The Secret of Ashona by Kaza Kingsley

feel himself shaking. It did not seem right to touch the black box next to him and calm down after seeing this—he did not deserve to feel good. Instead he quickly left both of the dark rooms. After he felt his dragon eyes swivel into the back of his eye sockets and his regular eyes come out, he opened them in the bright sunlight. He was blinded after the darkness, but he was too angry at himself tocare. Why should he be comfortable, knowing the awful things that he was going to do?
    This was worse than the first vision he had today. Stealing candy from kids? And not just taking it but practically beating them up?
    He could think of only one possible reason. By then he had lost his soul. He would not get it back. Instead, he would become evil and do horrible things to people.
    Bethany was watching him, with a curious expression on her face. He thought about telling her what he saw . . . but the words wouldn’t come out of his mouth. How could he let her think of him that way?
    No, he would keep this nasty secret to himself. He would try not to think about it until he started to see signs that he was deteriorating. Then he would have to find a foolproof plan to give himself to Tarvos before he hurt anyone else.

CHAPTER FOUR
The Erec Rex Fan Club

    “F ATES ?” Erec called into the blackness of the well. “Sorry to bother you again. Can you help me?”
    Nothing but silence issued from the well. Bethany also peered into the black water, and Jam looked concerned.
    Erec went on, “I won’t ask you any questions this time. I’m sure you don’t want to be bothered again. But we have to get to Al’s Well so I can draw my next quest. Could you send us there through the water tunnels?”
    A faint giggle echoed from far away. Maybe they had heard him.Erec gave Bethany a half smile. “Ready to jump in? I guess they’re either going to help us or they aren’t.”
    Jam fitted a tube into his mouth and attached it to his oxygen tank. The tank seemed awfully small. Erec sure hoped it was magical, so there might be more inside of it than it seemed. Likely, Jam was prepared with what he needed.
    Erec climbed up the well and jumped into the clear water. It felt strange in a familiar way—boiling hot and freezing cold at the same time, yet not exactly painful. The sensation was intense, the same as it always felt in the Oracle, or near Al’s Well—waters that were touched by the Fates.
    Bethany slid in next, followed by Jam. Both of their eyes flew open in shock from the feel of the water. The Instagills in Erec’s wrists opened and he relaxed, breathing through them. He felt warmer and more comfortable, floating with ease. Bethany looked relaxed as well, but Jam was fidgeting with his mouthpiece and shivering.
    They floated for a minute, not going anywhere. Then a rush of warm water shoved them to the bottom of the cistern and around a bend into a rock-lined channel. Erec tumbled through the water, arms over his head so he didn’t hit himself on a wall. The current catapulted them past forks and passage openings, around sharp turns and down steep holes.
    Bethany was the only one able to control herself in the water so that she could travel headfirst most of the way. Erec could not stop laughing when he saw Jam spinning wildly in the water. Jam squeezed his backpack and oxygen tank to his chest as he whizzed by. His hair waved around his face like a lion’s mane, and his eyes were bugged out in shock.
    Erec recognized a few of the wider turns and passages, but most of the tunnels looked alike. It felt good soaring through the water, almost like he was flying. Before long they slowed down, and thewater began to have that strange feel again. A hole in the roof of the tunnel let in a beam of bright sunlight, creating a lit circle in the water. When they swam into it, they found that they were looking up at the sky through an open toilet lid.
    Jam popped his head into the air and took out his mouthpiece. When he realized he was