Kara lunged to the side, gripping the wood, the spray soaking her face. “Sebastian!” she shouted into the white churn. No answer – only the current dragging them further away from where Sebastian had dived in.
“Jax, we can’t leave them!” Sienna cried. “Can you turn us?”
“I’m trying!” Jax hissed, fighting the rudder and sending sapphire blue tendrils of magic into the river. Finally, there was a shift beneath the boat – it didn’t stop, but it slowed. Jax swore loudly.
“There’s something wrong. The river’s fighting me!”
“What? Why?” Kara yelled, but he didn’t answer. He was too focused on keeping them from capsizing on the rest of the rocks. Kara searched the water frantically. Nothing.
Don’t drown. Please.
Then finally–
“There!” Sienna pointed.
Sebastian broke the surface at last, jaw set, his crimson glow blazing as he dragged Morra with one arm.
“She’s not moving,” Kara said.
Sebastian kicked hard, swimming with all his strength now, back towards the boat.
“Pull them in!” Jax shouted.
“I’ve got it!” Oryen called, hands scrambling behind his seat. He hurled Gregor a coiled rope, the other end already knotted fast. Kara locked eyes with Sebastian as Gregor hurled the line towards him. With a grunt, Sebastian caught it with one arm. Violet snaked along the rope, Sienna calming and steadying him as he swam.
Gregor braced his feet and pulled. Kara scrambled at once to help him, the others by her side. Jax at the rudder, his sapphire magic still fighting the river.
“Almost there–” grunted Gregor.
With one last heave, they hauled both of them over the side. Sebastian collapsed, drenched and gasping. Gregor lay Morra gently on the deck. She was limp and her lips were tinged blue.
“Move!” Kara snapped, dropping to her knees.
Don’t be dead. I can’t help if you’re dead.
“Come on,” she breathed. “Come on.”
Emerald poured through her palms and into Morra’s mouth and nose. The others watched in silence as Jax’s magic finally defeated the current; the river lapped gently at the boat’s sides now. Kara’s magic tried to withdraw at the water in Morra’s system, but she pushed it forward, urging it to obey her.A weak pulse thrummed back at her and Kara coaxed the water out, pushing it up through Morra’s throat, leaving her lungs free and full of air. It was delicate work. The feeling of it pressed against her own chest. Morra gasped. Coughed once, then again,rolling to her side as water streamed from her mouth. Sienna ran to her immediately, violet blooming.
“She’ll be okay,” Kara murmured.
She became vaguely aware of pats on her back, but Kara turned her attention to Sebastian. He was watching her closely, his crimson magic dimming now. He hadn’t moved from where he lay, propped up on one elbow. He hadn’t hesitated. He’d gone in after Morra with no plan, no thought for himself. For a moment they just looked at each other.
“Well done, Kara,” he said, voice low.
Kara now, am I?
“You’re the one that got her out,” she said as she moved to him, scanning his body for wounds, emerald blooming willingly. “Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine,” he replied, sitting up, that damn smirk reappearing. “Worried about me, were you?”
Yes.
Her cheeks heated but she rolled her eyes anyway. She wasn’t going to tell him that.
“Just doing my job as healer, Thorne. Don’t get carried away.”
Jax shouted from the front. “You okay, Morra?”
