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“Goddammit,” I roared, pointing at him. “She’s going to die. You stop this ferry right NOW!”
He shook his head, eyes filling with sympathy. “Even if I wanted to, mate, the current’s too strong. There’s no stopping this ferry.”
Fear bloomed inside me.
No.
“Sorry, son.” The old man who’d been talking to Nicolette just a moment before patted me dolefully on the back as she sank under the surface. “But I’ve never seen anyone survive a Coral Reef Killer attack. She’s as good as gone.”
“Fuck that,” I growled before diving off the ferry and into the water after her.
She couldn’t die; she just couldn’t. I refused to live in a world where she didn’t exist.
If she didn’t make it, neither would I.
The water was frigid. It instantly stiffened my limbs from the shock of the cold and made my arms not want to move, but then I saw a glimpse of Nicolette’s dress fluttering to the surface of the river just ahead of me, and I ignored the stubborn paralysis in my body as I dove forward. I cut through the current with every ounce of energy I had and reached her in moments. Blood filled the water around her, helping mark her place.
The fish who’d attacked her was long gone and no longer a threat, not that I was worried about him. Livid enough about the damage he’d done, I felt confident I could rip him apart with my bare hands if he decided to return.
Because Nicolette was not moving.
Gripping her arm, I jerked her head above water, babbling, “Nic. My God, Nic. Are you okay? Answer me!”
She didn’t respond. Her eyes were frozen open with the death stare, and the gaping hole in the base of her throat told me there was no way she would survive this.
A sob burst from my lungs, even though I refused to believe it.
“Just hold on,” I told her, struggling to keep her head above water and keep myself from going under as I fought the current, trying to move us sideways through it and with it at the same time, floating our way gradually toward one of the banks.
The ferry passed us with the royal guards cupping their hands around their eyes as they watched, trying to determine if the princess was alive or not. Next to them, the ferry master heaved two bags over the side of the pontoon—our possessions—and waved good luck to me.
My muscles screamed and my lungs heaved. We were swept miles downriver before I managed to move us close enough to the edge to stand and drag Nicolette to shore with me.
Soaking wet, we reached dry land, which wasn’t actually dry at all, but more muddy and filthy than anything, full of rocks and debris and fallen tree branches.
Too exhausted to care, I tenderly placed the princess on the wet ground and then collapsed beside her heavily, taking a moment to pant and catch my breath before daring to look at her face and accept the truth.
Limbs shaking from exhaustion and fear, I finally pulled myself upright so I could peer down and check the damage.
“Christ,” I rasped. “Nicolette?” I wiped some hair from her cheeks and then gently closed her eyelids for her.
Another choked sob worked its way from my throat, but I swallowed it back down, refusing to believe. Because she couldn’t be gone. She couldn’t.
Her wound had stopped bleeding, but the gash gaped open gruesomely, torn ragged flesh exposing bone and meat and muscle. No one could survive that.
I closed my eyes and bowed my head as trembling seized my shoulders. “No,” I chanted. “No. NO! This can’t be happening.”
A dry heave worked up my throat, and my eyes burned as I opened them and looked down at her still, pale face. She’d been so alive only minutes ago. She’d gazed at me with adoration and told me she loved me.
Christ, she had loved me.
And I—I…
I couldn’t lose her.
“Don’t leave me,” I begged. “Please. I—” More trembling seized my frame, rattling my voice. I was going to shatter apart any moment. “I need you. I need you. Don’t you fucking understand?”
I’d just begun to believe I could actually do this. I could save Sable. I could keep Nicolette. The three of us could go away, some place far from the king of Far Shore. And we could live out the rest of our days there, happy and safe. Together.
