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I Would Swim the Howling Sea
Tyr would never forget the sound of his mother screeching as Addy convulsed atop a table in the center of the tavern. Nor his father’s soundless, desperate pacing, set to creaks in the floorboards that would never again feel anything but sinister. Rikard and Agnes rushing to the back in shifts to get more useless rags and waterskins, which would do nothing for their dying sister, only magnified the horror.
He hovered over the chair he’d pulled to her side, both of her hands clasped in his as he pleaded with the part of himself that had muted his magic. His tears ran onto his sister’s face, joining with hers. She’d stopped seizing, but she’d gone so utterly still, he had to muster his courage long enough to check for a pulse.
The patrons had left to help in the market. A few had lingered in loyalty, but Olov had sent them away to check on their own families. There was nothing they could do anyway. Nothing anyone could do.
Rikard the Mouser leaped onto the table and rubbed his purring head along Addy’s outer thigh. It was the most affection Tyr had seen the tomcat offer anyone.
Was that what finally broke him?
“I’m so sorry, Addy. For everything I said to you. Forgive my hotheaded foolishness. I didn’t mean any of it. I know you didn’t take the letters. I know you weren’t lying. Just please...pleasecome back. Please don’t leave me.”
Agnes slammed a bowl of water onto the table she’d pulled close. “Look at her face, Tyreste! We need to keep cooling her down. She’s hot. She’s flushed. We just need... need to cool her down.”
Tyr looked up into his sister’s eyes, reading the haunted despair they all felt.
The tavern doors flung open.
Anastazja marched through. She bolted the door behind her.
Rikard squinted at Tyr in confusion, but he didn’t understand what was going on either.
“I couldn’t find—” She closed her eyes and sucked in a short, hard breath before trying again. “I couldn’t find any physicians. I tried, but they were...” She reached a hand out and steadied herself on the wall. Her gaze traveled to the table. “Addy.”
Tyr choked the words out. “Did you run into N—”
“I lied to you about magic. I do have it. I just didn’t want anyone to know.” Ana rushed over, grabbing a chair on her way. She dropped it on the other side of the table and started running her hands along Addy’s motionless face.
“Iknowyou have magic,” Tyr replied. “Whatis going on?”
“Thank the Guardians,” Fransiska said, breathless. “You’rehere. Please, we’ll give youanything...”
“All I want is to see her smiling face again,” Ana said distantly. Her hands traveled Addy’s face in slow, circular paths. Her eyes fluttered, then closed. Her mouth moved in muted whispers, following the same cadence as her palms.
Fransiska sobbed and covered her face in her hands. The sharp sound stirred Olov from his stupor, and he reached for her, then pulled her into his arms without a word. Rikard stood frozen in the center of the floor, Agnes several feet away holding dirty rags in one hand, clean ones in the other.
They all watched Ana.
No one made a sound.
Time passed too slowly. Ana looked up. Her eyes rolled back, and she started to topple backward. Rikard reached her before she fell altogether and caught her in his arms. He lifted her up off the chair and helped her stand, but she was out again before she found her footing. Agnes dropped the rags and joined him, and together they dragged her to another chair.
All Tyr could do was stare, stunned.
A guttural gasp ripped through the quiet tavern. Addy’s chest rose so high, she nearly bucked off the table. She rolled to her side, sputtering pink foam everywhere.
“Adeline!” Fransiska cried and tore away from her husband. She shoved Tyr and curled her daughter into her arms, lifting and carrying her away from the bloody table. Olov hurried to her side, and they rushed her to the bar, where Fransiska mopped Adeline’s face and fed her gentle sips of wine.
With one hand on her belly and the other behind her neck, Agnes waddled toward Tyr. “I’m gonna assume Addy will be all right now?”
Tyr nodded, staring blankly.
“Ana’s all right, but she might lose consciousness again, so you should... I don’t know, check on her. Rik and I are going to go help in the market.”
Tyr nodded, still caught in the iron grip of his daze. He watched as Agnes and then Rikard went to the door, leaving Ana alone in a chair, huddled over her knees.
He needed to go to her. To saysomething.She’d arrived at just the right time to save the most important person in his life. Another few minutes...
