Queen of the Underworld | Book 3

• twenty-one •

//Song: Bottom of the Deep Blue Sea - Stripped -  MISSIO  (anyone recognize it?) fun fact: MISSIO is the only band that has made an appearance on all three playlists.

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I woke up with Julian's arm over me.

Somehow, we'd fallen asleep on the balcony And never moved to make ourselves comfortable. I woke with the morning sun as it lightened the sky.

Even sleeping Julian was handsome. I watched him as he slept, his newly blonde hair falling across his forehead. He had an arm under his head as he lay on the wooden floor and the other still draped over me. He looked peaceful.

He breathed deeply as he stirred and stretched, pulling me into a firm embrace. "You snore," he said against my ear.

"Well, you drool," I lied.

He smiled at my joke as he continued to stretch. "Gods, I'm so stiff, I can't wait to get back to my bed."

I stretched the stiffness from my own muscles when he let me go. "Almost done. I just need a quick shower and we can go look for the spring I need."

He nodded as he sat up. "After you."

The shower was large but like Julian had said, the stream of clean water from the shower head was small. I was able to cup the water in my hands and clean as much as possible including brushing my teeth.

Julian went into the bathroom after and we met in the courtyard outside of the small home we occupied for the night. Julian glamoured his hair black again when we started looking for the spring.

I glanced at my phone, frowning.

"What is it?" Julian asked as he moved through the trees. He pushed a shrub aside still looking for the spring the Magister has said.

"Damien hasn't answered my text from last night." I turned my phone off then on again. "He usually responds pretty fast."

Julian's voice sounded far away as he spectered to another location nearby. "Maybe he didn't receive it?"

My frown deepened when the status of my message didn't change. "Maybe he's busy, it says it was delivered but not read."

"I think I found it!"

I spectered to Julian immediately and looked to where he pointed. A large pool was nestled between the rocks and trees, hidden from view unless someone was specifically looking for it. A large waterfall cascaded from hundreds of feet above cradled between moss and rocks. The crashing water was soothing and I couldn't help but be drawn into the water. A canopy of branches and leaves filtered the sunlight and the wind knocked the branches together creating a peaceful steady sound.

"It matches the description in the note." I approached the calm water with the vial in my hand. I reached into the water and scooped up a bit of water into it. I studied the closed vial in the sunlight. "It doesn't look very special." I looked at Julian. "Can we come back if this isn't it?"

Julian chuckled. "Something tells me that won't be the only reason we come back."

I smiled as he helped me off the rock. Once I was standing, I sighed, shifting my backpack on my back. "Specter to the Keep then?"