“Deep breaths, everyone,” Imsel answered.
Leaving with those instructions, they inhaled deeply and dove beneath the surface, each member following one by one. Ava sucked in a breath, filling her lungs painfully full, dove beneath the water, and followed Casimir.
It was pitch black, Ava having to rely on her other senses to orient herself. Keeping one arm extended, she tried to feel for the wall as she kicked along.
Just swim forward,she coached herself, trying to remain calm.
On and on they swam. Ava’s lungs burned.
How much further? Could she hold her breath longer as fae?
She pushed on, her entire body numb as she tried to ignore the desperate need to take a breath. It felt as though the walls were closing in and her heart raced. Her vision was fading, and her chestburned.
Air. She needed air.
A strong hand grasped her arm, pulling her along.
Hurry, hurry,she thought.I don’t know how much longer I can hold my breath.
At last, warm light illuminated the tunnel as it opened into another body of water.
With a few swift kicks and a yank from Casimir, she burst past the surface and gasped. Dizzy, freezing and exhausted, she tried to catch her breath as she swam toward a nearby shore, more torches along the wall lighting the way.
Ava flopped onto the ground, closing her eyes and slowing her breathing as Casimir collapsed beside her. As the rest of the group emerged from the tunnel, someone shouted.
“Help! She’s not breathing!”
Ava’s eyes shot open, searching for the panicked soldier. He was dragging an unconscious Gisela to shore. Imsel shoved the man aside and immediately checked her pulse. With a curse, they began chest compressions, their normally stoic face now full of panic.
“Come on,” they whispered under their breath.
Leaning over, Imsel blew two breaths into her mouth, before beginning another round of compressions. Gisela finally released a cough. They rolled her on her side, rubbing their hand in comforting circles along her back and whispering so quietly Ava couldn’t hear.
Ava breathed a sigh of relief. Scanning the group, she counted. There had been eleven of them. But now there were only nine.
“We’re missing two people,” she whispered to Casimir.
Zara overheard and shook her head, red hair hanging limp around her face. “We lost two back in the tunnel. They couldn’t swim well. I tried to drag them…but I had to let go…I was about to pass out.” She put her head in her hands, the guilt thick in her throat as a sob fell from her lips.
Ava scooted close, putting a hand on her shoulder. “It’s not your fault,” she soothed, blinking back her own tears.
Zara continued to cry and Ava sat with her, allowing her to let out her grief.
“We must get warm,” Maeryn said.
They were all still shivering. Fortunately, the new room theywere in was not covered in ice, the temperature not as cold as their previous location. But due to their exposure to the icy water, they were still at risk for hypothermia if they didn’t hurry and warm up.
Imsel rose, creating several large bowls out of stone. “It seems magic works now.” They turned to Maeryn. “Can you fill these? Like we did before?”
“Yes.”
Maeryn formed a ball of lava, allowing it to hover above her hand for a few minutes until its glow dulled before placing it into one of Imsel’s makeshift firepits.
“Brilliant,” Raine said, awe in his voice.
The group huddled together around the warmers as closely as they could manage, relying on their body heat to help. Casimir wrapped his arms around Ava and held her close, the group silent as they grieved the soldiers who had drowned.
How much further did they have to go? Everyone was already exhausted. They had to hurry and collect what they were seeking and get home.
