Page 37 of Hellbound

“What the fuck are you doing?” the diver replied with a thick Irish brogue. She pushed off the barrier, her eyes darting from Marian to the glowing orb up above.

Marian stepped closer, hesitating when a pricking sensation at the base of her skull compelled her to see what had captured the other diver’s attention. The giant sphere’s glow intensified when she did.

It took a great amount of effort to look away. Marian blinked at the diver, who couldn’t seem to tear her eyes from the orb.

“You’re following me,” Marian said as she took another step. “Who hired you?”

“No one,” The diver replied, sounding distracted. “Don’t even know who you are.”

“Lies,” Tori whispered at her back.

Marian shot a sidelong glance at Tori.

She pursed her lips as she eyed the diver creeping along the barrier, toward the steep slope that led down to the base of the atrium.

“Go back the way you came,” Marian shouted.

“But I’m lost. Let me tag along with you and the traveler for a bit.”

“Another lie,” Tori whispered again before shouting over Marian’s shoulder. “What’s your name?”

The diver shot Tori a quizzical look, then looked back up at the sphere. “Aisling.”

Tori muttered, “That’s the first honest thing she’s said so far.”

“The fuck is this thing here?” Aisling asked, still staring at the orb.

Marian opened her mouth to reply but found herself pulled once again by a force stronger than her instinct. The glowing sphere dragged her gaze up. At once, it filled her with a warmth she couldn’t get enough of. It was like staring into a sun that was made for her—quietly dazzling, painless, and oh-so-lovely to behold.

Marian swayed on her feet. She stepped forward and gripped the barrier tight.

Then Marian was somewhere else, lost in a sea of light.

It flooded her vision with the radiance of a thousand breathtaking sunsets. All she knew was peace. Light that wouldn’t let anyone hurt her ever again.

Was this what it felt like to be loved?

It was so overwhelming, so glorious. And yet, so, so heavy. She didn’t know where to put it all. It was too much. Suffocating. Like being held in crushing hands, squeezing tighter and tighter.

It would break her so beautifully.

A jolt of electricity snapped her to her senses. All that wondrous light disappeared, and Marian was suddenly back in the atrium. She looked down to find Tori’s spectral hand protruding through her chest. It retracted sharply, sending another painful shock through Marian’s whole being. She yelped in pain.

“Sorry!” The traveler said as she rounded on Marian. “You were freaking out! I wasn’t sure if I could touch you. I—”

“That fucking hurt.” Marian blinked hard as she fought to collect herself.

Tori pointed at the glowing sphere. “Don’t look at that. It’s messing with you guys.”

Her eyes widened.

Aisling.

When Marian had gathered the rest of her wits, she looked at the other diver and found her head tipped back, mouth agape as she stared unblinking at the sphere that had snared Marian.

“Do you have any idea what that thing is?” Tori asked as she edged slowly along the barrier closer to the diver.

“Some kind of aberration. I’ve come across them before, but this one is strong.” she huffed, “You don’t feel its pull?”