somehow managed to sustain their precarious connection - their bodies plastered against the powerful wall of moving water. Their lungs ached and yearned for oxygen. Their limbs throbbed, and their craving for light became an obsession in the total and absolute gloom that surrounded them. All this lasted longer than their ability to hold their breath. Each of them prepared to give into their body’s overpowering need until a single point of white light appeared far, far below. For a fleeting moment, its attraction overcame everything else. They longed to reach it, to touch it, but its pull on them waned, and their bodies took back control. Closing their eyes, the point of light vanished from view. In unison, they inhaled deeply and took in the dark waters of the churning Vortex, giving into its emptiness.
