Page 157 of Blade of the Nightking

He grabbed me around the waist and hauled me back the moment my feet hit the frigid shallows, dragging me several feet up the shore. The silver in his eyes flashed with anger and confusion as they found my face. I tore out of his grip almost immediately, shoving at him, trying desperately to turn him toward the sea as I pointed frantically into the darkness.

“Levinica,” I choked out. “She⁠—”

His head snapped toward the sea, his eyes widening in sudden understanding and horror.

The water had climbed to her ribcage now, her black hair drifting behind her like strands of seaweed as the tide caught her and pulled her further away from the shore.

Rìan didn’t hesitate. He was moving before I could speak again, his boots kicking up sand as he reached the waterline and charged straight into the surf.

“LEVINICA!” he roared.

But if she heard him, she gave no sign. She didn’t look back.

Shadows streaked suddenly across the beach.

They came fast, darting out of the darkness and wrapping tightly around Rìan before wrenching him away. He struggled, straining against them as they dragged him back toward the shallows, fighting to tear himself free.

Veylan rushed past me, shouting Rìan’s name as he ran, shadows spilling from him in long, frantic ribbons.

“LEVINICA!” Rìan’s voice tore across the bay. “Veylan⁠—”

A wave broke hard over her. For one terrible second, she vanished, and my breath seized in my chest.

But then she surfaced again. Gasping against the cold, she found her footing and pushed herself upright.

Still she did not turn back. Still she did not stop.

She just kept walking, impossibly calm, farther and farther into the sea.

Veylan halted at the waterline and thrust out a hand. Shadows raced desperately across the waves toward her, only to stop short as though they'd struck an invisible wall. Again and again they battered against it, searching for a way through, but they couldn't reach her.

“She's shielded herself.” I'd never heard fear in Veylan's voice before. Panic flashed openly across his face as he sent another stream of shadows after her. They met the same invisible barrier.

Rìan redoubled his struggle against the restraints holding him, wild now, thrashing to reach her. Veylan strained beneath the force of it, teeth gritted, his shadows pulled taut as he fought to keep them wrapped around his master—to hold him back from the sea.

“Let me go! Fucking let me—” Rìan raged harder against the shadows. “Levinica!”

“You can’t go after her, Rìan, the current will take you!” Veylan shouted, and there was something almost pleading in his voice now. “We’re too late!”

“No—Levinica!” Rìan bellowed, tendons standing taut in his neck as he fought and fought and fought. “LEVINICA!!”

The water had risen to her chest. The sea toyed with her now, pulling her first one way, then another, as though weighing her worth. She didn't resist.

All at once, the fight left Rìan.

He sagged against the shadows holding him, chest heaving, his gaze fixed helplessly on the dark figure of his sister growing farther and farther away.

“Levinica,” he said again, but this time her name came apart on his lips, weak and broken.

No... he couldn't give up. He couldn't.

“Do something!” I screamed. “Do something!”

His chest hitched. Silver light flared in his eyes as my voice seemed to reach him. The shadows around him rippled as his power gathered.

Another wave rose—and crashed over Levinica. Again she vanished beneath the surface.

I held my breath. The seconds stretched.