The sea was still the next evening when they dove. No wind or waves, no sound but the beating of their hearts.
Lily adjusted the harness on her waist. Beside her, Nyla floated easily, her dark hair trailing behind her like silk. The full moon hung low in the sky above them, its reflection broken only by the ripples their movements made.
Pickle swam in tight circles below them, shimmering with anticipation.
"You ready?" Nyla asked.
Lily looked down, her gaze catching on the faint lavender glow just beyond the reef's edge.
"Ready to go."
They dove as one.
The water parted for them, not violently, but reverently. As if it knew who they were. They swam deeper, past coral that shimmered with bioluminescent light, past fish with glowing eyes who followed but did not flee. The water thickened, not with pressure, but with magic. Their skin tingled. Their blood sang.
And then they saw the spiral.
