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Wren smiled at her friend’s kindness. “Thank you, Cara. But I just want to spend the day with you. Maybe another time.”
Their favorite lake was a long walk from the village, and, truth be told, Wren should have gotten her horse and brought it because it was on the way back to the farm. Now she would have to walk back to the village and still make the long ride home. Clearly, forethought was something she lacked.
When they finally made it to the lake, they were both drenched with sweat, the summer sun merciless. Unspoken understanding flitted between the two women who quickly took off their woolen dresses and ran to the water wearing only their underclothes. They would have to walk home in the drenched clothes, but it seemed a small price to pay.
This was their favorite spot because so few people ever came this way. The farm was far from civilization and the closest town to their village was in the other direction far south. This made for a place where they could truly be free and themselves.
The women laughed and pushed each other as they got closer, trying to make the other one go first. They were hot, but the water was always painfully frigid. When they made it to the water’s edge, they stopped and wearing matching grins, they took each other’s hands and ran into the water, laughing as the shock of the cold water rushed their bodies.
They spent the day alternating between splashing in the water and tanning themselves on the grass. Cara told her all about the drama in town and who was courting who, and Wren listened eagerly. Her friend was animated and eager enough that Wren always felt enraptured by her stories. Before they even realized it, the sun began to fall. Cara gave a small cry and quickly pulled on her dress over her still wet underthings.
“Mama is going to murder me. As in actually kill me. Remember me as I was, my friend.”
Wren laughed at Cara’s theatrics, pulling on her own dress.
A stab of pain shot through her as she watched Cara move quickly, gathering her things. To have someone love you so much they would be out of their mind with worry if you were only a little late. Wren shook the thought away not wanting the bitterness to ruin her remaining time with Cara.
As Wren turned to leave she was overcome with a sudden longing. Putting a hand to her stomach in an effort to settle her nerves, she searched the still lake for what had inspired the unsettling feeling.
It felt like there was something at her core, growing and pulsating. The longing she had felt grew until she was sure she had never known such a need. The water was calling to her deep in her soul. She squinted towards it trying to make sense of the sensation overriding her body.
Something gleamed in the shallow water, and Wren felt a wave of shock go through her. They had been there all day in that very spot and nothing had been there. Still the need in the pit of her stomach grew until she felt like her body was not her own.
She shook her head, trying to shake the irrational feeling, but her whole body went taut as if by command.
Wren was conscious that she couldn’t rationalize what was happening, but the longing and need only grew. The shining she had spotted began to glow as if it were made of starlight itself. All thoughts fled from her as she walked towards the source of the light.
Wren’s feet stepped into the water as the need in her grew, and she was acutely aware of the fact that she needed to know what the light was more than she needed to breathe.
Water shifted around her waist, but she only went deeper and deeper. The light had seemed to be shallow when she first saw it, but now it felt as if the bottom was evading her. She was distantly aware of her name being called.
The blinding need in her was suddenly replaced with anxiety as something pulled at her legs. As if the invasion released her from the spell, Wren turned her body and tried to make for the shore. She realized what she had been doing and where she was, causing bewilderment and shock to flood her.
Something tugged at her leg again and she fell, losing her balance. Cold lake water splashed into Wren’s open mouth and panic welled within her. She reached her arms out desperately trying to find the bottom of the lake. Wren realized abruptly that she was farther out into the lake, and the water was too deep for her to find any sort of grounding. She frantically kicked her legs and tried to swim for shore ignoring the rapid beating of her heart.
Wren opened her mouth to cry out, but she was pulled under the frigid water. Her body screamed in panic as her lungs ached for air.
Wren managed to kick free of whatever was holding her, and as her head broke the surface, she gasped for air. The cold air hitting her lungs burned as if her body no longer recognized it. Cara was shouting her name, but she was too far away.
As she was pulled under another time, she kicked with futile strength, refusing to die. She broke the surface once more. The sound of shouting behind her grabbed her attention and relief swam across her. Cara was nearly to her.
Wren kicked and kicked, her lungs burning with the effort. She could almost reach out her hand to Cara’s and she was struck by the thought that she might make it. She was going to survive this. The fleeting thought quickly evaporated as both of her legs felt the phantom tug, and then she was under the water again, unable to breathe, being pulled deeper and deeper into the abyss. Wren felt a hand wrap around hers, but she knew the truth of her fate even before the darkness took her.
Chapter 2
Wrenbrokethesurfaceonce more and desperately pulled cold air into her burning lungs. She felt arms tugging at her and she gratefully reached for them. Her chest heaved as she collapsed on the blissfully solid ground. She had thought she would die in that lake enough that being on land felt like a miracle.
She opened her stinging eyes and was shocked to see an abundance of stars. There were never this many stars in the sky and she was sure she would have noticed on her ride from the village if there had been such a drastic difference.
As her body filled with more oxygen, she also noticed how cold the night air was. It was frigid enough that she would have worn a coat. With her chest still heaving, she rolled over onto her hands and knees trying to regain her balance enough to stand.
A body slammed into her, pinning her to the ground. “Wren! Oh my gods, what were you thinking? Goddess’s blessings, what was that?”
Never in her life had she been more grateful to hear Cara’s voice. With burning lungs, Wren wrapped her arms around her friend and let out a sob.
“Thank you!” The words were gargled as if Wren had swallowed the lake water.
Cara attempted a laugh. “As payment, you can tell my mum why I am late.”
