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The water splashes at my hips as we race toward the shore, and I debate if I have enough leverage to get her out of harm’s way.
Taking one more glance over my shoulder, I see the nobu is quickly gaining on us. It’s now or never. If I hesitate any longer, I may not be able to save her.
Looking down, I take in Lily’s beautiful face one last time, trying to memorize everything about her: those freckles that look like stars, the jade-green eyes that cause my heart to flutter every time they land on me, and her curly, red hair the color of leaves in autumn.
“I love you, Lily,” I scream into the air for all to hear.
Her mouth opens to speak, but I’m too fast. I grip her sides and throw her with all my might as far as she’ll go. She lands near the shore with a loudthump.
I steady myself and spin to face the nobu. I continue to walk backward into shallower water as it splashes along my thighs. The monster slows its pursuit as it nears. Its round, scaly body takes powerful steps toward me. Its mouth opens wide, revealing its sharp teeth, ready to shred me to pieces.
I drag a foot on the bottom, looking for a large rock or anything I can use to defend myself, but come up empty. Dropping into a fighting stance, I prepare to take on the nobu with my fists. I won’t survive, but I won’t make this easy on the beast. It will give Lily time to get away.
The nobu snaps its jaw closed with acrack. It stalks toward me, slow and menacing. Its iridescent scales glow brightly in the sunlight. The monstrous beast towers over me. Its gray snout wiggles as if tracking me by my scent. I suck in a breath, preparing myself for impact, as the nobu crouches into a charging position.
“No!” Lily’s scream pierces the air right before darkness descends.
A swirling black mass encircles me, blocking the nobu. My chest tightens as my skin tingles. I find myself staring at a wall of shadows.
Thalos? Why would Thalos shield me from certain death?The dark god of Umbra has no reason to be watching over a mortal in Lux.
“Theo!” Lily’s pained and broken voice halts my spiraling thoughts. I spin, frantic to find her.
“Lily!” My voice strains in the shadowed space.
Water splashes, and I chase after the sound, desperate to get to her. Choked sobs grow louder as a shadowed form runs toward me. I reach out and grab it.
Lily.
I slam her into my chest. She gasps before wrapping her arms around me, crying on my shoulder. I hold her tight, never wanting there to be any distance between us again.
“Are you ok?” I ask as I softly kiss her wet hair.
She trembles in my arms as the shadows continue to dance around us in agitated motions.
“I thought I lost you,” she answers through tears.
Leaning back, I place my hands on her cheeks and pull her in for a hard kiss. I need to feel her. Make sure she’s ok. That we’re both alive. She kisses back with the same intensity.
I break our kiss and place my forehead on hers, noticing how cold her skin feels against mine. I pull back to look at her and see her skin is ashen.
She weakly lifts her arm, pointing at the dark mass surrounding us. “What is all of this?”
“I don’t know,” I answer, staring at the shadows. “The gods, maybe? These are Thalos’ shadows.”
I reach out tentatively and place a gentle hand on the darkness, expecting it to hurt, but it’s warm and sends sparks like lightning along my skin.
Lily flinches in my arms. “I felt that,” she whispers.
“What do you mean?” I ask hesitantly, the knot in my stomach twisting again.
She points at the blackness enveloping us. “I felt your touch when you brushed the shadows.”
As she speaks, I reach out and run a hand down the wall again. Lily’s entire body shivers in my arms as her paler-than-normal cheeks turn pink. She swallows hard.
“Please stop, Theo. I can feel you everywhere on and in my body,” she says, her eyes not leaving my chest.
My mouth falls open in silent realization of what this means.
