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I’ve never seen anything like it or read about a creature like this... It’s like some sort of whale, sharp, beast mixture the size of a ship itself, but we can fit inside and if I can do that, I can save him...
Commanding it to open again, I pull Sebastian with me, sinking into its mouth. It closes around us, creating a sort of bubble or pocket of air as it empties the water.
It’s a weird concept to be laying on a creature’s tongue that can swallow me whole, but what other choice do I have? My legs return as the scales seemingly slip beneath the surface of my skin. How did I not know this? I’ve taken baths... Not once in my twenty-three years of life have I turned into a fish.
Shaking my head free, I focus on Sebastian. Now is not the time to worry about the gills. Do I even have those? I’d have to, right? FOCUS.
Sebastian’s cold, his body pale despite his naturally tanned skin. The hollows around his eyes are dark. He’s barely even bleeding anymore. He’s lost too much. I slip off his shirt, tearing it into strips so I can tie them around the wounds.
Think… There’s got to be something, a spell, or anything that could help him. I scavenge my brain, landing on a spell I saw for only a split second as I was trying to save him from the poison the last time he did something stupid. I don’t remember everything about it, but I know the words. It’s a transfusion. I spill my blood and give it to him. I could use that, then heal him with the other spell enough where he’ll live. It’s only been what? A day or two since I depleted myself? My stores aren’t full, but there should be enough. Without the poison, like he had last time, it won’t take as much out of me. I think…
I press my ear to his chest, listening to his lungs. They sound different… strangled. There must be water still. Rubbing my hands together, my magic sings in my veins, like music only I can hear.
“I’m sorry. If you can hear me, this is probably going to hurt.” I place my palms just above his chest, letting the power build, then slam them down, forcing the water out. It spews from his mouth and nose, and he coughs and chokes, tilting his head to the side. It’s a sign of life and I’ll take it.
I cover his mouth with my own, forcing air into his lungs until he starts to do it on his own. His eyelashes flutter, his voice raw and hoarse as he tries to speak. “Scarlet,” he whispers, fading in and out.
Tears prick my eyes as I smooth the hair out of his face. “It’s alright,” I say, kissing his forehead. “You’re okay. I’ve got you. I’m going to fix this.” My voice breaks, betraying me as tears spill from my eyes.
“I’m sorry…” His head lulls to the side as he fights to stay awake.
“Don’t apologize to me! You will not die today. Do you understand?”
He weakens, losing the fight. I struggle to keep my breaths calm and collected, feeling the urge to breathe faster until I hyperventilate.
“Listen to me,” I say, ripping the fabric. “You can’t be the lamb. That’s my job. We both can’t do it. You have to stay with me, okay?” I cup his jaw, bending to rest my forehead on his as a sob rakes through me. “You can’t leave me. You have to say. Just hang on.”
Sitting back and forcing my lungs to take a deep breath, I wipe the tears from my eyes and get to work. Gripping the small dagger, I position it against my arm, just above my wrist. It’s gotta be deep… I don’t know if I can do it to myself. Regardless, it also can’t be life-threatening. I can’t heal him if I bleed out here, too.
Drawing in a shaky breath, I push as hard as I can, dragging the blade across the fleshy part of my arm. I scream out, clenching my jaw until the hinge aches and my teeth threaten to crack. I pant, dropping the dagger, and trying to block out the pain. It burns and stings and radiates up my arm and down through my wrist.
Blood spills from the wound and I start the spell, finger shaking. I’ve never controlled something and did mage magic before—let alone blood magic. But the beast doesn’t fight me, either. It’s almost like it wants to help, bringing us to the island I saw from the ship. I start to recite the spell, speaking in a tongue that’s nowhere close to familiar to me. I’ve studied it, but I’ve never practiced it. I just hope it works. My blood spills onto Sebastian’s body, running off the sides of his stomach. As I finish the first round of incantations, I watch the blood become uniform lines, snaking over the beast’s tongue, Sebastian’s body, and everywhere else flowing into the wounds on his arms. It doesn’t take long before his color returns and I stop. Gripping two of the fabric straps I created, I tie them around my arm first, putting pressure on the wound. Then I do the same for both of his.
My body is already fatigued. The blood loss and the magic the beast pulls, along with what I’ve just given up, I’m running low and I need us to make it to that Island. I doubt I could swim with him for long. Not tired, not like this.
Biting my lip, I choose to do what I can, starting the spell I used before with the coral. I push the fabric up over the wound, just enough to peek at it. As the magic takes hold, I watch the muscle and tissue knit back together before my eyes. Pulling deep on my magic to ensure he has the best chance of survival, stopping with what I hope is enough to guide the beast to the island.
My entire body shakes, struggling to keep up. I will not pass out. I will get us to the island if it’s the last thing I do. Curling against Sebastian’s side, I rest my head on his chest, feeling the weight of what I just did press down on me.
“You’re going to hate me for this. I can feel it in my gut.” I chuckle soundlessly. “After everything, living with this mark, not once have I ever considered doing blood magic. I didn’t care that everyone assumed the worst. I just kept it hidden, but I tried not to let it tempt me into doing spells like this.” I draw my fingertips over his stomach, barely touching him. “I’ve used blood magic twice now and both times have been to save you. I know you’re going to blame me for it… and I know it’s going to come with a cost this time. But I couldn’t lose you… I just hope you’ll forgive me.”
I’m not sure how long we lay here, but I’m impatiently waiting for him to wake up. My magic is almost gone, and I feel it start to sputter out. If I keep going, I’ll lose something. A part of me. But I’m so tired… so weak. I don’t think I could swim myself to shore, let alone both of us.
Just a little longer, then I’ll have to do the rest. The beast starts to fight, and I take a deep breath, hitting that line of no return. I command it to open its mouth and I grip Sebastian tight. Water floods around us and I just hope he’ll subconsciously hold his breath.
Luckily, we’re not far from the surface. I can see the shimmering light dancing through crystal clear water. My legs form into a fin, and I push with everything I have, clumsily getting us to the surface. We break through and I struggle to keep us above water.
I’m not sure what I expected after that spell, but I know something’s changed. When I jumped into the water before, I sank like a rock. This time, I was lighter and I don’t think that’s a good thing. It’s not so much of a struggle to swim, but I don’t float on the surface like the one witch Sebastian threw overboard. I suppose that’s a small blessing.
I thrash my tail, still not sure how to even use it and just hoping for the best, but as exhausting as it is, we’re above water and that’s what matters.
Looking out into the ocean, I don’t see anything. There’s a harsh line where the water meets the sea but the ships are nowhere in sight. It didn’t seem that far away… Maybe the beast took us to the other side. Or maybe they just assumed us dead and left. The masts were just about finished before Sebastian’s uncle, or father, showed up. I’m still not sure what to think of that.
I can see the shore, the waves crashing across starch-white stones. Just as I’m about to clutch Sebastian to my chest so I can attempt to swim on my back, he coughs. His body lurches as his eyes flare open, hazy at first, but it’s him.
“What did you do?” he growls, trying to wipe the water away from his eyes.
“You’re welcome.” Scoffing, I keep us afloat.
